What has happened to CJ's free throw shooting %?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by julius, Feb 10, 2020.

  1. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    He's shooting 74% now...wtf?
     
  2. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    Higher variability when you barely shoot any.
     
  3. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    Free throw shooting can often be mental. He is definitely struggling at the line, but he can snap out of it as quickly as he got into it.
     
  4. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    Why is he taking technical FTs?
     
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  5. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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  6. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

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    He'll turn it around. He's too good a shooter.
     
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  7. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    But he's never been a high volume FT shooter and has had a much higher conversion rate in years past. It's his own style of game to not seek contact and shy away from defenders as much as possible. With his stroke, he should be shooting a much higher percentage. CJ is currently 11th on the season and not far in front of Whiteside. :banghead2: In his last 7 games, he is shooting a paltry 47% from the FT line. (and 43% from the field)

    Coincidentally, that is not too far off from the time Trent started to get hot.
     
  8. Shaboid

    Shaboid Well-Known Member

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  9. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    He's had 2 seasons shooting below 70%. One at above 90%, and the others at around 83% which is basically his career average. Seems like a sample size issue to me. He's an 83% FT shooter.
     
  10. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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  11. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    doesn't he have something like 10 seconds to shoot after getting the ball? Maybe he should dribble back and forth between his legs for 9 seconds, then shoot. Simulate his game action

    I dribbled between my legs once but that was after I ate some bad eggs at a market in Guatemala
     
  12. AldoTrapani

    AldoTrapani Well-Known Member

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    I know numbers wise CJ career Ft percentage is pretty good but idk what it is imo he is completely garbage at them. Maybe it’s perception on when he misses crucial FTs but imo he is not a reliable ft shooter whatsoever
     
  13. SIeepwalker

    SIeepwalker The lone sane poster

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    I wouldn't say garbage but I agree in the sense that, for a good 2-3 years I haven't felt that CJ at the line was an automatic 2 pts like I feel with Dame
     
  14. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    Maybe it is just a feeling, but it seems that CJ's percentage goes down in the 4th quarter in tight games. Is there a way to determine that?
     
  15. Strenuus

    Strenuus Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Huh. You'd think with how selfish a player on the court he is, he'd relish in the opportunities to have it be all about him on the court?
     
  16. H.C.

    H.C. Well-Known Member

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    People say he's selfish but then they don't recognize when he made an unselfish play.

    With 2:14 left in the game last night Lillard got the ball after the outlet beyond the 3 point line. Trent was sprinting to the corner.
    CJ was 3-4 steps behind Lillard at this point.
    When Lillard got to Lillard range. CJ had sprinted to the elbow. With Trent in the corner.
    CJ sprinting to the elbow forced the Mia defender responsible for Trent to come up and take CJ. CJ instantly threw a pass to Trent who hit the wide open three.
    If CJ doesn't unselfishly sprint here to get back in the play. Trent doesn't get a wide open shot on this possession. Who knows what happens as before Trent hit this shot it was Portland 107, Miami 103 with more than 2 minutes left.

    Calling CJ selfish is just as silly as those posters who used to/still call Lillard overrated because he couldn't beat the Pelicans trap in the post season a couple years ago.

    At times he makes poor reads, mishandles the ball, overdribbles etc. But CJ is not selfish. He's just not Lillard.... Like many believed on this very forum.. No wait after the 16-17 season many thought he was better than Lillard and believed he was more clutch than him.... Wonder if I should zombie a thread.

     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2020
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  17. SIeepwalker

    SIeepwalker The lone sane poster

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    Well, I looked it up. CJ's FT% in the clutch (last 5min or OT with no less than 5pt differential) each seasons since he became a starter :

    2015-16: 87.1% (up from 82.7%)
    2016-17: 94.7% (up from 91.2%)

    Great, CJ is clutch ! wait, hold on a second.....

    2017-18: 72.2% (down from 83.6%)
    2018-19: 69.2% (down from 82.8%)
    2019-20: 66.7% (down from 74.1%)

    Well that's not too good... Turns out my feelings about the "last 2-3 years" were pretty accurate
     
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  18. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    Thanks for the data. That is about the way it felt....appreciate the stats.
     
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  19. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    Terrific. This is the kind of thing that stats don't show. And also reflects how this is a team game. CJ's tunnel vision is glaring, but there are clearly things he does and brings to the team that are irreplaceable.
     
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  20. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

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    You have this flipped. At times he makes the extra pass. The rest of the time he makes poor reads (although I’d argue he doesn’t make reads at all) mishandles the ball, overdribbles, etc.
     
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