Duke Blue Devils Basketball: 4 Ways Austin Rivers Can Pull out of His Mini-Slump

Austin Rivers is in a mini-slump—the first of his collegiate career.

In his last three games, the talented freshman is averaging 9.3 points per game and shooting 9-for-29 from the floor (31 percent), his lowest three-game production this season.

Those numbers are down from his season's average of 14.7 points per game and 43.4 percent shooting. 

Slumps happen to the best of players.

Since confidence and rhythm are two of the most important factors in being an excellent shooter, the question is, What can he do to pull out of his minor mid-season decline?

Here are four ways that Rivers can re-elevate his game.

Spend Some Time in the Film Room

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One of the harsh realities of sports is that film doesn't lie.

My guess is that there may be some small defects that could be identified by looking at footage from the last three games.

He may see something as simple as not getting his feet set on his jumper or that he hasn't been effective on his follow-through. Or he may notice something about his shot selection or when during the possession he is pulling the trigger.

I'm not talking about breaking down his entire shot mechanics or reinventing his game. Neither of those is needed.

While "a little learning is a dangerous thing" (Alexander Pope), a little video may not be. 

Stay Late After Practice

It's amazing how spending time after practice can make a difference even for an elite-level player like Rivers.

Just a little extra work can go a long way towards honing the ol' skills.

He doesn't necessarily need to play pick-up games. He just needs to get comfortable from his sweet spots.

His game hasn't fallen apart by any means. He just needs to re-sharpen his shooting eye, as the Blue Devils prepare for their matchup against Virginia on Jan. 12th. 

Don't Settle for the Quick 3

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Austin Rivers is a good three-point shooter, connecting on 40 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc in the Blue Devils first 15 games.

In the last three games, Rivers is shooting 2-for-8 (25 percent) from downtown.

He doesn't need to shut down his long-range shooting. He simply needs to let the offense create those clean opportunities.

Forcing shots, even for a good shooter, usually doesn't produce good results.

 

 

Keep Taking the Ball to the Rim

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Rivers is an excellent penetrator, able to break down most defenders off the dribble.

One of the best ways for him to get back on track is by taking some high-percentage shots off of drives to the basket. That doesn't mean that Rivers should put up a shot every time he goes into the lane. Forcing shots from close range isn't much better than launching ones from distance.

But Rivers can help recalibrate his shooting with a healthy dose of lay-ins.

Confidence and rhythm can be restored with shots made from two feet, too.