[joel2006]

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Joel -- what is involved in getting his shot off? Why would that be difficult for someone so tall? How would an average 7 footer (or even Shaq) be able to contest his shot?

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Most jump shooters need to be able to catch the ball cleanly and maintain a certain distance from a defender to feel comfortable shooting/prevent their shot from being blocked. This is why JJ Reddick will never be a great NBA player, he can't create his own shot. Larry Bird OTOH was brilliant at creating just enough distance to get off his shot. Most players can't make a 12 ft jumper with a hand in their face. Like many great defensive players Bruce Bowen is a master at 1) denying the ball 2) Penetrating a shooter's comfort zone 3) disrupting his rhythm/hindering his shooting process. There are lots of guys who are GREAT shooters that never make it in the NBA because they can't get their shot off consistently (think Tim Legler). If 8 ft guy can't drive to the hoop, then his defender will just crowd him as soon as he catches the ball/picks up his dribble, taking away the space he needs to shoot comfortably. This is by far the best way to defend a jump shooter, because it stops him from shoooting at all. Larry Bird and Reggie Miller had a million little moves (foot jabs, step backs, head fakes, pump fakes, etc) that they used to keep defenders off balance and create space to shoot. This is a crucial part of basketball that is entirely lost on most casual fans. As Jordan got older and became more of a jump shooter, he too developed a lot of the same moves/techniques (like his fadeaway jumper for example).