Free-Throw Efficiency Is Crucial To Cavaliers Matchup Against Charlotte
By Dan Gilinsky
Whether you have a team filled with three-point shooting or not, the free throw line is still vital in the Association. The charity stripe is the key for the Cleveland Cavaliers to get a victory tonight against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had their issues for much of this season, and that’s made its waves throughout social media. Nonetheless, they have won their last two games against teams they should beat, and tonight’s matchup against Charlotte is in that same category. The Hornets are sitting at 5-7, and currently 12th in the East. This is a game that the Cavs should pull out based on their free-throw expertise.
Simply put, the Cavs are a better team when they are getting to the line. Although the Cavaliers are not nearly the same three-point team this season, they are much better at the charity stripe. Cleveland is fourth in the NBA in free throw percentage, per nba.com. Last year, they were just 23rd in the Association. In their wins, the Cavs are making 23.0 free throws per game, whereas they are making just 17.6 in their losses.
Much of that has to do with LeBron James starting the season shooting at a much higher rate when he’s getting the opportunities. Right now, James is shooting 80.7 percent at the line (a career-high), which is light years better than what he did in 2016-17, in which he shot a career-low 67.4 percent, per nba.com.
Earlier on in games, LeBron needs to be attacking opposing rim protectors, (in this case Cody Zeller and Dwight Howard) to get easy points for himself and free up his teammates. If the Cavs can get a lead in the early going, that can take the crowd out of it, and put less pressure on the bench. From there, Dwyane Wade and Jeff Green could be able to ease into the Cavs’ sets, instead of attacking with reckless abandon and having to force pace when it’s not even there.
If the Cavaliers can get Howard or Zeller in foul trouble, the Hornets will have a much harder time protecting the paint, and will likely be more susceptible to giving up wide-open threes. That would hopefully mean Kyle Korver doesn’t have to have 19 points in the fourth quarter for us to pull out a W. Other than Kemba Walker, this Charlotte team does not have many players who can consistently initiate offense and create for others with a high usage.
If the Cavs are attacking throughout to open up easy looks for Korver, Kevin Love, and others, the defense will be better equipped to sustain a lead. I’m not saying players like Iman Shumpert need to force pace down the Hornets’ throat, but quick decisions in halfcourt sets often keeps the defense off-balance. As KJG’s own Nathan Beighle demonstrated, Cleveland usually struggles when possessions are dragged out, as movement can get way too stagnant, and low-percentage shots happen.
When Jae Crowder, Korver, Love, and others on the roster are active off-ball, it makes LeBron’s job easier, as cutting lanes eventually open. That’s where and-ones typically happen, and defenses are scrambling more.
Isolation basketball is not as effective when the Cavs don’t have Derrick Rose playing (he’s out again in this one, per Ananth Pandian of 247sports.com), so the Cavs need to be more creative in how they get to the line. Cleveland should have a pick-and-roll mismatch with Love all night long with his shooting stroke against bigs like Zeller, and the free throw attempts will follow with Wade, Green, and James when they’re picked up by slower players.
Last but not least, the Cavs should not be afraid to foul Charlotte when it’s needed. It is a glaring weakness of the Hornets, considering they have the lowest free throw percentage in the NBA. Howard is the main reason for that distinction, as he’s hitting just 40.6 percent. In addition, Zeller is only hitting 62.1 percent, so if the Cavs need to hack them, it’s not the worst defensive strategy in the world.
That usually takes away momentum as well, and the Cavs would get more offensive opportunities. Along with that, the two best rebounders on Charlotte would be taken off the floor, and Charlotte would be taken out of their element for considerable stretches.
With Howard specifically off the floor, the Hornets are not the same from the perimeter because defenses don’t have to draw more attention to the interior. Their three point percentage drops to 31.6 percent with Howard off, whereas it’s 38.9 percent when he’s in.
All in all, the free-throw line is the name of the game in this matchup. With that being the case, advantage LeBron and the Cavs.