Goal #5: Get to the line at a high-volume
One of the easiest ways to scores in the entire game of basketball is at the free throw line, and Kevin Love is automatic from there. The 6-foot-10 star shot 87% from the charity stripe last season. That’s pretty impressive for a power forward. It’s actually the best among power forwards and sixth best among all forwards that shot over 200 free throws.
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The volume at which Kevin Love shoots free throws needs to increase though. He shot 4.9 free throws per game last season. In the three seasons that Love was a superstar in Minnesota, he shot almost double that. His 8.2 per attempts game made up almost a fourth of his scoring. He needs to return to that type of volume free throw shooting.
His free throw rate has dipped from .457 in Minnesota to .333 in Cleveland. That rate measures the number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt. I’m excited to see that number return to at least .4 this upcoming season.
Only seven players shot at least eight free throws per game last season and one of them is current teammate Isaiah Thomas, who was also one of the league’s top scorer. In fact, all seven of those players to get to the line a high amount are considered to be some of the top scorers in the NBA, and Love can return to that list.
This will be key for Love moving forward. If he can get the ball low in the post and draw fouls at a high rate, it will greatly improve his numbers and help the team get easy buckets.