In 9 playoff games, Celtics have shot 73 more FTs than their opponents

[Dennis Reynolds]

In case math isn't your thing, the Celtics are getting 8 FT attempts per game more than their opponents. Considering they were averaging a bit less than 3 extra FT attempts per game during the regular season you gotta wonder what suddenly changed.

The thing that I found particularly interesting was Tatum's FT rate. It ballooned from .349 in the regular season all the way to .479 in the playoffs which happens to be his career high. And no, he hasn't been taking more shots around the rim in the playoffs in case you were wondering.

I guess the best way to guard a guy who's shooting 41.7% from the field and 26.3% for 3 which equates to a career low 46.3 eFG% is to never stop fouling him.

[Euphonetiks]

Regular Season FTA's:
12/12/23: CLE - 9; BOS - 26
12/14/23: CLE - 17; BOS - 20
03/05/24: CLE - 11; BOS - 12
TOTAL: CLE - 37; BOS - 58

Boston averaged 7 FTA more than Cleevland in their 3 regular season games.

[EmpireFalls]

League is rigging it for Boston I’m sure

[BleedGreen1989]

About **** time. We've all been screaming for this team to get to the FT line in the playoffs.

[dockingsched]

A defense can be so bad that they have no hope of defending without fouling, and realgm would still find a way to blame the offense.

I mean, what changed? Sample size may be? Possible theyve played less than ten games? Possible that theyve only had two different opponents?

[KyRo23]

Maybe they're just implementing a strategy of not fouling their opponent

[KodiakBear]

NBA currently wants to see Neemias Queta win a championship.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Maybe they're just implementing a strategy of not fouling their opponent

Yep.

The secret to the Lakers middling success is out. And since the NBA is a copycat league... every team is gonna follow this in-depth strategy soon.

[baldur]

Better teams obviously get more free throws. Not sure why the numbers of free throws must be the same every game according to some people is beyond me.

[FlightSisters]

Wouldn't use regular season as a comparison, specifically a net figure across all teams compared to a sample of two (understaffed, particularly missing jimmy/Mitchell/allen) teams with obvious talent inequalities.

While not always the case, better teams and talent ~usually~ get more free throws, either by direct initiation or via strategy of lesser talented teams to get more physical diffusively. Celtics do well when they shoot the 3 per regular season results, playoff defensive strategy intuition is to run them off the line, causing more drives/fouls/contact.

Not an issue here.

[bisme37]

Last night was the first game where I did think the C's generally got a better whistle than the other team. (Sorry about that Cavs fans.)

On the other hand I'm not sure I've ever seen a player have to shove a ref out of the way so he could make the game winning basket. Tyler Ford was out there playing defense for Cleveland lol.

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[RB34]

Celtics this, Celtics that. Add it to the list..

Do you want all the players and fans to perform Seppuku.. will that make you happy?

The C’s had a game this season where they shot 0 FTs.. And there are players out here shooting 15-20 regularly.

[durden_tyler]

Stats are skewed when you win via blowouts.

[levon]

Not the Lakers so the usual suspects don't care

[AussieCeltic]

Not the Lakers so the usual suspects don't care

+8.1 over 9 games.

Lakers were +11 for 5 straight months

[mrmsix6]

Last night was the first game where I did think the C's generally got a better whistle than the other team. Sorry about that Cavs fans.

On the other hand I'm not sure I've ever seen a player have to shove a ref out of the way so he could make the game winning basket. Ohio native Tyler Ford was out there playing defense for Cleveland lol.

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My favorite part of this play is the incredible screen by Derrick White! He really moved Wade off the line there, gave Tatum enough room to throw to Brown for the first down.

[sp6r=underrated]

Not the Lakers so the usual suspects don't care

I'm always amazed at the number of realgm poster who sincerely (i) believe the NBA fixes games for the Lakers (or boggeyman of the month) and (ii) care about the outcome of games.

My favorite group of posters are the ones who think the games are fixed and still bet on them. Which is a remarkable decision.

[sp6r=underrated]

In case math isn't your thing, the Celtics are getting 8 FT attempts per game more than their opponents. Considering they were averaging a bit less than 3 extra FT attempts per game during the regular season you gotta wonder what suddenly changed.

The thing that I found particularly interesting was Tatum's FT rate. It ballooned from .349 in the regular season all the way to .479 in the playoffs which happens to be his career high. And no, he hasn't been taking more shots around the rim in the playoffs in case you were wondering.

I guess the best way to guard a guy who's shooting 41.7% from the field and 26.3% for 3 which equates to a career low 46.3 eFG% is to never stop fouling him.

1. In small sample sizes you get weird statistical outcomes. The Lakers were +30 with Dlo in the 5 games vs Denver but only + 2 with Lebron. Pure noise.
2. If you think the refs are fixes, why are you here? Seriously, if the games are fixed there is no reason to care about the outcome of games.

[Johnny Fontane]

When you see ballerina Tatum flopping around all game do you expect anything less?

[levon]

Not the Lakers so the usual suspects don't care

+8.1 over 9 games.

Lakers were +11 for 5 straight months

That's just the regular season. The kind of advantage Boston is getting in the playoffs is unprecedented across all major sports since Olympia in the 8th century BCE. I've devised a method of comparing across all stats across all sports because I'm a comparative sports genius by profession.