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Just Who Are You Calling Unlucky?

Boy, oh boy. This is a good day to be writing a column. Friday, December 13. If you're suspicious, you don't plan on doing much. Me, I don't care. But there are some suspicious things happening with the Bullets.

Free Throw Shooters Wanted

It's obvious I'm not the only person to notice that the Bullets haven't been shooting straight from the charity stripe recently. I raised this issue in a previous column, but it still was a little early to see a trend.

The trend is now obvious. The Bullets are averaging around 66% from the free throw line this year, second worst in the league (to the LA Lakers, who are weighted down by the king of bricks, Shaquille O'Neal). J.A. Adande asked some of the right questions in his article for the Washington Post. But it didn't provide any answers.

One thing to note is that this team has players who will get to the line that are poor free throw shooters over their career. Chris Webber, Gheorghe Muresan and Rod Strickland all average under 72%. But what's up with Juwan, Tracy Murray, and Jaren Jackson missing free throws?

For Webber in particular, I have two suggestions:

1. Bend your knees before you shoot. You're remembering to get on your toes at the release, but you're failing to bend your knees to relax with the shot.
2. Get that ball out of the palm of your hand. Because you have such large hands, you have a tendancy to let the ball rest in the palm of your hand. Use the fingertips and you'll have much better control.

As for Juwan, it's a symptom of his entire jumper. I think it's his ankles (both have been sprained repeatedly in the past month) that don't allow him to elevate on jumpers or balance properly on free throws. Juwan is throwing the ball extremely hard at the rim, and it's coming off extremely hard (often long on free throws and short on jumpers).

This team needs a few things. First is lots of practice. In game situations, when the players are tired and can't think as well about mechanics. To force them to think a little bit about the shot. But not too much that you get too tight (like when normally reliable Jaren Jackson went 0 for 3 against the Knicks). It's a fine balance, that mental edge. And that's critical for a team like this--the mental confidence in a part of the game all basketball players should excell in.

This will change. It better change. I have confidence it will. The Bullets just need a good dose of luck at the line to change their confidence. And if things don't get better, Buzz Bramin should look for another assistant coach job.

Is Coach Lynam On The Hot Seat?

I'm surprised this question isn't getting asked more. It was first hinted at in a recent article about general manager Wes Unseld traveling on the road with the team in the Washington Post. And after you look at it a little longer, it makes some sense.

First, the facts about the situation. Jim Lynam was hired by Unseld's predecessor, John Nash, to replace Unseld. There are no reports or rumors to suggest that there is animosity between coach and general manager. But it must be an uncomfortable situation.

Then, there's the slow start and the poor offensive performance of the Bullets recently. Most observers rightly expected this team to be above .500 this season. (Personally, I thought they'd start the season slow, record-wise, though not in this manner of ugliness of execution.) Questions do have to be raised as to why the Bullets seem so ugly in execution on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Also remember the tenuousness of the contract situation with Juwan Howard before last July. Howard was openly supportive of Lynam and hinted he might leave is Lynam were fired. Considering the delicate nature of the situation, the Bullets definitely couldn't have fired Lynam without ripping the team apart. Next year, it might be another case altogether.

The official reason Unseld is going on the trip is to watch players to be ready if a trade offer rolls in for a player. But I have to ask why he wasn't prepping for this earlier? This just seems too odd.

I don't expect Lynam to be fired this season, unless the team collapses a la the 1995-96 Phoenix Suns or the 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs (to jog your recent memory). But, will Lynam be coach when the Bullets open play next year at MCI Center? I'm starting to be less convinced, if the Bullets continue to underperform for the rest of the season.

Still, it is my belief that the Bullets will come around and be streaking toward the playoffs at the end of the season. And Lynam will be lucky enough to continue coaching this team into the future.

wtf 13 December 1996

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