This is a title of an item in The Economist. Funny thing, I never had seen "shoot the hoops" outside the "plain  English" English.           That is, the basketball way.

    In that (new) context, what they meant is that "let´s China have the upper hand by funding the US debt?  "  Any comments are welcome.

http://www.economist.com/node/21524940

Xinjiang
Let them shoot hoops
China’s turbulent west is unlikely to be calmed by plans for economic development