Mavericks Free-Throw Coach Refers Player To Left-Handed-Lay-Up Coach

DALLAS—Mavericks free-throw coach Gary Boren decided Monday that he had “seen enough,” realized he was unable to help backup center DeSagana Diop with his particular shooting problem, and decided to refer him to the Bob Jasperson, the Mavericks’ left-handed-lay-up coach, for some retooling. “It took us two weeks, but we broke down DeSagana’s lay-ups into 12 separate steps. Then we did the same thing, step by step, but with his left hand,” Jasperson told reporters from his right-to-left themed office. “Diop, like many players of similar experience, was surprised to find it wasn’t just the same shot mirrored—no, far from it!—and I must say, his progress has been really impressive.” When Diop was asked if his new, smoother left-handed lay-ups would earn him a starting spot on the team, the center demurred, saying he still had long hours to put in with the team’s pivot-foot coach, three-seconds-in-the-lane coach, and height trainer.