How Warriors can close free-throw gap in series vs. Lakers
SAN FRANCISCO -- The contrasting styles between the Warriors and Los
Angeles Lakers couldn't have been more clear Tuesday night in Golden State's 117-112 Game 1 loss to begin the Western Conference semifinals.
The Warriors had a 45-point advantage behind the 3-point line, cashing 21 threes compared to only six from the Lakers. Down low, the Lakers held a 26-point advantage, scoring 54 points in the paint while the Warriors totaled 28. The biggest difference, however, was at the free-throw line.
Tuesday night's officiating crew of Marc Davis, Ed Malloy and Nick Buchert didn't exactly go with the notion of home-court advantage with their whistles. They whistled the Warriors for 24 fouls, twice as many the 12 that were called on the Lakers.
That led to the Lakers taking 29 free throws, making 25 of them. The Warriors, on the friendly confines of Chase Center's hardwood, attempted six free throws all night and made five. For our math crowd, that's a 20-point advantage for the road team at the free-throw line.
Andrew Wiggins, who made both of his two free throw attempts, believes the solution is simple for the Warriors and one that has to be a change from the opening tipoff.
"Be more forceful," Wiggins said Wednesday. "Attack the basket more, be the aggressors."
