General
ice cold
What does ice cold mean?
Shooting very poorly; the opposite of being hot.
"The whole team went ice cold in the fourth."
Origin
Temperature metaphor opposite of 'on fire.'
Frequently asked questions
What does ice cold mean in basketball?
It means shooting very poorly and being unable to make baskets; the opposite of being on fire.
Why is a cold shooter called ice cold?
It's a temperature metaphor: if a hot hand is 'on fire,' a missing shooter has gone the opposite way to ice cold.
What does 'can't buy a bucket' mean?
It's another way of saying a player or team is ice cold and simply can't make a shot no matter what.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
