The Raptors get fouled a lot. Are they optimizing?
The Toronto Raptors rank third in the NBA with an average of 20.5 points per game scored at the free-throw line. Opponents are making 16.3 PPG, giving the Raptors a healthy 4.2 delta, which is so robust as to be greater than the team’s plus/minus. That magic number is +3.7, meaning the Raptors would probably be a .500 team without their edge at the stripe.
How do the Raptors gain such an edge? One critical reason: when the Raptors get to the line, their shots go in. The team is second in accuracy at 79.5%, behind only the New York Knicks. However, the Knicks sit 22nd in attempts, in contrast to the Raptors, who are fourth. The Raptors’ biggest rival in free-throw effectiveness are the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are third in attempts and fifth in percentage made.
Seeing the T’Wolves doing so well was a surprise to me; what wasn’t was the data about the Houston Rockets. They lead in attempts with 29.4, which is a crazy 2.5 ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers. However, the Rox are 27th in percentage made. Not even James Harden can overcome the poor shooting of Dwight Howard, who ranks 10th in attempts with 7.1 PG, but makes them at a 55.1% rate. The brilliant Harden leads the NBA in attempts with 10.1, which he converts at an 85.1% rate. While Hack-a-
Shaq
Dwight (or -DeAndre, or -Andre) lives, it makes ugly viewing. You can’t blame coaches for telling their players to wrap up these people rather than allow them easy hoops. Jordan and Drummond shoot 41.5% and 35.4% (ouch!) from the stripe, so ranking eighth and ninth, respectively, in free-throw attempts doesn’t really help their teams.
Our centres, Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo, are converting 75.6 and 61.8 percent of their attempts, which is acceptable. JV had best maintain his high percentage, otherwise Big Biz might take away even more minutes, considering how much his defense helps the Raptors.
The Raptors’ All-Stars wreak havoc on the opponents. DeMar DeRozan ranks third in made free throws at 7.0 PG, just behind DeMarcus Cousins but some distance away from Harden’s 8.7. Kyle Lowry is tied for 14th with some guy named LeBron James who plays for Cleveland. They both make 5.0 PG. Lowry and DeMar are a tiny fraction of a point behind OKC’s Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as the highest-scoring pair of players from the stripe in the league.
Your Correspondent is constantly questioning how and why things work or don’t around the Raptors. In the case of free throws, our guys are earning their way to the stripe through aggressive moves to the basket. It’s an integral tactic of the team’s offensive strategy, and one we’d like to see more of. Terrence Ross is an obvious candidate to be attacking more, which will inevitably lead to contact and fouls. He has shown better results lately as a pick & pop shooter from beyond the 3-point arc. Once the word gets out that TRoss warrants closer attention, he can ball-fake his way past his defender and drive on a more regular basis.
One final thought: a power forward who gets to the stripe would help everyone.