Poll: Who is worried about Smart's shot.

[CelticsFanFromNYC]

A bunch of Smart's  shots bounced off the front of the rim. Especially his first game. IF ANYONE here plays basketball and has a decent "recreational (unless you play professional) jumper" and proper mechanics would know that happens a lot when your thinking a lot trying to shoot too perfect.  I am honestly not worried much. Ill complain come All star Break

[mmmmm]

I'm not 'worried' about Smart's shot at all.  I have never expected him to become a great shooter just a few weeks after ending his college career as a crappy one.

To be blunt, I think Smart's form is atrocious -- far worse than anyone else on the Celtics.  He bends too much at the waste on his dip, causing his body to have to rock back and then forward again as he rises and pushes into his shot.  As a consequence of the bend at the waste, his arms extend out too far from his body on the dip and then end up swinging back over his head on the rise.  And to top it off, he tends to finish with his shoulder turned into the shot.   All these things matter most on the 3PT shot where he has to really muscle it and all the flaws become amplified.   He doesn't do the rocking on his set shots, so his free throws are actually decent.

Is it possible for him to fix it and become a good shooter?  Sure.  Anything is possible.   I'm just not holding my breath.  If it happens, great.  It probably ain't happening soon.

All that said, I'm not worried about his shot because frankly, almost none of Smart's value as a player depends on him being a great outside shooter.

Even while shooting at a low percentage, he can still be a relatively high efficiency scorer (per FGA) by getting to the free throw line.  This is where his advantage is.   Not as a great outside shooter.

I would like him to start to acknowledge his limitations and just plain not bother too much with the 3PT shot.   Go to the hoop.  Drive & dish.

[Snakehead]

From my perspective, I really don't care at all about him not making that many.   Summer League is top level overreaction time.  I just hate the shot selection.

My hope is that when he's on the floor with Rondo and under Stevens, out there playing for real, he wises up on that.  He seems to be a smart player otherwise so I have faith he will work it out.

I don't mind him taking good open threes and not even shooting so well this year if he's just trying to work on his shot a bit.  Just don't pull up and take off balance threes early in a shot clock when you can't hit the open one.

[Csfan1984]

He has good form so I think its a feel thing.

I don't argee, he has good form.  His shooting stroke is forced and mechanical.   I think he holds the ball awkwardly due to his hand positioning.  He needs to get his arm a little higher and not cock the ball back so far back.  He also tends to turn his body in the air slightly.

This highlights of his jumpers but you can see the faults even here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GWHNw5JMkE

Now here is proper form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veEm8zRxROc

Notice how he doesn't turn his shoulders and keeps his body square.   He also does not overcock.

Rondo's forced mechanical form should be better but he still has issues with the turning in the air slightly of his shoulders and I don't like his arm shoulder positioning with the over cock.

Now Bird cocked his shots to the right of his head often.   But he usually squared up when it mattered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx6OeoT4vkw

That being said, the man should shoot from angle or falling down.  But if you watch the great shooters you will see that even when they look off balance that at times while his feet may not line up his shoulders still do.  Bob Knight said Bird had the best hand eye coordination he had ever seen.

I was talking about Smart not Rondo.

[Celtics4ever]

I was talking about Smart not Rondo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktvsgf_3uuE

What is with the all the jumping forward on his shot?  I seen guy do that a lot but usually pure shooters go up more than forward unless on the move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le1urCQX-Jo

Could square up a little better on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2xqmw8NHco

Start at 10:00 mark, Wrote this before I watched it.

But less side to side or forward or backward motion on shot usually the better it is folks.  Fading away is something only advanced shooters can do well.   Side to side motion kills accuracy unless your Larry Bird.

[Asher77]

Look at this awesome game....I think a few of you would have offed yourself if we traded up to 4 and grabbed Gordon after this showing today. He did almost nothing in 25 min on the court. I watched it, it looked as bad as it appears. 



   MIN       FGM-A   3PM-A  FTM-A   +/-   OFF   DEF   TOT   AST   PF   ST   TO   BS   BA   PTS
    25:32   0-3     0-1         4-4    -13        0        0        0      0    2    0    1     0      0     4

[coco]

I am not worried at all about his shot.  He is a slasher.   Now, being a slasher and can't finish around the basket, then that would worry me.  But as far as I can tell, he can finish.  So it's all good.

 If he learns to be a reliable shooter, that's gravy in my eyes.

[Csfan1984]

I was talking about Smart not Rondo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktvsgf_3uuE

What is with the all the jumping forward on his shot?  I seen guy do that a lot but usually pure shooters go up more than forward unless on the move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le1urCQX-Jo

Could square up a little better on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2xqmw8NHco

Start at 10:00 mark, Wrote this before I watched it.

But less side to side or forward or backward motion on shot usually the better it is folks.  Fading away is something only advanced shooters can do well.   Side to side motion kills accuracy unless your Larry Bird.

I get that you have a thing for shooting perfection but good form doesn't have to mean perfect form. Body type also effects form so not everyone can have the "perfect" looking shot.

[SHAQATTACK]

Smart ...

Apprentice


Brick Mason.

[Greenbean]

I havent read all the responses but my take is as follows:

- His form looks decent. I think he can develop
- He has confidence in the perimeter shot even though the results are not there yet. This is an excelent sign IMO.
- His confidence combined with everyone talking about his shot and his apparent competitive drive should result in a servicable shot down the line

Basically, he is a confident and competitive dude with a decent strole...not worried.