Shorty's Been Messing with His Jumper Again

If there's been one thing you could count on with Rajon Rondo over the years, it's been the inconsistency of his jump shot. I'm not just talking make or miss. I'm talking mechanics. There was the original shot, which was downright ugly. Then there was the Joe-Kleineish stiff shot from the era when he was taking lessons from Mark Price. Finally, there's been the 101 Dalmatian variety over the last two years, where he tweaks his form about every other game.

Regardless of how he was shooting the ball, it was always a Las Vegas crap-shoot as to whether it went in (or was even close).

No more.



OK, maybe that's me being  grossly optimistic.

But I've said from the beginning that if a weekend warrior like me can figure out how to shoot a basketball in his 20s after having shot knuckle-ball jumpers for most of his life, then why can't an NBA superstar do the same? I mean, Michael Jordan sure did. His jumper when he entered the league was not the jumper of his MVP years, 63-point game in the 1986 playoffs notwithstanding.

Speaking of MJ, I've noticed Shorty cradling the ball on his finger tips before he shoots lately, like he's holding some kind of precious china he's worried about breaking. Reminds me of old #23. I'm not saying we've got another Michael Jordan on our hands. But I will say this is the best looking jumper Rondo's sported since coming to Beantown.

Now about tonight.

I got Atlanta.