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169 Posts
Is it me, or I just don't see these skills anymore:
1) Stop and Pop Jump Shot: Take one or two hard dribbles, pull up for a fadeway jump shot. Even Michael Jordan can't get it off anymore now that his legs are gone. Ray Allen had some going, but no longer (to his detriment).
2) Change-of-Pace Dribble: Tony Parker is the latest guy who can change speeds and direction on the court to befuddle defenders. Tim Hardaway was the last guy to be REALLY successful with it - as in be able to shake a man off him in single or even double coverage.
3) Double Post Offense: You used to see it all the time with big forwards and centers playing the passing role. LA sort of has it with Bryant and O'Neal posting up on opposite sides of the court.
4) Push Shot: Most of the great shooters of the 80s (Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Alex English, Michael Adams, Mark Aguirre, James Worthy, Bernard King) didn't try to jump before shooting. They'd plant themselves firmly and shoot a set shot that ended in a jump. How many times did these guys fake guys out of their shoes this way, by going up but never leaving the floor?
5) Get Bigger Underneath: I remember a book on basketball fundamentals showing how Bill Walton spread his arms out against Buck Williams (behind him) while seeking a post entry pass. I also remember all those times Moses Malone would literally clear guys out of the paint not by elbowing them out, but by spreading his arms in a way that didn't foul yet threw guys out of position. Robert Parish and Bill Cartwright did this too (albeit Cartwright invariably fractured people's faces in the process). Today, the only guy I've seen do that consistently is Minnesota's Gary Trent.
6) Spin Dribble: Baron Davis has a very nifty spin dribble. But gone are the days where guys would use that move to get around people. I miss guys like Dominique Wilkins, who'd spin in and out of opponents instead of trying to drive by them to the hoop.
7) Head and Eye Fakes: Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was said to have a body "built for faking". Nobody "la dah dah's" his way to the hoop anymore. Of active players, Scottie Pippen had some shake-and-bake stuff going when he was a Bull but no longer after he went into "retirement" with Houston and Portland. Jason Williams of Memphis does too, but his modern day teammates will never be ready for his creative passes and jukes. That guy is straight out of the ABA.
8) Underhand Passes: Since Arvydas Sabonis retired, nobody does this anymore. But it used to be a staple of basketball. I think I saw Tim Duncan hand off a few like this a while back.
9) High Finger Roll: Gary Payton has this shot perfected. Instead of going all the way to the hole, he'll loft a high arching soft one-handed shot that no defender can block. I remember that NY's Mark Jackson used to shoot this shot for 19 ppg in his 2nd year as a Knick. And George Gervin used to shoot this shot from the FREE THROW LINE!
What else?
1) Stop and Pop Jump Shot: Take one or two hard dribbles, pull up for a fadeway jump shot. Even Michael Jordan can't get it off anymore now that his legs are gone. Ray Allen had some going, but no longer (to his detriment).
2) Change-of-Pace Dribble: Tony Parker is the latest guy who can change speeds and direction on the court to befuddle defenders. Tim Hardaway was the last guy to be REALLY successful with it - as in be able to shake a man off him in single or even double coverage.
3) Double Post Offense: You used to see it all the time with big forwards and centers playing the passing role. LA sort of has it with Bryant and O'Neal posting up on opposite sides of the court.
4) Push Shot: Most of the great shooters of the 80s (Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Alex English, Michael Adams, Mark Aguirre, James Worthy, Bernard King) didn't try to jump before shooting. They'd plant themselves firmly and shoot a set shot that ended in a jump. How many times did these guys fake guys out of their shoes this way, by going up but never leaving the floor?
5) Get Bigger Underneath: I remember a book on basketball fundamentals showing how Bill Walton spread his arms out against Buck Williams (behind him) while seeking a post entry pass. I also remember all those times Moses Malone would literally clear guys out of the paint not by elbowing them out, but by spreading his arms in a way that didn't foul yet threw guys out of position. Robert Parish and Bill Cartwright did this too (albeit Cartwright invariably fractured people's faces in the process). Today, the only guy I've seen do that consistently is Minnesota's Gary Trent.
6) Spin Dribble: Baron Davis has a very nifty spin dribble. But gone are the days where guys would use that move to get around people. I miss guys like Dominique Wilkins, who'd spin in and out of opponents instead of trying to drive by them to the hoop.
7) Head and Eye Fakes: Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was said to have a body "built for faking". Nobody "la dah dah's" his way to the hoop anymore. Of active players, Scottie Pippen had some shake-and-bake stuff going when he was a Bull but no longer after he went into "retirement" with Houston and Portland. Jason Williams of Memphis does too, but his modern day teammates will never be ready for his creative passes and jukes. That guy is straight out of the ABA.
8) Underhand Passes: Since Arvydas Sabonis retired, nobody does this anymore. But it used to be a staple of basketball. I think I saw Tim Duncan hand off a few like this a while back.
9) High Finger Roll: Gary Payton has this shot perfected. Instead of going all the way to the hole, he'll loft a high arching soft one-handed shot that no defender can block. I remember that NY's Mark Jackson used to shoot this shot for 19 ppg in his 2nd year as a Knick. And George Gervin used to shoot this shot from the FREE THROW LINE!
What else?
