Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having an exceptional scoring season in the NBA, largely due to his ability to draw fouls and convert free throws at a 90% rate. He averages 8.8 free-throw attempts per game, ranking second in the league behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, and has reached 15 or more attempts in seven games this season, with a peak of 21.
It was unexpected when Gilgeous-Alexander did not attempt a single free throw in the Thunder`s 126-99 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. This marked the first time he has gone without a free-throw attempt since December 2021 against the Los Angeles Clippers, over three years ago.
This unusual occurrence happened just after a game where Gilgeous-Alexander shot 1 for 2 from the free-throw line in a loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday.
In Sunday`s game, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points and provided nine assists in 30 minutes, shooting 12 of 23 from the field, with a plus-minus of -20. He pointed out that the Thunder`s problems were primarily on defense, where they allowed the Lakers to shoot 22 for 40 (55%) from three-point range, leading to a significant defeat.
There has been considerable discussion on social media regarding Gilgeous-Alexander`s tendency to draw fouls, often labeled as `foul-baiting`. Many believe he benefits from favorable calls from referees by manipulating the rules.
During a game in February, Minnesota Timberwolves fans even chanted `free-throw merchant` at Gilgeous-Alexander during one of his free-throw attempts.
Despite these criticisms, Gilgeous-Alexander`s free-throw attempts are consistent with last season`s numbers and significantly lower than the nearly 11 attempts per game in the 2022-23 season. Contrary to the expectation that referees might be less inclined to call fouls in the playoffs, data suggests otherwise, as he averaged eight attempts per game in the last postseason while scoring over 30 points per game.
While there might not be significant concern about Gilgeous-Alexander`s ability to get to the free-throw line, the Thunder have had two very poor performances recently. This is not ideal as they aim for the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs. Limiting Gilgeous-Alexander`s free-throw attempts is clearly a defensive strategy, but it is not a guaranteed path to victory. This season, OKC has a 14-3 record when SGA attempts five or fewer free throws.
Jasper Hawthorne