Bill Cartwright technique on the free throws

He was injured. His back was bothering him more than he let on.

Sure, but it’s also literally just a single game, so I’ll take that with a giant grain of salt.

Yes. 100%. Quicker release. Steph has also changed his shot over the years. But, you have to admit, that pre-draft jump shot is so beautiful!

Tbh his jumper looks different from his Golden State peak too. It makes sense considering the injuries, but Splash Bros Klay had a similarly quick release but with a higher jump/release point and more centered ball

Doesn’t Curry’s shot start lower? You want people to shoot like Thompson, but not everyone has the strength for that high set and release. Especially since everyone immediately wants to get behind the 3 point line and fire away.

So in terms of just shooting, since Steph and Klay are two of the best ever in that regard, you could say Steph is like Messi and Klay is like Ronaldo. Steph is just impossible to mimic and the other can be achieved “theorhetically” through hard work and dedication.

Also, what makes a shot “textbook” has changed over time.

In Ray’s day, it was more about midrange jumpers in traffic. For this, you need a high jump, a high set point, and to release at the top of your jump. Ray really has all of that. It was less about getting the shot off before the defender could close, there were always gonna be defenders tight on you, you needed that high release to just shoot over them anyways.

But today, it’s more about heavy movement offence, tonnes of screens and off-ball movement, where you catch and shoot 3s before the defender can properly contest. And often deep 3s too. So what gets prioritized is a quick release and more power. Because of this, the textbook jumper today has a lower set point and lower jump (for a quicker release), and guys are releasing on the way up vs. at the peak of the jump (also quicker release, and gives more effortless power, you get the legs into the shot more). Steph does all of that, he’s somewhat the pioneer of this form really.

Ray does have some less textbook elements - big dip before the shot, and the release is so high/late that it borders on a 2 stage shot (like jump first, and then only really getting into the final shooting motion as he’s nearing the apex of his jump). Also a really flat arc to his shot. Steph is closer to “modern textbook,” but has the odd slightly strange thing, like his shooting hand starts the shot to the side of the ball and sort of rotates under it during the shot, plus he keeps his hand super loose, the ball is in the palm of his shooting hand vs. being more on the fingers. While Klay has a more perfect (modern) textbook shot.

Steph and Ray still have extremely pretty jumpers, though, even if they have some less textbook elements. For me Ray has the most beautiful jumper of all time, there’s something about it that just flows so well, and that “almost but not quite” 2 phase motion is somehow very aesthetically pleasing.

True but I love his video explanations on the ball spin

it has a really high jump and its a flat shot. fking beautiful when it goes in tho

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