https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...alen-Green-shot-John-Lucas-chair-17500546.php MIAMI — The changes in Jalen Green’s shot are rapidly and easily noticed, even in his daily drills. He has tweaked more than retooled, but they are there. He is more squared to the basket. He jumps without a turn. His release comes more quickly. Also, there is a metal folding chair placed in front of him. Or in back of him. The chair does not defend him when the games begin, and even if it did, Green is unlikely to opt for a jump shot to defeat it given the difficulty athletes with two legs have in staying in front of him. But in the morning shooting drills, it does serve a purpose, and has through the long offseason sessions that Green brought to his preseason workouts. “Me and (Rockets assistant coach John Lucas) were in the gym all the time, working on my shot,” Green said. “It’s the quickness of it. I feel I’ve always been a shooter, always been a shot creator. Just the quickness and working on my hips.” Green said the revised shot comes naturally to him now, as was especially evident on Monday when he made 5 of 10 3-pointers, scoring 25 points in 28 minutes in the Rockets' 118-110 loss to the Miami Heat. The chair, however, was a nuisance nearly as bothersome as the Heat defense. Houston Rockets forward Usman Garuba, center, looks for an open teammate past Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (2) forward Nikola Jovic, rear center, guard Max Strus second from left, and guard Victor Oladipo, right, during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press “At first, it’s pretty annoying, especially when he puts the chair behind me,” Green said. “Have to get low and load back up. But it’ll all pay off at the end of the day.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The chair, whether placed in front or behind for drills, was to break habits while Lucas worked on making Green’s shot come with a quicker, tighter release. That was especially evident on several first-half shots on Monday off the dribble when he got separation from Victor Oladipo or Gabe Vincent with rapid-fire dribbles then released his shot as quickly. In drills, Lucas will repeatedly bellow, “one, two!” The shot needs to be gone before “two” echoes, preferably in the time it takes to go from Lucas’ voice to Green’s ears. Lucas and Green have also tweaked Green’s form without seeking changes so extreme they would repair something that was not broken. The chairs keep him squared to the basket and when in front, unable to lower the ball too far, making his shot more efficient, with fewer moving parts and presumably, easier to replicate. “Jalen has to get square,” Lucas said. “He sometimes turns because I think as a kid, he used to bring the ball (down to his hip.) As he gets older and stronger, he’ll come around. What we’re doing is straightening him up, straight line, straight line to the basket. It seems to be helping him. And we're using a one-second count.” The quicker release also should help him get his shot off in catch-and-shoot touches when close-outs could rush a shot that could become too mechanical. After a slow start in training camp and the initial preseason practices, at least relative to Green’s play to finish his rookie season, he has come on well, responding to Lucas’ and Rockets coach Stephen Silas’ calls to get to his shot with fewer dribbles. His practice on Sunday was so exceptional, Lucas said “I would have paid to watch it.” Green followed that by scoring 11 points in the first 7 ½ minutes on Monday, making 3 of 4 3-pointers to begin the game and stake the Rockets to an early 16-point lead. His fast start and more aggressive pursuit of his scoring and playmaking opportunities on Monday when he also had five assists were not by accident. “I went into last game (when he had 23 points, making 4 of 9 3s) wanting to get my rhythm,” Green said. “I think I did that. Coaches know what they want. As a primary scorer, I should get my shots off. Just trying things, working on my game. On Monday, while Green had his top scoring game of the three preseason rehearsals, backcourt partner Kevin Porter Jr. had his, scoring 21 points with six assists, seven rebounds and three steals. “Jalen and K.P. were great,” Lucas said. “I thought Jalen and Scoot were exactly who we expect them to be.” He expects a lot of Green, and whatever he gets, he will want more. “To (those) much is given, much is expected,” Lucas said. “I very rarely give Jalen compliments, because I expect so much from him.” Green will keep hearing Lucas’ voice demanding more. Green has made 39.1 percent of his 3s in the preseason, nearly mirroring the 39.3 percent he shot from deep in the final 32 games of his rookie season. Lucas, however, said Green will keep getting stronger and will need to get in even better shape to handle the load of doing so much for longer. He also will go through daily shooting drills, sometimes sharing the court with furniture. “I try to be as coachable as possible because I know it’s coming from a good place with Lucas,” Green said. “His expectations are super high. I get a taste of it every practice.” Oct 10, 2022|Updated Oct 11, 2022 1:55 p.m. By Jonathan Feigen Did Lucas break his shot? Is he now working with Ben Sullivan to make even more corrections?
