Celtics G Romeo Langford corrected his shot. Now he needs the right frame of mind

Celtics

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla believes in Langford’s shot, as long as Langford does too.

The first time most Celtics media members got a chance to watch Romeo Langford train in person in 2019, they were surprised to see him throw shot after shot with a ping-pong racket stuck to his hand left.

The strategy was implemented by Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who wanted to make sure Langford kept his left thumb off the ball when he shot – a bad habit Langford struggled to correct after joining the league.

Langford’s progress was difficult to follow due to his well-documented injury history. When he finally got onto the pitch last season, he shot just 27.8% from a 3-point range, but he only attempted one per game – a far cry from a size. informative sample.

On Sunday, Langford went 3 for 7 behind the arc – 42.9% – and scored a crucial 3 point down the stretch that put the Celtics in charge of their opener at the Las Vegas Summer League.

The first game of the Summer League, of course, also doesn’t come close to an informative sample size. But after Monday’s practice, Mazzulla told reporters he felt the technical issues were resolved in Langford’s game.

“A lot of what happens in shooting is more of a mindset than a technique,” ​​said Mazzulla. “I think we’ve fixed the majority of the technical issues, and now it all depends on how many hits and how many reps he’s going to get. Where is his state of mind in these adjustments and his ability to shoot.

“The last item is, ‘Does he think he can hit? And I think that’s half the battle.

A functional jumper would be crucial for Langford, who has only played 50 games in his first two seasons. Langford’s defense has been better than expected which is a good place to start, but the ability to spot and hit at 3 points opens up more playing time possibilities. If his shot grows, his slash game – a force majeure in high school and college – could also be released

Langford told reporters ahead of the Summer League that this season looks like a fresh start.

“I feel like I really haven’t shown just about everything I’m really capable of,” he said. “I felt like when I came to the NBA I was really not known as a defender, but I felt like I showed that I can play defense and play it enough well, so that’s just an addition to what I’m able to do.

Quantifying what gives a player confidence is impossible, but a fresh start combined with good form and a Summer League winner seems like just as good a place to start as any.

“Just knowing all the work he’s doing on his jumper and being able to see him pull that shot in transition with confidence and come in was drugs,” Carsen Edwards said on Monday. “I’m glad to see him do that.

Mazzulla felt the same.

“I was happy for him,” Mazzulla said. “Anytime you see a guy working and he pulls a shot like that, it’s important for his mindset and it’s important for his growth. We all look for affirmations to some extent, and j ‘hope last night it was good for his confidence. “