Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 374 Kidd's Shot

Tang Sen didn't really like everyone sitting up straight and huddled around the conference table for meetings.

When it comes to discussing any issues, Tang Sen prefers to get together in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere and have a conversation to clarify the problems.

So when renovating the training hall, Tang Sen instructed the workers to make the meeting rooms small, but the lounge large.

Set up a soft sofa, put on the biggest TV, and set up a bar next to it. You can drink whatever you like, completely self-service.

On the 4th, before the afternoon training session began, Tang Sen invited several key trainers to the lounge.

In three days, Tang Sen had collected almost all the data.

We already have a good enough understanding of each player's situation.

From now on, we need to really think about how each player can improve.

Especially those teams in Townsend's plan that are qualified to go toe-to-toe with the Knicks and the Lakers.

Previously, Townsend selected 5 teams in the East and 7 in the West.

But there are still differences.

Teams like the Bulls and Heat, drafted for market reasons, are not qualified to be a stumbling block to the Knicks' three-peat, at least not next season.

This three-peat was announced by Leiden in a television interview a couple of days ago.

He said with a proud look that if the Knicks don't get a three-peat with their current roster, it's a failure.

Therefore, among these 12 teams, Tang Sen will focus on selecting a few and dedicate more effort to improving their strength.

In the East, the Magic definitely have to be considered.

For Brown and McGrady, Townsend plans to have Brown practice three-pointers to extend his shooting range.

His inside game is good enough that he has the ability to develop his three-point shooting and increase his threat on the court.

If he can improve his three-point shooting this summer, that will be enough.

As for McGrady, Townsend would prefer to let him train his physique.

This guy has really mastered the technique; as long as he stays healthy, not many people can stop him from scoring.

After considering the situation, Tangsen decided that the Nets were the better option than the Magic.

If he gives the team a push from behind, Kidd has the potential to raise the team's ceiling to a very high level.

So the TV is showing a recording of the Nets' game.

The training facility is here, but the company headquarters isn't here. Tang Ling has an office in Manhattan, New York, where she works.

Then there's a team of editors who specialize in editing your videos.

At the same time, Tang Sen was also able to get the video footage from the NBA for free.

"Tell me, what do you think are Jason's problems?" Tang Sen looked at Tedsky and the others.

When discussing Kidd, we inevitably have to discuss his shooting.

He is a top-tier playmaker and a top-class perimeter defender; these two qualities alone are enough to make him a first-rate star.

The only remaining problem to solve is shooting.

After looking around, Brittenham spoke first: "He's just not efficient enough and has a problem with insufficient energy."

“He can do a great job if you only ask him to defend and organize, but he won’t do a good job if you also ask him to worry about offense.”

Tang Sen, holding a notebook, lay on the sofa, listening and taking notes.

Brittenham's words are very apt.

The media always says that Kidd's three-point shooting is bad and that he needs to practice his three-point shooting.

Before this training camp even started, New Jersey media jokingly suggested that Townsend should hurry up and save Kidd's terrible three-point shooting.

That's as if Kidd can't shoot a single three-pointer.

That's not the case.

Kidd started shooting three-pointers when he entered the league, averaging 3.3 three-pointers per game in his rookie season.

In his second season, he improved to an average of 4.9 times per game.

This number of shot attempts is not low; he ranks exactly 20th in the entire league.

So from the very beginning, Kidd would shoot three-pointers.

The only problem is that his shooting accuracy isn't good enough. Over the years, his highest shooting percentage in a single season was only 37%.

Then there's the issue of energy.

Looking at the data, in 99, he was with the Suns, making his first All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team selection, and winning the assists title, which can be considered his peak.

That year, the Suns had the fourth-best offensive rating in the league, but their defensive rating was only 19.

In 02, he led the Nets to the Eastern Conference Finals, the season the Magic won the championship.

The Nets have the second-best defensive efficiency in the league, but their offensive efficiency is only 18.

In other words, when he is the core player, he cannot handle both offense and defense simultaneously.

That is to say, it's impossible to accomplish so much on the field.

This is a common problem for point guards, and Billups was no exception. You can't expect him to stop the offense, defend the perimeter well, and also sink three-pointers all at once.

Grover added, "His shooting problem is actually quite simple: he's a terrible shooter with the ball, and not a good catch-and-shoot player either."

"And I think he has another problem, which is injuries. Last season, his knee injury affected his performance."

"He missed some games, and his defensive efficiency didn't fluctuate much compared to last season, but his win percentage dropped by 4 points."

"This is enough to show that injuries have affected his performance. He's 31 years old now, and I think he needs to adjust his playing style."

For professional athletes, 30 years old is a turning point; after 30, their bodies begin to decline.

At this point, Grover believed that the playing style should be changed.

Tang Sen nodded and wrote it down as well.

Bruce Frazier looked around and then spoke up.

Since Tang Sen invited me to cooperate, I have to prove my ability, otherwise I might be kicked out next season.

He's been studying these star players quite a bit these past few days.

Frazier went straight to the specifics, saying, "Jason has a lot of problems with his shooting. First, he's naturally bad at it; his shot is too hard. Just look at his free throws."

"In my rookie seasons, my free throw percentage was less than 70%. It has only gotten a little better in the last few seasons, but it's still only in the early 80s, and to be honest, I haven't been making that many free throws."

"His technique is also problematic; he's slow to release his ball, his release point is too low, and his jump is not fast enough."

"Tim said he's a bad ball-handler and I agree. Because he's slow, he can't make a stop-and-go shot on defense and can only catch the ball and shoot passively."

"There are also some problems with his striking posture. He presses his wrist down too much and pulls it back too quickly, which looks a bit awkward."

Having raised the issue, Frazier, as a shooting coach, also offered a solution.

He got up and went to the TV, pointing to Kidd's shooting motion and explaining, "I think Tim is right. Jason is 31 years old, he has a knee injury, and his athleticism isn't top-notch."

“His leg strength has declined, and his physical condition can no longer support him to shoot like Tracy or Kobe.”

"I think it can be changed to this."

Actions speak louder than words.

This place used to be a large supermarket with sufficient ceiling height, so Tangsen did not install a large-scale suspended ceiling during the renovation.

Even the walls in this lounge have backboards installed.

It's something you do during breaks when you're bored, like having a basketball shooting contest or playing a game.

Frazier found a basketball, dribbled it in place, bent his knees deeply, and jumped to shoot.

“I think this change can alleviate his lack of leg strength and also improve his shooting speed.”

One shot wasn't enough, so Frazier took another one and asked everyone if they had seen it clearly.

They're all professionals, so they can see it clearly.

Tederski's eyebrows twitched. "Isn't this similar to Steve Nash's shooting form?" he said.

Tang Sen nodded and then shook his head.

His body movements are very similar to Nash's.

Nash's shooting style involves a very pronounced deep knee bend, a sinking of the ball, and then using the upward force of his body pushing off the ground to release the ball as he leaps into the air.

However, Frazier and Nash differ in their starting points.

It's more geared towards ordinary people who lack the strength for such a throw.

(End of this chapter)