I accept that Rondo will never be a good free throw shooter

[droopdog7]

Lol at ej117.  While IN THEORY, what you say might be true, in reality, most people simply don't have the ability to shoot 90% in the context of nba games.  Yes, that's correct.  In addition to the practice you keep talking about, there is also an inherent ability to shooting.  And just like running, jumping, dribbling, strength, and anything else you can think of, some people are born to be better shooters.  Obviously you have to take advantage of this ability but that doesn't change the fact that some have an advantage.

[bfrombleacher]

His jumpshot got better (hit one pretty much every night and he Paul Pierce faked Gaines last night). Not even 10 games into the season and already this. Jeez.

Rondo has been a bad free throw shooter since he got here, not just 7 games, FYI.

One question: has there ever been an elite point guard who shoots as poorly from the line as Rondo?

All I'm saying is the sample size is small. Also take into account the fact that the schedule is different. Without Pierce, Rondo had to carry the team 40 minutes against 2 elite teams. To say Rondo did not improve his shot/free throw I think is a bit unfair. I'm not a good basketball player by any stretch of the word but I can definitely see the effect of fatigue on the performance on court and when I'm really tired I can still hit from my hot spots. I think Rondo make free throws one of the shots that he can make when he's exhausted now. There was definitely improvement from what I saw though. Maybe I'm really far off, I don't know.

[LarBrd33]

i accept that Rondo will never be a top 10 player. 

[xmuscularghandix]

He's good if he is aggressive and is getting 5+ attempts per night. It's the 0-1 & 0-2 nights over and over that kill his percentages.

I hate that Rondo is so inconsistent and attacks the basket only when he feels like it.

[bfrombleacher]

He's good if he is aggressive and is getting 5+ attempts per night. It's the 0-1 & 0-2 nights over and over that kill his percentages.

I hate that Rondo is so inconsistent and attacks the basket only when he feels like it.

But it makes sense. The games without Pierce he was incredibly aggressive and looked for his own shot and the games with Pierce he deferred and got 12 assists.

[Swoopz]

It's extremely frustrating and I don't accept it in the same way I never accepted careless 4th quarter interceptions by Brett Farve and the way Deion Sanders wouldn't tackle people.

There are 7th graders that work harder on their free throws and get better results. You'd think for 10mill a year Rondo would care.

Rondo's act is getting thin

And how do you know that Rondo doesn't practice? Please don't claim stuff and say it as fact. Your act is getting thin.

[BballTim]

His jumpshot got better (hit one pretty much every night and he Paul Pierce faked Gaines last night). Not even 10 games into the season and already this. Jeez.

Rondo has been a bad free throw shooter since he got here, not just 7 games, FYI.

One question: has there ever been an elite point guard who shoots as poorly from the line as Rondo?

  I think Rondo's the only one.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, for me, when I think of the FEW faults that Rondo does have, I have to compare him to Wilt Chamberlain and Shaq.

Neither of those two great centers could hit their free throws either.

But boy could they dominate the game at times - just like Rondo can (and has).



I really believe Rondo will improve, and I can't accept that Rondo will never be a good free throw shooter.

[Eja117]

It's extremely frustrating and I don't accept it in the same way I never accepted careless 4th quarter interceptions by Brett Farve and the way Deion Sanders wouldn't tackle people.

There are 7th graders that work harder on their free throws and get better results. You'd think for 10mill a year Rondo would care.

Rondo's act is getting thin

  How hard does Rondo work on his free throws?

  And, just for fun, what's the deal with the 400 or so players in the league that can't handle the ball or pass the ball as well as Rondo? Shouldn't they practice their deficiencies as well? You'd think that for a combined $46M+ KG/PP/RA would care. Their act is wearing pretty thin as well.

Hmmm. Maybe you're right. Rondo shouldn't practice. Nobody should ever have to practice. I mean if you have a deficiency you have a deficiency, right?  

  You didn't answer how hard Rondo works on his free throws, since you seem to be an expert on the subject.

  Your two choices seem to be "only Rondo needs to  work on his deficiencies" or "nobody needs to work on their deficiencies". Why is it so unthinkable that other players work on improving their games as well? Why does everyone but Rondo get a pass for having flaws they don't care enough to address?

You asked so I'll answer. Obviously he doesn't work on it hard enough.  Honestly this just strikes me as one of those questions that someone who has never played the game on even the lowest of weekend warrior levels would ask.  All shooting is based on a repetitious action, especially free throw shooting, where it's just you and the basket. It is essentially the easiest of any shot. You just stand there and shoot. The basket doesn't move. You don't jump. You just shoot. It's probably the single easiest thing in the game to practice and improve on. It is nothing like attempting to become a great ball handler in traffic or a great passer with other players defending you. It's more like a 5 year old learning to write their letters or numbers, only with less fine motor skill.  How much do you think he's practicing? Hours and hours? He gets there every day and shoots for 30 minutes a few hours before the game and then shoots 3 hours a day every day in the off season and shoots 300 times after every game that he makes less than half his free throws? And God has just happened to curse him with being the only person on Earth other than 7ft 2 Shaq who can't improve his free throw shooting?  A 6th grade girl can improve their free throw shooting. Legally blind kids can improve their free throw shooting. (They do it all the time at Perkins School for the Blind, which the Celtics have a relationship with through the owner, whose kid went there).  Old men can improve their free throw shooting. Everyone on Earth can improve their free throw shooting.  I'm not sure if apes can, but if they grasp the concept and they attach better performance to getting more treats I bet they can. But for some reason for years now Rondo can't. I don't believe it and I don't accept it.

  I'd say that if your claim was correct than almost every player in the league would be hitting 90% or so on their free throws. If Rondo could improve his free throw shooting with practice so could LeBron and so could Wade, both of whom have thrown away, I'd guess, close to 1000 points in their careers due to their lack of effort.

Yes. Exactly. Every player can improve their free throw shooting up to about 90% or so. Some would have an easier time than others, but they can all improve at pretty much any time.

  Ok, so Rondo's among the 98% or so of the players that don't care enough about their games to practice their free throws enough to hit them as well as they should.

Right. Only he's a worse free throw shooter than most of them, and therefore should care more

[Eja117]

It's extremely frustrating and I don't accept it in the same way I never accepted careless 4th quarter interceptions by Brett Farve and the way Deion Sanders wouldn't tackle people.

There are 7th graders that work harder on their free throws and get better results. You'd think for 10mill a year Rondo would care.

Rondo's act is getting thin

And how do you know that Rondo doesn't practice? Please don't claim stuff and say it as fact. Your act is getting thin.

I suppose it's possible he practices long long hours and just purposely misses his free throws

[Eja117]

Lol at ej117.  While IN THEORY, what you say might be true, in reality, most people simply don't have the ability to shoot 90% in the context of nba games.  Yes, that's correct.  In addition to the practice you keep talking about, there is also an inherent ability to shooting.  And just like running, jumping, dribbling, strength, and anything else you can think of, some people are born to be better shooters.  Obviously you have to take advantage of this ability but that doesn't change the fact that some have an advantage.

I suppose when you average in the people with the balloons trying to distract you and the pressure that isn't there when practicing maybe 85% is a more reasonable ceiling.

But I disagree that the monkey was just born to be a better shooter

[Eja117]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOVH61QZq-c

Was this guy born to be a better shooter?

[Eja117]

I guess the elephant answers the question about whether you need perfect form, or even hands.

[Celtics4ever]

The good out weighs the bad most of the time.

[BballTim]

It's extremely frustrating and I don't accept it in the same way I never accepted careless 4th quarter interceptions by Brett Farve and the way Deion Sanders wouldn't tackle people.

There are 7th graders that work harder on their free throws and get better results. You'd think for 10mill a year Rondo would care.

Rondo's act is getting thin

And how do you know that Rondo doesn't practice? Please don't claim stuff and say it as fact. Your act is getting thin.

I suppose it's possible he practices long long hours and just purposely misses his free throws

  Or, much more likely, your claim that everyone can get to be a great ft shooter if they practice enough is wrong.