Tim Duncan look like a scared little girl on the free throw line. It's pathetic and he's supposedly the most fundamentally sound guy in NBA. How can he be so sucked at the one of the most fundamental skill of basketball? Please explain why do you think Duncan suck at free throws?
A video clip of Duncan's FT shooting practice before the game was shown and TD was missing FTs left and right. He just suck at it, the way like Shaq does, and yes he did look like a scared little girl after missing a crucial free throw in game 2.
Duncan is crap at the line because of bad technique, and the fact that like the rest of his team, he crumbles under pressure. Poppovich has everyone on that team so afraid of making mistakes, that they can't handle the simple things. Here's hoping that it leads to their demise. GO NETS!
It’s mental. He’s got the same kind of problem Bruce Bowen has. Bowen’s a very good 3-point shooter, yet a terrible free throw shooter. Duncan is almost automatic when shooting at the top of the key, but for some reason when he moves closer to the free throw line, he just can’t make his shots. Maybe he should try Nick Van Exel’s approach and stand further away to shoot his free throws.
Like most big men, he shoots a really flat ball. He and Shaq both need to accentuate an arc in their shot to get more touch. Hey, I once made 27 in a row.... in practice.
The fact that he was missing them early in the game and in practice should tell you it isn't the pressure. The fact that he has not always been such a poor FT shooter should tell you it isn't his technique. The problem is once he starts struggling, he thinks about it to much. It is all in his head.
Remember the Sunshine Kid? He couldn't miss with quick draws but couldn't hit squat if he's required to aim. Same thing with free throw shooting. Some good shooters just don't do good at the line. Basketball is a game of rhythm. Standing still at the line seems to zap the rhythm from some players. I think it's probably a combination of mental and technique. I am a decent jump shooter and a poor ft shooter. So I can empathize. But as I said before, poor free throw shooting for a go-to guy like Duncan and Shaq is a very crucial weakness that is largely underrated.
Easy those have been my thoughts exactly on Duncan's problem. Duncan is a motion, rhythym shooter and he just can do it pinned in a pigeon toed free throw stance. He ought to try to put some motion, a sway, shot right off a dribble, anything that gets a rhythm into his shot.
Just checked his stats and he shot 80% from the line in '01-'02. For his career, he's 71% from the line, 70% in the playoffs. Conclusion: there is no problem with Duncan's free throws.
duncan has a free throw technique problem. his free throw shot doesnt have the arch. he always have that flat shot just like eddie's 3 point shot. i think the reason for that is he has a weak leg support. can you see his feet and legs barely moves when he shoots at the charity line. if he could bend his knees a lil and move his legs. i think he will have better accuracy on his shot. he already has the shot, now, he needs SUPPORT for the shot.
He shoots free throws like Arnold Palmer used to putt... with that tight knock-kneed stance. I think you're onto something here. Arnold was trying, in golf, to keep his body steady. That's not desirable when shooting the basketball. Why shoot free throws in an entirely different way than you would shoot from the field. Anybody remember when Hal Greet used to jump-shoot free throws?
exactly. I think some bend in the knees would help too. My philosophy is this. . . Give too much arc rather than too little at least then the rebound may pop to one of your guys rocket River
