The Most Awkward Shooting Form

When I started playing basketball in 4th grade I taught myself how to shoot the ball. Because I was taller than most of my friends, I learned to pull the ball behind my head with both hands to protect it from defenders. As a result, I spent years of practicing an awkward behind the head shot with two hands. Luckily I was able to correct my form before I got to high school.

I've seen some ugly shooting form over the years. Some guys have no chance of making a basket with their pathetic form. Others are surprisingly accurate shooters despite having an awkward looking shot. As I was thinking about ugly form, Matt Bonner comes to mind. I'm surprised he makes as many shots as he does, but the NBA player who jumps to the top of the list in this category has to be Shawn Marion.

It's one thing to have a weird foul shot, many players do, but it's another thing to have a such an odd jump shot. The best way I can describe his form is what it might look like if someone was trying to throw a shot put with their elbows. I've heard others describe it as watching a T-Rex shoot a basketball.

For any Shawn Marion fans or family members out there, try not to take offense. I know the Matrix is a great player and he is 100 times better than me and he could beat me up, etc. etc... I'm just saying his jump shot is disturbing and it's amazing he has gone as far as he has with a shot like that. See for yourself.

Ugly Throwbacks

I'm not sure why, but it looks like the NBA decided to punish the Clippers and Grizzlies last week . I would have thought the Clippers baby blue uniforms were really ugly, but next to the Brazilian National team Grizzlies, they don't look quite so bad. It looks like their suitcase with the matching shorts got lost during the flight.

I don't have a problem with teams going back to the old school uniforms at times or for special occasions, but please don't pull out these ones again. I saw the highlights from this game and I think Blake Griffin had some amazing dunks, but I'm not sure because all I can remember are these horrible uniforms. I thought the Euroleage had some ugly uniforms, but they had nothing on this game.

Hanging on the Rim

One of the first times I remember seeing a player really hang on the rim was when Sydney Moncrief dunked on a breakaway in the early 80's and had his feet taken out from under him. He held on the rim to protect himself until it was safe to come down. What has become a way of protecting oneself for some players has also evolved into a form of showing off and taunting for others.

I think this technical on Blake Griffin was pretty weak since he was just waiting for his feet to swing back so he could land, but he could have avoided it by just punching it down and not holding onto the rim. By the way, great defensive effort by the Lakers.



I'm afraid that the "protecting yourself" excuse gets thrown out when you decide to bring your fee up to the backboard. Sorry Nate.



So if you are going to hang on the rim whether it be for protecting yourself or just to rub your dunk in the opposing team's face, just make sure you hang on tight or this might happen.

Lebron Travelled

I am getting tired of seeing comments about how Lebron travelled. Every time I watch ANY NBA video highlight on the Internet, there is always the comment about how Lebron travelled. It might have been funny at first, but now it is getting old like Chuck Norris jokes.

If you want to say "Lebron travelled" then at least save it for the clips of games he is actually playing in. I have no problem if you want to talk about his taking liberties with additional steps on plays like the one below, but I don't want to see such comments when I;m watching football or MMA highlights. The people who always type this in for comments don't realize it's getting old. They probably still think it's funny to say "Where's the beef?"

Cool NBA Commercial

I love seeing the great legends of the NBA on the court with today's superstars. This is pretty cool.

Pre Season Highlight

I am so happy to have highlights to watch each day when I come home from work. I'm really looking forward to tons of Clippers highlights this year. DeAndre is living up to his last name with this dunk.

 

Playing With Those Who "Know"

Many times when I'm playing pickup games, I get stuck on a team of strangers and we struggle because there is no chemistry since we don't know what to expect from each other. I really hate it when that happens. Occasionally I encounter a new player whose style is compatible with mine and things just seem to click.

Some players are obviously more talented or athletic than others, but some have an intangible ability to communicate and play on a different level with their teammates. It's almost like they on a higher plane or have telepathic abilities when it comes to communicating with those they are playing with.

I refer to these people as guys who "know". Their understanding of the game and experience allows others to put their trust in them. These players don't have to bark out orders to their team or design planned plays to get the job done. Sometimes their communication is conveyed with just a glance, subtle gesture, body language, or just giving off vibes. These players are sometimes referred to as having eyes in the back of their head. Their anticipation, court awareness, and ability to see three or four steps ahead of the present make them very effective. Guys like Bird, Magic, and Nash fit this description.

These kind of players are known for taking advantage of their opponent by running the give and go, making  unexpected passes, or quick outlets. That sort of play is expected from guys who have played with each over time, but one of the most beautiful things about the sport is when two strangers get put together on the same team and have instant chemistry. It's rare when this happens, but I love playing with those kind of players.