Blake Griffin is an All-Star on a playoff team. Blake Griffin averages a career double-double. Blake Griffin shot 52% from the free-throw iine in 2012.
One of these things is not like the other.
Few would argue that Griffin isn't one of the preeminent young forwards in the NBA, but if he can't correct his terrible free-throw percentage, it will severely limit his potential — and right now, it's harming his team's chances against the San Antonio Spurs. I decided to break his stroke down frame-by-frame because, well, whatever helps.
When he shoots free-throws, BG turns into a malfunctioning robot. He sort of looks like he's dancing to spastic indie rock.
After the initial hunch, Griffin rises slightly in part 2 of his motion.
Part 3, he stands up rod-straight, his arms having moved above his head. Griffin's stroke has more parts than a Wes Anderson movie.
Once he's standing straight enough to assure us he's scoliosis-free, he awkwardly extends his arms.
At some random point in the journey of his forearms from above his head to slightly in front of his head, Griffin releases the ball. He looks like a baby tossing a rock.
WHAT A FOLLOW-THROUGH.
Maybe the best part is when he lowers his left hand to his side and leaves the right one in its shooting motion. "Guys, look at my dope arm-sleeve."
As you can see, that's the ball passing in front of the rim. Usually, it should pass within the rim. Griffin holds his pose, because hell yeah.
"Oh, I guess that wasn't good." *drives away in a Kia*
Most of the time, Griffin at least manages to hit the rim, but this particularly egregious example shows the massive lengths he has to go before he'll be a decent shooter from the stripe.
