Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse finds it “a little interesting” that his club has been dealing with foul trouble in the playoffs.
Nurse is also confused as to why the Raptors are not getting to the free throw line a lot in their series against the Orlando Magic since his offensive philosophy is to get to the basket at every turn. The Raptors currently have the lowest free-throw rate of any playoff team.
“The hardest part has been that you just don’t deal with (foul trouble) in the regular season. Like, you hardly ever are in foul trouble,” Nurse said, via Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “Now, here we are playing for the games that mean something, and we’re in deep foul trouble two games in a row. So it’s a little interesting.
“My teams have always been leaders in free throws attempted. But this year it hasn’t really been that way. Our style is to take the damned thing downhill to the front of the rim, and we’re doing that, and that usually results in getting to the line a little more. But we will. I think it will balance itself out.”
The Raptors shot 10 free throws in Game 3. The Magic, meanwhile, took 23. Nurse wasn't the only one on his team bothered by that surprising free throw discrepancy. Immediately after the final whistle, a frustrated Kyle Lowry slammed the ball high in the air before engaging in a conversation, ostensibly about an unfair whistle, with referee Tony Brothers.
Toronto was still able to win Game 3 despite a last-gasp comeback attempt from Orlando. Game 4 is on Sunday.
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