I agree it's unacceptable. If the current regime isn't working, then the Cs should hire a free-throw shooting coach, a reputed specialist like Palubinskas for example, and "ask" Rondo to work with him. Even Shaq shot his free-throws at nearly 70% when he was properly coached.
When exactly did Shaq ever shoot 70% from the line in a season? Did I miss something?
Yeps, you missed my post. I never said he shot 70% from the line in a season, I said he shot "nearly at 70%" when he was properly coached. Then he decided he didn't need to be coached any more, so his efficiency dropped again.
O'Neal reached a low point in his free throw shooting during the 2000-2001 season, finding himself at a miserable 38% on the season in December 2000. At that time, the Lakers hired Ed Palubinskas, a 90% free throw shooter during his own playing days, to help coach O'Neal. The tactic seemed to eventually pay dividends and O'Neal shot almost 68% over the last 15 games of that season, prompting O'Neal at one point to loudly bark, "It doesn't work any more!" at his opposition when the Hack-a-Shaq strategy was being used.
Ultimately however, O'Neal ceased his work with Palubinskas and has since been unable to maintain the level of success he found late in that 2000-2001 season.
Rondo got shooting coaching and instruction from Mark Price, a great shooter. He has Ray Allen on his team and a great coaching staff at his disposal. Give him time. It's only December. He shot 38% from the line in November and 61% from the line in December. I think improvement is coming. Mark Price even said in an interview that we would notice the difference in his shooting towards the end of the year, not the beginning. Rondo has never done anything for me not to trust him, his talent or his work ethic. I expect improvement and am willing to be patient with him.
How many time has Rondo worked with Mark Price? Two days?
You're saying a 15 game stretch of heightened free throw shooting is proof of proper coaching? 15 games? So was he getting proper coaching between 12/3/08 and 1/18/09 when he went 91 for 133 shooting 68.4% during that 15 game span? Or what about between 2/23/2003 and 3/31/2003 went 157 for 236 shooting 66.6% during that 20 game span?
Isn't it just as likely that he just had another good stretch because he was paying attention to what he was doing rather than good coaching? Because obviously, he did have equally good stretches without that special coaching as he had when he was supposedly getting his good coaching.
Me? I thought Phil Jackson said it too. And I thought it was quite visible (and consensual) that he was finally being consistent with a motion and looking more comfortable. But maybe Shaq was right in firing the coach and the Lakers organization was wrong in wanting him to keep working.
I really don't see the downside here. If something isn't working, why wouldn't one try to fix it? Rondo still has too many moving parts in his motion. Ainge and the staff are the ones who have more insight on how much it's worth waiting for results, but as I've said,
if the current regime isn't working, then it's time to consider moving on with more drastic measures and hire a full-time FT shooting instructor.
Topic: A franchise PG that shoots 53 percent FT's will not pan out (Read 13894 times)