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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Shooting Makes A World Of Difference By Ron Jumper The game of basketball is really simple in principle. The goal is to shoot the ball into the basket more times than your opponent. The key word is shoot, something I think is an unbelievable lost art in the United States. As I watched Team USA play against Puerto Rico, I couldn’t help but notice that the team is not much farther along than the previous teams. Yes, America has put a lot more attention into this team; yes, it has Coach K at the helm; and yes, this team has a chip on its shoulder. However, the basic problem still remains that they can’t shoot the basketball. Far too many open jumpers and free throws are missed. Teams are able to hang around by just simply hitting basic open shots and converting their free throws.  I think Coach K is making a huge mistake playing the trapping, pressure defense. That style leads to way too many open threes and free throw attempts for the opposing team. For every amazing transition dunk Team USA makes, they give up an open jumper by taking way too many gambles on steal attempts. As you watched the first quarter and saw Team USA making all those great plays but then you noticed the score and realized they were only up by 2 or 3. When Team USA settled down and played straight up man-to-man defense, by that I mean playing helpside defense and not gambling for every steal, Puerto Rico had to make plays they weren’t comfortable doing. They had to beat their man 1-on-1, which fell drastically in the favor of Team USA. Very few international players, if for no reason other than intimidation, feel comfortable trying to beat a Lebron James or Dwyane Wade off the dribble. Also, playing pressure defense and going at a fast pace makes it really hard to get settled on your shots. It is really hard to get settled and relaxed for your free throws after you’ve been flying up and down the court. The other tendency is to rush and force things on offense instead of being patient and waiting for things to develop. Take it from me, someone who watched many years of Nolan Richardson’s “40 Minutes Of Hell” at Arkansas, there are going to be nights it looks amazing and other nights where it gets scorched for open shot after open shot. When you have the most talent, not to mention the most size, speeding the game up can take away your advantages. The good news is that the lost art of shooting may be returning to the American game. Take last season’s NCAA Final Four teams, all four were highly efficient shooting teams. Surprise team George Mason led the Colonial Athletic Association in field goal percentage. UCLA led the PAC-10 in field goal percentage. Florida and LSU ranked 1st and 2nd in field goal percentage in the very rugged SEC. In the NBA, field goal percentage is also a way to measure success. Phoenix, Miami, and San Antonio all rank in the top 5 in the league. I think that speaks volumes for how important shooting is to the game of basketball. That doesn’t mean just 3-point shooting, it means mid-range jumpers and using the backboard as your friend. Now when a player works on his game, it is either dunking or jacking 3-pointers. Being able to shoot the ball efficiently from all spots on the floor is just as critical as making a highlight dunk or long 3-pointer. I feel confident Coach K will make the right moves and adjustments, but I just hope it is sooner than later. Pounding a mediocre Puerto Rico may actually give Team USA a false sense of how they should attack the international game. When the competition rises up a couple of notches, I don’t see the pressure getting to these international teams. The foundation of international basketball is fundamentals, something America seems to have forgotten. August 3, 2006 |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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