Put Good Free Throw Shooters on Floor When in Penalty

[footey]

This team has some players who are either decent or very good free throw shooters:

Big 3
D West
Nate
BBD
J O'Neal (career 71% per last half of career closer to 75%)


And another group of pretty lousy free throw shooters:

Shaq
Rondo
Perk

With our great size advantage this year, we have the ability to get into the penalty situation earlier, and more frequently, leading to 2 free throws per foul, including non-shooting fouls, over bigger stretches of games.

Doc should favor using his best free throw shooters when we are in the penalty.  Of course, match ups will always dictate first.  However, free throw factor should be given more weight when deciding who to play and when. For this reason, a stronger case could be made, for example, in starting Shaq over Jermaine at the beginning of quarters, rather than bringing him in when we are in, or at the brink of, the penalty minutes.  Likewise Nate or D West for Rondo.

Thoughts?

[Kwhit10]

I think you make a good point of starting Shaq for the earlier part of quarters and having Jermaine come in after.  But I don't think free throw penalties would dictate playing Rondo too much less.  He is the facilitator of this team, and being in the penalty shouldn't limit his playing time.

[GreenEnvy]

I think you make a good point of starting Shaq for the earlier part of quarters and having Jermaine come in after.  But I don't think free throw penalties would dictate playing Rondo too much less.  He is the facilitator of this team, and being in the penalty shouldn't limit his playing time.

We all know what Shaq is, and Perk pretty much lacks the tools to be a good FT shooter.

Rondo HAS to work on his FT shooting. Plain and simple. If he became a 75-80% FT shooter, it would open up his game. Guys aren't afraid to hack him once he gets a step or slam into him when he goes up, because chances are, he won't make both or even any. Defenses would have to respect him. The same goes for his jumpshot too, but I have some confidence in that, as it has gotten better each season. His arms are very long and his hands large, so he has a slow release. He won't ever be able to fire off shots quickly, but he should raise up for that shot when teams sag off him to avoid the penetration.

There is no excuse for his free-throw shooting. It is a lack of focus or something, but he needs to correct it.

[xmuscularghandix]

We’re going to be spending ALOT of time in the penalty.

D-West, Ray, Pierce, Garnett, J.O.

I can’t think of a better FT shooting lineup in the league... .799 combined career FT%. If Paul, Shaq, and KG can draw contact early we’ll be able to get opposing starters on the bench early, and keep them on the bench late.

[BballTim]

We’re going to be spending ALOT of time in the penalty.

D-West, Ray, Pierce, Garnett, J.O.

I can’t think of a better FT shooting lineup in the league... .799 combined career FT%. If Paul, Shaq, and KG can draw contact early we’ll be able to get opposing starters on the bench early, and keep them on the bench late.

  Better free throw shooting isn't enough of a reason to play West over Rondo.