Given the importance of putting the ball in the net, one might think all of the NBA's 30 teams would have a shooting coach. After all, all Major League Baseball teams have batting coaches and pitching coaches and bullpen coaches. But fewer than half of the NBA's clubs have someone teaching shooting full-time.
Note these numbers: Seven of the top eight teams in the Western Conference employ a shooting coach. None of the seven worst teams in the Eastern Conference does.
The Wizards didn't have such a coach last season, when Brendan Haywood, for example, dipped to 54.8 percent on free throws, putting his career average below 60 percent. After a few months with Hopla, Haywood is at 71.5 percent. Caron Butler's shooting percentages are at career-best levels on field goals (49.6), 3s (40.9) and free throws (88.7).
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/b ... dv12.1495/