Rachel Nichols’ recent comments on ‘Undisputed’ regarding the Golden State Warriors and their dependency on free throws have left many scratching their heads. In her analysis, Nichols suggested that the Warriors’ success hinges on their ability to capitalize from the charity stripe, citing the proficiency of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as evidence. However, a closer look at the statistics paints a different picture.
“One thing that worries me about the Warriors for them in terms of what their future might look like and maybe in that do-or-die play-in game if it happens is we look at that Boston-Milwaukee game last night, right? Two free throws for the entire game and none for Boston.”
“Well, the Warriors are a team that depends on their free throws, right? Steph Curry, 92% free throw shooter this season. Clay Thompson, 92% free throw shooter this season.”
“You take those away. I’m curious if the play-in-game, if the playoff games are going to be called the way the regular season games in the last two months are going to be called. And look, we always know playoff games are called more, you know, they’d let them play a little bit more anyway. They tend to be a little bit more physical anyway.”
“The Cleveland Cavaliers started playing Steph Curry so much more physically. They were beating him up. And you know LeBron James remembers that. And if all of a sudden there’s more leeway in the league to play physically against these guys without getting calls for it, that could affect the Warriors too.”
Rachel Nichols, on national television, says that “the Warriors are a team that depends on their free throws”
Golden State currently ranks 28th in the NBA in free throw attempts per game. https://t.co/6ANQep7sLy
— Guru (@DrGuru_) April 10, 2024
Nichols pointed out the high free throw percentages of star players like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as evidence of the Warriors’ dependence on free throws for scoring. However, she failed to acknowledge the team’s low ranking in both free throw attempts and free throws made per game, suggesting that the Warriors’ offensive success is tied to their proficiency from the charity stripe.
Additionally, Nichols speculated about the impact of increased physicality in playoff basketball on the Warriors’ performance, implying that their style of play may be affected if they are unable to draw fouls and earn free throw opportunities. She referenced past instances, such as the 2016 NBA Finals, where the Cleveland Cavaliers employed a more physical approach against Curry, leading to challenges for the Warriors.
Contrary to Nichols’ assertion, the Warriors are far from reliant on free throws for their offensive production. In fact, they rank near the bottom of the league in both free throw attempts and free throws made per game. With an average of just 20.0 free throw attempts per game, the Warriors are tied for 27th in the NBA, hardly indicative of a team that heavily relies on getting to the line.
Additionally, Stephen Curry, the face of the Warriors franchise and one of the league’s top scorers, actually ranks among the lowest in free throw attempts among the top scorers in the league. Despite averaging an impressive 26.4 points per game, Curry’s free throw attempts per game stand at a modest 4.5, highlighting the fact that his scoring prowess is not predicated on drawing fouls and earning trips to the free throw line.
Furthermore, Nichols‘ comparison to the physicality of playoff basketball and its potential impact on the Warriors seems misguided, given their style of play. The Warriors have built their success on ball movement, three-point shooting, and defensive versatility rather than relying on the physicality often associated with postseason play.
In essence, Nichols’ suggestion that the Warriors’ fate hinges on free throws is not only inaccurate but also overlooks the team’s strengths and style of play. While free throws certainly play a role in the game, to suggest that they are a determining factor for the Warriors is to ignore the larger context of their success and their approach to the game.
Rachel Nichols Explains Her Wrong Statement About The Warriors
Rachel Nichols took to Twitter to clarify her statement regarding the Golden State Warriors after facing criticism for her initial comments. Acknowledging her mistake, she admitted to misspeaking and expressed regret for using the term “depends” in reference to the team’s reliance on free throws.
“Ha, yep, you are correct – I shouldn’t have said ‘depends.’ Misspoke. My point was more that they have stars who are good at taking them, and if you absolutely eliminate FT’s from the game – as in, zero, like with the Celtics last night – that sucks for a team with good shooters.”
“That’s why I brought up the Splash Brothers’ percentages, because that’s what I was trying to talk about. Like…if Shaq had almost never had to attempt free throws, that would have been a disadvantage for his opponents who had good FT shooters.”
“Clearly I should have worded it differently though. I am guessing from some of the responses, you have followers who have never tried to make a point and used the wrong word, which I mean – hats off, man. Hopefully I’ll get there.”
In her tweet, Nichols clarified that her intention was not to suggest that the Warriors’ success hinged solely on their ability to make free throws. Instead, she aimed to highlight the proficiency of the team’s star players, particularly the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, in shooting free throws. She emphasized that having skilled free throw shooters like Curry and Thompson can be advantageous for a team, especially in situations where free throw attempts are limited.
Nichols used the analogy of Shaquille O’Neal, a dominant force in the NBA known for his struggles at the free-throw line. By mentioning Shaq, she illustrated how having a player like him, if he rarely attempted free throws, could pose a disadvantage for opponents facing a team with proficient free throw shooters.
Furthermore, Nichols acknowledged the need to choose her words more carefully and admitted that she should have worded her statement differently. She also responded to some of the criticism by acknowledging that making mistakes in communication is part of the process and expressed hope for improvement in the future.
Overall, Nichols’ tweet serves as a clarification and apology for her earlier remarks, demonstrating a willingness to address criticism and strive for better communication in the future.
NBA Fan Doesn’t Buy Rachel Nichols Excuse Saying That She Misspoke
The NBA fan, going by the X account named ‘Guru’, responded critically to Rachel Nichols’ explanation, challenging the validity of her statement and questioning her history of bias against Stephen Curry. Using statistical analysis, the fan argued that Nichols’ comparison between Shaquille O’Neal’s free throw shooting and Curry’s was flawed.
The fan pointed out that Shaq’s free throw shooting percentage was significantly lower than Curry’s, with Shaq shooting 52.4% on 10.4 free throw attempts per game in 2000, compared to Curry’s 92.2% on 4.5 attempts per game this season. Despite Curry’s higher efficiency, the fan argued that the volume of free throw attempts matters more in this hypothetical scenario.
By removing free throw attempts, the fan calculated that Shaq would lose an average of 5.5 points per game, while Curry would lose only 4.1 points per game. This discrepancy in scoring impact demonstrates the importance of free throw shooting volume, with Shaq’s higher volume resulting in a greater potential loss of points.
Furthermore, the fan expressed skepticism towards Nichols’ explanation that she misspoke, suggesting that her alleged bias against Curry may have influenced her statements. The fan criticism implied a lack of trust in Nichols’ credibility and sincerity, especially considering her past comments or actions regarding Curry.
Overall, the fan’s response highlights the importance of statistical analysis in evaluating basketball narratives and raises doubts about Nichols’ clarification, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in sports media commentary.
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