Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke

Moderators: Domejandro, infinite11285, Harry Garris, ken6199, Dirk, bisme37, KingDavid, bwgood77, zimpy27, cupcakesnake

User avatar
rockmanslim
General Manager
Posts: 9,246
And1: 5,011
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
   

Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#1 » by rockmanslim » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:43 pm

Noticed a quirk in the mechanics of his shooting hand.

Just before he starts his forward shooting stroke, he straightens out his fingers, causing the ball to come off of his fingertips and rest on the middle parts of his fingers. For that split second, he takes his fingertips off the ball. You can see daylight between the ball and his fingertips. Then right after that, as he continues the forward shooting stroke, his fingertips move forward and again come in contact with the ball, and from that point on his shooting stroke proceeds like a normal shot.

2012-13 (rookie year):




Spoiler:
in this one, you can see the ball roll forward ever so slightly, off his fingertips, before his fingertips come forward to re-contact the ball
Image
Image
source:
0:24
http://youtu.be/rzduINMcW-c?t=24s





2013-14:




It's similar to the way you might shoot a tennis ball. Since a tennis ball is so small, you might rest it on the palm or the middle part of your fingers, not your fingertips, and then as you shot it, it would roll onto your fingertips then launch. Except Lillard is doing this with a basketball, wtf.

Normally, the ball never comes off of a shooter's fingertips in the middle of their stroke, no? Just thought that it was unusual for such a good shooter to have this particular quirk, which I've never seen before.

It's as if he's cocking back his fingertips, so that when his fingertips move forward, they re-contact the ball with a little bit more momentum, giving him more power/range on his shot (?). Kind of like he's slapping the ball mid-stroke. That's one theory anyway.

I wonder if he even realizes he does it. Is it intentional? Is that one of his secrets? Maybe resting it on the middle sections of his fingers for that split second forces him to better balance the ball in his hand before he strokes it, thereby helping his accuracy?

Or, maybe it's actually hindering his accuracy? If he got rid of that quirk, if he kept his fingertips on the ball for the entire stroke, maybe he'd be an even better shooter?

Sorry, bored + OCD + Lillard fan + way too much free time = this thread.
click

"Harden's a guy that averages 26 in the NBA, but if he was on the playground with you he'd only average about 5 because they wouldn't let him get those free throws." --Scott Hastings, April 6, 2013


Image
3-zx
Freshman
Posts: 70
And1: 42
Joined: Aug 23, 2011
       

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#2 » by 3-zx » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:47 pm

Pretty cool find. Maybe I'll try it out see if I can get more range.
User avatar
raptor jesus
RealGM
Posts: 10,617
And1: 22,002
Joined: Feb 12, 2011
 

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#3 » by raptor jesus » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:51 pm

That's incredible. Good eye, OP.
Ettorefm
Head Coach
Posts: 7,391
And1: 5,260
Joined: Aug 08, 2011
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
 

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#4 » by Ettorefm » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:52 pm

Amazing find. I'd take one of this thread for every 100 "Kobe is not top 10 all time" or "Most underrated players in the league"
bagsboy wrote:For two hundred years Democrats stole the productive output of slaves and now they seek to enrich themselves with the productive output from the 'rich'. First, Republicans needed to end slavery and next they need to fix taxation with a flat fair tax.
User avatar
Sign5
Head Coach
Posts: 6,597
And1: 9,625
Joined: Sep 27, 2011

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#5 » by Sign5 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:55 pm

Great find OP, very interesting indeed.
User avatar
LKTD
Pro Prospect
Posts: 823
And1: 441
Joined: Apr 30, 2010
         

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#6 » by LKTD » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:57 pm

you're going to make every hack sport journalist look like a genius when they steal this off you
Image
Mods on RealGM == Vivek accounts
User avatar
springz
Rookie
Posts: 1,044
And1: 204
Joined: Jul 03, 2010
Location: ontario
   

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#7 » by springz » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:57 pm

Seems like the kind of quirk that would cause alot of his shots to come up short.

Is he getting front rim on alot of his misses or are they left-right misses?
NickLidstrom
Junior
Posts: 323
And1: 102
Joined: Jun 29, 2008

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#8 » by NickLidstrom » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:58 pm

This is actually really interesting. You usually don't think about shooting strokes unless it's somebody like Shawn Marion.
User avatar
DynastySS
General Manager
Posts: 8,145
And1: 1,936
Joined: Aug 01, 2005
Location: Bay Boy
   

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#9 » by DynastySS » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:59 pm

He shoots very palmy.
omnificent wrote:The fact you doubt that Barnes is a better player than Green discredits anything you have to say about this team. You're either blind or don't watch Warriors games. Even the most delusional Green groupie wouldn't doubt that Barnes is the better player
User avatar
DaddyCool19
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,107
And1: 6,380
Joined: Jul 28, 2013

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#10 » by DaddyCool19 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:12 pm

Take my And1 OP
User avatar
JesusHCoxMd
Analyst
Posts: 3,674
And1: 2,528
Joined: Feb 24, 2012
 

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#11 » by JesusHCoxMd » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:23 pm

While on subject, hows MKG's jumper going?
Image
User avatar
toodles23
Assistant Coach
Posts: 4,070
And1: 3,440
Joined: Jun 09, 2010

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#12 » by toodles23 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:23 pm

Wow, that is really strange - seems like it would lead to wildly inconsistent results, but Lillard is a damn good shooter. I wouldn't point this out to him, there's a good chance he doesn't even know he's doing it.
User avatar
JDR720
Forum Mod - Hornets
Forum Mod - Hornets
Posts: 42,160
And1: 42,929
Joined: Jul 09, 2013
     

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#13 » by JDR720 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:26 pm

How you somehow managed to notice that i have no idea
FairWeatherF84
Sophomore
Posts: 171
And1: 27
Joined: Jun 16, 2011
   

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#14 » by FairWeatherF84 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:30 pm

DynastySS wrote:He shoots very palmy.



This....

I can recall an instructor at a camp telling us something similar when going over mechanics and the reasoning why you want to do this and not do that.

crazy find op, are you an undercover writer or really just that bored? It almost reminds me of Lowe...
BigLurch92
Analyst
Posts: 3,468
And1: 1,005
Joined: Jan 08, 2005
Location: Seattle
     

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#15 » by BigLurch92 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:32 pm

Must be working cause his J is wet.
Goon
Pro Prospect
Posts: 963
And1: 1,332
Joined: Nov 27, 2012

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#16 » by Goon » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:33 pm

JesusHCoxMd wrote:While on subject, hows MKG's jumper going?

Your profile pic is the perfect gif to answer this question.
WolvesGuy14
Sixth Man
Posts: 1,921
And1: 2,047
Joined: Feb 22, 2014

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#17 » by WolvesGuy14 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:34 pm

Nice find OP.

I shoot a knuckleball and have all my life. It's so hard to change your shot, but I may have to try this.
noobcake wrote:I would trade Wiggins for Love any day. Wiggins projects as a role player for me.
User avatar
Mamba Venom
RealGM
Posts: 17,979
And1: 580
Joined: Sep 07, 2005
Location: California
Contact:

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#18 » by Mamba Venom » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:37 pm

That looks like it takes more strength, but it works well for Lillard.
Lakers are 22-3 in OT last 6 seasons:Kobe best OT closer!
RIP Kobe
Analyst
Posts: 3,359
And1: 4,505
Joined: Jul 04, 2012

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#19 » by RIP Kobe » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:40 pm

JDR720 wrote:How you somehow managed to notice that i have no idea


my thoughts..
BayInferno
Rookie
Posts: 1,025
And1: 1,152
Joined: Jul 30, 2013
 

Re: Strange quirk in Lillard's shooting stroke 

Post#20 » by BayInferno » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:57 pm

Lillard's shots do tend to look more flat than some others. More like line-drives.

Return to The General Board