DALLAS -- The bank shot is part of NBA lore, but it isn't as prevalent today as it was in years past.
And San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich believes he knows why.
"I guess it's just not cool, so people work on their 3-pointers and their dunks and their step-backs," Popovich said. "But the bank shot is old school. It's not a difficult shot. It's an easy shot.''
Former NBA greats such as George Gervin, John Havlicek, Sam Jones and Larry Bird made the bank shot fashionable during their playing days.
"They made it look easy, but you see it's not in play as much in this era," Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder said. "They may do it on a layup, but a lot of guys don't use the bank shot as much.
"People don't use it because it looks ugly, but it's effective. If I can do it, I'll add it to my arsenal."
Admittedly, it's all about the angles when trying to negotiate a bank shot. And the angle has to be on point, or else the shot will likely fall astray.
"If you have a good touch, it gives you a whole different option," Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons said. "It's all about angles and having a nice touch off the glass from that mid-elbow area.
"Sometimes it's much easier to have a little finesse shot off the glass than to shoot it straight in."
Only a few players such as Spurs power forward Tim Duncan, Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade regularly use the bank shot. Duncan is the most prominent and the most lethal with the shot.
"It's actually a very accurate way to shoot," Popovich said. "More people should use it. [Duncan] is just smart enough to do it."
Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki also uses the shot.
"Only when I'm there at the 45 degree angle," Nowitzki said. "Sometimes on my fadeaways I like to use it, but not as much as I probably should have during my career.
"But Duncan is the master of it, and has great ability of making shots off the glass. He's one of the best in the business at it."
Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews said those who use the shot have an advantage.
"It's an effective shot," Matthews said. "It's kind of hard to defend because you're usually used to guarding people that try to shoot straight on.
"It's a different angle to try to block the ball. There's definitely an element of touch to it."
Difficulty aside, the bank shot, sometimes referred to as "going glass," has another issue in today's game.
It's not pretty. And in the NBA, style matters.
"It takes a lot of practice and if you can't get it right, it looks really, really bad," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "And the one thing an NBA player does not want to do is look really, really bad."
Oklahoma City Thunder perennial All-Star forward Kevin Durant is not one who wants to look really, really bad. Thus, although Durant has seen Westbrook effectively employ the bank shot, it's not a skill the Texas ex has in his game.
"I don't use the bank shot," Durant said. "I tell Russell all the time that the bank shot is for guys who can't really shoot.
"It's nothing against the bank shot. I think it's harder, to be honest, because you've got to aim it right, you've got to shoot it with a nice touch. I'd rather just shoot it straight in."
Sitting within an ear shot of Durant's remarks, Westbrook couldn't help but giggle. Then again, he defended his engagement with the bank shot.
"I use the glass a lot," Westbrook said. "I use it to my advantage. It's an easier shot for me. Like Kevin said, I can't shoot as good as he can, so I've got to use the glass for some help."
With Golden State's Steph Curry making 3-point shooting ultra attractive and the usual highlight-reel dunks in full supply, style might have surpassed substance.
Or has it?
"I think the league is more fast-paced, and the 3-point line is what's attractive in this league," Mavericks forward Charlie Villanueva said. "I don't get that many bank shots in the game, necessarily, but I think it's a very good shot."
As he approaches the bank shot, Oklahoma City guard Anthony Morrow treasures it for a completely different reason than others.
"It's one of my favorite shots to shoot in h-o-r-s-e," Morrow said. "I haven't lost a game of h-o-r-s-e in like 18 years.
"Larry Bird used to shoot the bank shot, and he's one of the greatest shooters ever, but it's not really taught nowadays. I think that was something that in the earlier days it was emphasized -- the glass was your friend -- but now guys are so much more athletic and can get all the way to the rim."
