Through six games to start the 2017-18 season, the Golden State Warriors have launched their usual high volume of three-point attempts, but have failed to get to the free throw line with consistency — the exception being Stephen Curry, who now has a 52-straight free throw record at the line.
The Warriors rank eighth in free throws made (19.5 per game) due to the unlikely coalition of excellent marksmen at the charity stripe but are listed 19th in free throw attempts (22.7 per game) — a mark which simply won't cut it if they hope to get more efficient down the road.
Yet forward Draymond Green, who's made 13 of his 14 attempts through six games, is plenty happy with the calls they get, warning that flopping for those added calls is a habit they rather not build as they look to shape this roster into the long run playoff version after 82 games.
“When you do all that flopping and you get to the playoffs, it don't work,” Green said after morning shootaround on Friday, according to Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News. “It gets you some regular-season wins. But we don't really struggle with that. We get quite a few wins in the regular season. When you get to the playoffs and it don't work, why practice those habits.”
The Warriors only shot and made two free throws in the first half against the Washington Wizards on Friday, but finished the game shooting 18-of-20 from the stripe, managing to climb back from an 18-point deficit to win by three down the stretch.
“We’re straight forward guys. What you see is what you get. We’re not actors,” Green said prior to the game. “I like to play basketball the way I was taught. I wasn’t taught to flop.”
“When you get to the playoffs and it don’t work, why practice it?”
The Warriors were only second to the Boston Celtics last season in free throw attempts during the playoffs, obviously reflective of their longevity in the postseason. Teams like the Houston Rockets with high-volume foul shooters like James Harden didn't fare as well as some of those touch calls are not as common in the playoffs and often result in turnovers.
“One hundred percent, it’s a different game. When you’re in the playoffs as opposed to a regular season game, it’s a completely different game,” Green said. “All of a sudden, those fouls aren’t called and it’s a turnover. One turnover can cost you a game in the playoffs, which in turn, can cost you the series, which is your season. I’d rather us not. We get the fouls we get. We win the games we can win in the regular season and try to win a championship.”
