My quick fix for Shaq’s free-throw woes
This postseason Shaq is shooting a beyond-putrid .373 at the stripe, including 2 for 16 so far in the Finals. I feel for the Diesel. He really is conscientious, but this is a case of the blind (Miami’s coaches) leading the blind (Shaq). Is it possible to turn things around by Tuesday evening’s Game 3? Yes.
The blueprint for the quick fix was on display hours before Game 2, when ESPN Classic rebroadcast several recent Finals games, including the pivotal contest of 2000, 2001 and 2002. The latter two featured the one Shaq delivery that has worked reasonably well. I could help him recapture that old-school one-handed form — and the sequence, timing and rhythm of that delivery — in 2 hours. Once again he’ll have an arc and directional accuracy, and his distance control will be much improved. He could easily shoot 67 percent the rest of the series, and if he plays well in other phases that just might put the Heat over the top.
You listening, Pat Riley?
Hans_d@mail.firn.edu