Despite a key bounce-back win over the Orlando Magic on Monday, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn't get to the free-throw line as often coach Billy Donovan would have liked.
According to the helmsman, this was no fault of his two catalysts, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, who had done plenty to merit some shots at the foul line.
“Yeah, I do. I do. I mean, I do. I do,” said Donovan when asked if Paul George, who was 6-of-7 at the stripe, should have been there more, according to Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript. “It's the same thing with Russell, too. Those guys are aggressive players. And listen, there's calls that are missed. There just are. He's gotten fouled, and he's not getting to the line. I think the same thing can be said for Russell.”
“I'm not trying to get into, like, every single play call, but as much as those two guys are in the lane, they need to be at the free-throw line more than they're at the free-throw line, in my opinion… I'm not saying that Orlando shouldn't have been there, either, but I just know when I'm watching those guys on film, when I'm seeing those guys in games, game after game after game, and the amount of time they're in the game and they're playing downhill, they should be at the free-throw line more.”
This rant could land Donovan a fine from the league office, though it might be indirect enough to skate by and go unpunished.
The Thunder attempted just one less free throw than the Magic, but managed to out-rebound them by 15 and six on the offensive glass. Westbrook and George combined for an 8-of-9 performance at the foul line.
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