Los Angeles Lakers: 3 things that must improve to make deep playoff run
By Jason Reed
2. The Los Angeles Lakers need to improve the free-throw shooting
Unlike the three-point shooting, this is something that could really burn the Los Angeles Lakers if it does not improve before the NBA Playoffs. The Lakers can get away with being a mediocre three-point shooting team with the style of ball (albeit it reduces the margin of error). The Lakers cannot get away with poor free-throw shooting.
Playoff games slow down an there are so many critical free-throw shots that teams are forced to make late in the game. Not only that, but with how much the Lakers get to the line, there is the possibility of the team leaving 10+ points on the board in missed free throws.
Teams cannot afford to do that in the NBA Playoffs and while the Lakers got away with not-so-great free-throw shooting last year, they will not get away with it this year. There are simply too many good teams that will make the Lakers pay.
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Los Angeles is shooting 74.6% from beyond the arc, good enough for the 25th-highest mark in the NBA. They may have shot 72.9% from the free-throw line last season, but as mentioned, the competition this year is tougher and last year was an anomaly in that regard.
Outside of last year’s Lakers, no championship-winning team from the last decade has had a free-throw percentage as low as the Lakers this season.
Free throws are extremely important and it is one of the biggest holes on the Los Angeles Lakers.