Reply to thread

Message

[QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 4511922, member: 405"]
I think it's a function of a couple things.  Sometimes, you miss a shot that your ordinarily make.  No big deal; it happens.

But then you miss another that you know you can make.  After 2 or 3 of those, you might start "aiming" your shot more, focusing on getting it on line.

Once you do that, you tend to change your ordinary shooting motion and maybe not follow through as smoothly or as naturally.

(Bowling or darts can be that way, too.)

Once that happens, it can get in your head.  You may hurry your motion; you may slow down your motion; you may change your normal release point a bit so that you see the rim better.  Any or all of those things can throw off how you usually make a shot.

That's why you hear announcers (or coaches or fans) say, "he needs to get inside and make a lay-up, or make a foul shot or two."   It [I]does[/I] make the basket look bigger, and then you begin to feel like the next one is going in.  You're more relaxed, and you get back to your normal rhythm and flow on a shot.

I was one of those guys who shot better when I took a dribble or two and moved left or right to set up a shot.  It got me into a rhythm.  Some guys can just shoot them over and over from a stand still position.  Those guys were better shooters than me.

But I do know the feeling of getting hot from outside. And when that happens, you know it's going in as soon as it leaves your hand.  I would sometimes call out the shot before it went through the net - "That's two" (in the era before the 3 point shot).  If you do that and it drops, that gets in the other guy's head.  That's a great feeling, like they can't stop you.
[/QUOTE]

Verification

What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?