The Love Pre-Game

[mrhockey89]

Although I completely agree with people saying we need to wait and see because practice isn't a game where you're being defended, I think there also need to be a reminder that the entire point of needing so badly for him to transform his shot is that defenders DO sag off him to dare him to take the shot, so in essence, he will be taking mostly open shots. Ricky's not the guy to take contested 3's, and when they do start to contest him, then that opens the space for him to do what he does best...create for others.

[TheGrey08]

Good points all around really. No one duplicates practice rates in games. That would be ridiculous. That said I definitely expect to see him turn into a solid shooter who can hit the open shot. He wants it too bad not to and we've already seen his form reworked quite a bit. With the amount of time off he's had this season I don't see how his form could revert to the old flat shot we saw before this year.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

Yawn....wake me next season so we can have this same discussion about Rubio and "this being the year his shooting comes alive".

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Yawn....wake me next season so we can have this same discussion about Rubio and "this being the year his shooting comes alive".

I understand the tone here, but we have seen progression. We saw him begin the year with a different shot. Isn't it fair to assume he's continued to build on that?

[bleedspeed]

Just to keep things real. I did see him drive around someone for an uncontested layup and it rolled off the rim. His look on his face said it all. I wonder if it would help if he used the glass.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

You can't tell me this player looks the same as last year's. Nope. No way.

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

[TheGrey08]

You can't tell me this player looks the same as last year's. Nope. No way.

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

GET HYPE!

Seriously though, I don't get the negativity & pessimism regarding Rubio's shot. It's definitely a different shot this year and now he's had 2 months to do a lot of shooting. I expect solid improvement from years past.

[AbeVigodaLive]

You can't tell me this player looks the same as last year's. Nope. No way.

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

GET HYPE!

Seriously though, I don't get the negativity & pessimism regarding Rubio's shot. It's definitely a different shot this year and now he's had 2 months to do a lot of shooting. I expect solid improvement from years past.

I think it will improve. It almost has to at this point, right?

But based on 2 months of "a lot of shooting?" Or, simply because it's different? You do realize that NBA players shoot hundreds of jumpers every day, right? It's not like guys like Bobby Hurley, Jacque Vaughn, Kevin Ollie didn't try to improve their jump shots either. EVERY player tries to get better. Heck, Tristan Thompson switched hands! They all work on faster releases, more arc, follow through, et al.

Just because WE want Rubio to be a better shooter doesn't mean it's going to be that easy. Yes. It could get better. But NBA history also tells us that if it was easy... every other poor shooter would have improved too.

[Coolbreeze44]

I would counter that by saying Ricky's shot was just under developed. Not many NBA players have the hand eye coordination he does. It makes sense to me that with intensive attention to his shot/mechanics/repetition, he would improve more than some players.

[bleedspeed]

I don't think people are negative. They are trying to be realistic. If he can get to average shooter that would be a huge improvement. If could just get to Bud's career averages that would be awesome because he brings so much more then just shooting to the game.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3968/chase-budinger