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Free-throw shooting in the 2021 NBA Playoffs has sparked a plethora of controversies. Shooting from the foul line with no player contesting the shot seems an easy proposition, but it takes a tremendous amount of composure to execute.
The best players succumb to the pressure, especially if they haven't been able to get going with their free-throw shooting earlier in the game. With opposition players and fans chirping in their ears, it makes it even more difficult to add points to the team's total.
Plenty of impact players during the 2021 NBA Playoffs have struggled to make the most of free-throw opportunities, which have hurt their teams on many occasions.
The list isn't solely based on the traditional stats of the players during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Thus it includes top players who could have impacted games positively had they been better with their free-throw shooting.
So without further ado, here's a look at five players who have been the worst free-throw shooters during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
#5 Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler had a poor postseason campaign in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, averaging only 14.5 points per game and struggling with his shooting. Capitalizing on Butler's shooting woes, the Milwaukee Bucks cruised to a 4-0 series sweep against the Miami Heat in the first round.
Butler shot 86% of his free throws during the regular season but only managed 72% of his attempts during the postseason, getting to the charity stripe five times per game. That limited him from impacting the game offensively and giving the Miami Heat the much-needed boost he provided during the regular season.
#4 Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert has the ability to impact games heavily at the defensive end. He can also be a lethal weapon offensively because of his size and ability to use his strength against opposition bigs. More often than not, the only way to limit him in offense is by fouling him.
But as Gobert is only an average free-throw shooter, opposition teams do not get too bothered when he is on the foul line, provided they have fouls to give. In the second-round series between the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Gobert struggled massively at both ends of the floor.
Initially, he did a decent job with his free-throw shooting but struggled in crunch games to convert from the foul line. That may not have completely changed the course of the games, but that would have at least eased the pressure off his teammates who were impactful in offense.
If he does improve his free-throw shooting this upcoming NBA season, Gobert could be difficult to contain, as he operates heavily in the paint as a traditional center.
#3 Luka Doncic
For the second straight postseason, Luka Doncic had a terrific NBA Playoffs campaign, this time against the LA Clippers in round one. He gave the Dallas Mavericks 2-0 and 3-2 leads, which they failed to capitalize on, eventually.
Nevertheless, Doncic averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game during the seven-game series. Despite being a lethal shooter overall and one of the most efficient shooters in the league, Doncic struggled to make an impact from the free-throw line throughout the series.
Doncic, being the primary ball-handler and a three-level scorer, gets a lot of opportunities to shoot from the foul line. He averaged 7.3 attempts per game but only converted 3.9 of his attempts. Except for Game 6 where he shot 100% (5 of 5), and Game 5 when he attempted just three shots from the FT line, Doncic missed close to four free throws per game on an average.
In Game 3, Luka Doncic's free-throw inefficiency especially came to the fore. He shot only 7 of 13 from the foul line, with the Mavericks losing 108-118 on their homecourt.
It would be harsh to say Doncic did not put in the effort to get his team over the line after a solid 44-point performance. But if he had converted a few more of his free throws, it could have put more pressure on the Clippers and swung the game in favor of the Mavs.
It was important for the Mavs to capitalize on such opportunities, as their defense wasn't too solid in stopping the LA Clippers' stellar offense, which was rated as one of the best during the regular season.
#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo's free-throw shooting struggles have been one where opposition fans have been more involved than ever. His free-throw routine, in particular, has sparked major controversies throughout the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
It has come to the fore that he has been crossing the ten-second limit while preparing to take free throws during games. He was even disallowed from taking a free throw twice during this postseason. The first instance was against the Miami Heat in round one and the second one during the series against the Brooklyn Nets.
It has been a recurring trend for a while, one that seems to frustrate both opposition fans and players. The fact that he is still shooting only 54.1% from the foul-line, despite taking so long to shoot is something he needs to massively improve upon.
There have been times he has air-balled such attempts. That impacts the flow of games, particularly when his team have the momentum.
The Milwaukee Bucks tend to cool off during games. As Antetokounmpo is someone who gets to the free-throw line eight times per contest, he must convert most of his attempts to give his team the chance to close out tight games.
The NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns will be a lot tougher for the Bucks, as the Suns have been one of the best sides in the playoffs. Having already lost the first game of the series, Giannis Antetokounmpo will have to make sure he capitalizes on free throws and converts them efficiently.
#1 Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons' shooting woes cost the Philadelphia 76ers their Conference Semi-Finals series against the Atlanta Hawks. It was evident that he was afraid to shoot the ball, which isn't a great sign for a title-contending team, as Simmons was running the team's offense as a point guard.
Simmons' stats and key free-throws missed during crucial junctures of games proved costly for his team. He shot just 34.2% from the foul line throughout the postseason, which was the first for any player in NBA Playoffs history. He missed four free-throw attempts per contest across the 12 games he played in the postseason this year.
NBA analysts, media, fans and everyone pointed out how disappointing he was in that regard, something that has now fuelled rumors about the Philadelphia 76ers trading him away from this summer.
Guess the Lakers players!
