The NBA’s best signature moves are just that for a reason – they’re almost impossible to replicate consistently. Steph Curry’s fly-by three-pointer and LaMarcus Aldridge’s right shoulder turnaround are difficult shots in a vacuum, but far more impressive considering the volume at which the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers stars take them.
Dirk Nowitzki’s one-legged fadeaway, though, is a bit different. The seven-foot German is indeed the one who introduced it to the masses, but it’s just not as ambitious a shot for NBA players as most other in-game trademarks. And there’s one reason for that more than any other: It’s simply easier.
When players are isolating in the mid-post, it’s normally because they pose a unique threat to the defense as a playmaker. They can shoot, drive, or take advantage of extra defensive attention by finding the open man. The individual defender guarding the ball is mostly on an island, forced to choose which avenue to block first and foremost.
For Russell Westbrook, that will always be penetration – the last thing a defense wants is for the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar to crease the paint with a clear path and rock the rim. So defenders are forced to give him a bit of a cushion when Russ is on that spot of the floor, even when his back is to the basket. And though a guy like Aldridge, Kobe Bryant, and lately Andrew Wiggins make turnaround jumpers look routine, they’re actually anything but.
Enter Dirk’s one-legged fadeaway, a shot offering the perfect blend of balance, angle, and space to the shooter.
Indeed.
Even though other stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and more have put the move to more casual use over the years, we’ll always remember from where it originated. If Westbrook’s willing admission of that fact is any indication, the players utilizing it certainly will, too.
Led by their MVP candidate’s 36 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Thunder beat the Blazers 101-90. They need a win and loss by the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday to nab the West’s eighth and final playoff bid.
[Vines via James Herbert and becca]
