Dwight Howard Improved FT Shooting, Why Can't Rondo?

[Bankshot]

Dwight Howard looks good at the stripe this year.  Very smooth stroke and looked like he changed his form.  There will be no more Hack a Howard.  He has done what Shaq could never do. 

The question is, if a 7 footer can fix his stroke and shoot a reasonable percentage, why can't Rondo?  What's holding him back?

[Birdbrain]

Agree with the premise although it's a very small sample size but, just for clarification how many FTs has Rondo missed this year?

[Bankshot]

True, very small sample size, but from the small sample size, nothing has changed.  He still doesn't shoot free throws any better.  And I'm not bashing Rondo, just concerned that if Dwight Howard can do it, I would think that Rondo would be able to do it too.

[Roy Hobbs]

Slightly off-topic, but so far this season Rondo hasn't attempted a single free throw.  That's crazy.

As for Howard, I'm not sure that he's changed that much.  This year he's hitting 63.6%.  That's his highest in the past four seasons (when he's been around 58% - 60%), but not significantly so.  Also, it's lower than his rookie year (63.6%).

Of course, there's no reason that any player can't improve their free throw shooting.  It's all repetition.

[Bankshot]

Slightly off-topic, but so far this season Rondo hasn't attempted a single free throw.  That's crazy.

As for Howard, I'm not sure that he's changed that much.  This year he's hitting 63.6%.  That's his highest in the past four seasons (when he's been around 58% - 60%), but not significantly so.  Also, it's lower than his rookie year (63.6%).

Of course, there's no reason that any player can't improve their free throw shooting.  It's all repetition.

I should have said preseason.  Rondo shot free throws in preseason and was awful.  I just watched Howard hit I think 15 of 16 free throws the other night and he has changed his form and looks good -- he's been working on it over the summer.  So I would expect his ft shooting to be better this year.

[Who]

Dwight Howard hit only 44 out of 83 free throws in preseason for a 53% mark and was 7-17 in the first two regular season games prior to yesterday's performance.

I wouldn't read too much into his free throw shooting against the Raptors. Most likely it was just an aberration.

[Fafnir]

Slightly off-topic, but so far this season Rondo hasn't attempted a single free throw.  That's crazy.

As for Howard, I'm not sure that he's changed that much.  This year he's hitting 63.6%.  That's his highest in the past four seasons (when he's been around 58% - 60%), but not significantly so.  Also, it's lower than his rookie year (63.6%).

Of course, there's no reason that any player can't improve their free throw shooting.  It's all repetition.

Rondo hasn't been looking to score all that much this year. It is weird that he hasn't taken any free throws though.

(Good for my fantasy team though! Assuming he's still a 60% shooter)

[Bankshot]

Ok, forget about Howard.  Is anyone worried that Rondo isn't taking jump shots or driving to the hoop much?  It's almost like he's taken a step back offensively. We can't even see if he improved his jump shot or free throw shooting (well if preseason is any indication, he hasn't improved his free throw shooting).  It's almost like he's avoiding jumpshots and driving to the hoop on purpose so we don't see he hasn't improved.  That's how he was his rookie season... avoiding taking shots.  Sooner or later, one of the better defensive teams will force him to take shots, and if he passes them up, the C's will be in trouble.  I just think he needs to start taking him so that later in the year when he HAS to take them he will have the confidence to take and make them.

Maybe I shouldn't be concerned so early in the season, but I am.

[jambr380]

Ok, forget about Howard.  Is anyone worried that Rondo isn't taking jump shots or driving to the hoop much?  It's almost like he's taken a step back offensively. We can't even see if he improved his jump shot or free throw shooting (well if preseason is any indication, he hasn't improved his free throw shooting).  It's almost like he's avoiding jumpshots and driving to the hoop on purpose so we don't see he hasn't improved.  That's how he was his rookie season... avoiding taking shots.  Sooner or later, one of the better defensive teams will force him to take shots, and if he passes them up, the C's will be in trouble.  I just think he needs to start taking him so that later in the year when he HAS to take them he will have the confidence to take and make them.

Maybe I shouldn't be concerned so early in the season, but I am.

I have been saying similar things to this in the other Rondo threads. He has been 'dominant' with his passing and on defense, but he is really trying not to take shots. I mean, I think this will change at some point and he had an amazing playoff run a few months ago, where he scored at will, so I am not worried. I just would like him to take a couple of jumpshots every game, even if he misses them, just so he can get used to taking them in games.

As for Howard, good for him for his one good freethrow game, but I don't think he has suddenly changed. If he has, then great, but I couldn't choose him on my fantasy teams because of this, so I really have to root against him...

[OmarSekou]

Is anyone worried that Rondo isn't taking jump shots or driving to the hoop much?  It's almost like he's taken a step back offensively.

We've been handling good teams fairly easily with Rondo running the show. He looks great. My favorite play yesterday was him giving up the layup to let Perk get his. He seems to be picking his spots better.

We can't even see if he improved his jump shot or free throw shooting (well if preseason is any indication, he hasn't improved his free throw shooting).  It's almost like he's avoiding jumpshots and driving to the hoop on purpose so we don't see he hasn't improved. 

His shooting has definitely improved. You can see it in his form and in his confidence when taking the few shots he does. There is much less hesitation. No idea on FTs but it looks like he spent most of the off season working on his jumper. He probably is avoiding jump shots because he knows that's not his/or the team's best scoring option. And about teams exposing him as a shooter, I'm sure they'll try and do it, but we won a championship and did well in the playoffs the past two years when his shot looked much worse.

Hope that eases your concern.

Even if Rondo's FTs don't improve this year, I think he'll get it done before his new contract expires.

[MBz]

Rondo doesn't go to the line enough for this to be a real issue.  Last year he hit about 2/3 free throws a game.  It's tough shooting a high percentage if you don't go to the line a lot.  If he goes to the line for 3 free throws a game, and is hitting 2, that's fine with me.  If he was going to the line 10 times a game, and he was shooting poorly, then it would be an issue.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Rondo doesn't go to the line enough for this to be a real issue.  Last year he hit about 2/3 free throws a game.  It's tough shooting a high percentage if you don't go to the line a lot.  If he goes to the line for 3 free throws a game, and is hitting 2, that's fine with me.  If he was going to the line 10 times a game, and he was shooting poorly, then it would be an issue.

I agree with the premise. Crunch time is a different matter though.

If we compare it to Powe, who got to the line a lot and was missing a lot of free-throws at times, then that's a bigger problem.

[Birdbrain]

Rondo doesn't go to the line enough for this to be a real issue.  Last year he hit about 2/3 free throws a game.  It's tough shooting a high percentage if you don't go to the line a lot.  If he goes to the line for 3 free throws a game, and is hitting 2, that's fine with me.  If he was going to the line 10 times a game, and he was shooting poorly, then it would be an issue.

Interesting point and I wonder if maybe overlooked from time to time. TP.

[Fafnir]

Rondo doesn't go to the line enough for this to be a real issue.  Last year he hit about 2/3 free throws a game.  It's tough shooting a high percentage if you don't go to the line a lot.  If he goes to the line for 3 free throws a game, and is hitting 2, that's fine with me.  If he was going to the line 10 times a game, and he was shooting poorly, then it would be an issue.

Interesting point and I wonder if maybe overlooked from time to time. TP.

This is incorrect, he's our PG. We need him to handle the ball at the end of close games. If he can't make free throws we'll have to have Paul do all the late ball handling. That's not what worrks best for the team, Rondo needs to have the ball, otherwise teams will just double off him like Orlando did.

[Chris]

Slightly off-topic, but so far this season Rondo hasn't attempted a single free throw.  That's crazy.

It's interesting.  Rondo has barely even attempted any shots this season.  He seems like he really wants to get everyone else going early in the season, which I love. 

I think there will be times as we get into January and February, when the older guys start to wear down a little bit, and get some rubbery legs, that Rondo will need to take over a bit more offensively, and start looking for his own shot.  But so far, I have loved his mindset of getting everyone involved.