Despite acknowledging the significant free throw disparity between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, head coach Steve Kerr opted not to express his opinion on the matter.
“I might comment on the free throws, but my mom is here, so I want to be on my best behavior,” Kerr stated after the Warriors’ 145-144 double-overtime defeat, as reported by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. “So I’m not going to comment on their 43 free throws to our 16. I’m not going to comment on Steph shooting three free throws in 43 minutes.”
The Lakers successfully converted 88 percent of their 43 free throw attempts, while the Warriors managed to connect on 69 percent of their shots from the charity stripe.
In a critical moment, with less than five seconds remaining in the second overtime period and the Warriors leading by one point, LeBron James was fouled. James calmly sank two free throws, providing the Lakers with a lead just before a last-second heave by Curry fell short.
Following the defeat, the two-time MVP displayed visible frustration, tearing his jersey as he entered the locker room.
During the 2023-24 season, in the nine games where Curry attempted fewer than four free throws, he never played more than 37 minutes. However, on Saturday night, he logged 43 minutes on the court.
The Lakers currently hold the No. 7 ranking in free throw attempts per game, while the Warriors are positioned at No. 14.
The disparity may also be influenced by the distinct shot selection of the two teams, as Golden State attempts the fewest shots per game in the restricted area among all NBA teams, as per NBA.com. With fewer drives into the paint, Warriors players likely draw less contact compared to their opponents.
Golden State has now experienced four losses in its last five games, bringing their overall season record to 19-24. They currently sit three games behind the Utah Jazz for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament.
