LeBron James, May 31, 2007 (48 points)… The Cavs’ 109-107 double-overtime victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals… James finished with 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists… He scored Cleveland’s final 25 points and 29 of its last 30.

Allen Iverson, June 6, 2001 (48 points)… The 76ers, a heavy underdog, stunned the host Lakers in Game 1 of the 2001 Finals thanks to Iverson’s tour de force.He finished with 48 points, including a seven-point flurry in a 58-second stretch of overtime, as Philadelphia won 107-101 to hand the Lakers their first loss of the playoffs.

Tracy McGrady, Dec. 9, 2004… McGrady scored 13 points in the final 35 seconds to rally the Rockets past the Spurs 81-80.

Dwyane Wade, June 13, 2006 (42 points)… Already in a 2-0 hole in the NBA Finals, Miami trailed Dallas 89-76 midway through the fourth quarter of Game 3. But Wade scored 12 of his 42 points during a game-ending 22-7 run as Miami won 98-96, the first of its four consecutive victories en route to the franchise’s first championship.

Shaquille O’Neal, March 6, 2000 (61 points)… On his 28th birthday, O’Neal erupted for 61 points and 23 rebounds in the Lakers’ 123-103 victory against the Clippers.

Carmelo Anthony, Dec. 10, 2008 (45 points)… Anthony matched George Gervin’s NBA record for points in a quarter when he exploded for 33 in the third period of Denver’s 116-105 victory against Minnesota.

Brandon Jennings, Nov. 14, 2009 (55 points)… In his seventh NBA game, the Bucks’ Jennings scored 55 points in a 129-125 victory against the Warriors in Milwaukee. The 6-foot-1 Jennings overcame a scoreless first quarter to finish three points shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time rookie record.

Kobe Bryant, March 16-23, 2007… Kobe scored 65, 50, 60 and 50 points in consecutive games, the second-most 50-point games in a row behind Wilt Chamberlain’s seven.

Shaquille O’Neal, June 8, 2001 (28 points, almost QD)… Shaq flirted with the first NBA Finals quadruple-double in finishing with 28 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and eight blocks to lead the Lakers past the 76ers in Game 2.

Read more at Sports Illustrated…

1. Shoot - Off the dribble, the post, three point range.
2. Pass – Correct pass at the right time, give it to a teammate in a position where they can make a play.
3. Dribble – Handle the basketball, go left, go right, create the shot.
4. Defend – Guard multiple positions.
5. Intangibles – Know the time, read the situations, rise to the occasion, make the right play to win the game.

• Perfect form
• Perfect footwork
• Impeccable shot preparation
• Ten toes pointed to the rim
• Square with the target with his shoulders
• Straight up and down (lands in the same spot that he took off)

Many missed shots occurred because players shot with poor balance.They rushed their shot or they worried too much about the defense and leaned backward or they never got to a zero-point before jumping for the shot when catching on the move.

So, what is the remedy? According to the author, don’t be a “lazy shooter”, work hard for a better shot.

This does not mean they are bad shooters who should worry about their technique. Instead, they are lazy shooters with poor shot selection. Either work harder to get open and on-balance or pass the ball and work to get open again. Throwing up off-balanced shots – for the vast majority of players (Kobe Bryant and others excepted) – is like a turnover.