Free throw defense that is! Our opponents shoot only 74.8% from the line! See http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2009.html Maybe we know who to foul! Some other interesting stat ... we're second best in the league at FT/FGA so we don't foul shooters much.
the rest of the nba sucks at free throws or the are doin a great job in the toyota center of distracting guys.
Rockets send opposition the line 21.4 times that is the 3rd least (Behind Barney and the Spurs) http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats/b...nent&conference=NBA&year=season_2008&sort=337 Rockets are 2ND in Freethrow % defense at 74.8% just behind the bobcats at 74.1% Arguably the most inexplicable stat in the NBA...... Atleast one thing the Rockets aren't getting burned on and that is Freethrows
I never paid much attention to it before, but it's kind of surprising how much variation there is league wide in "freethrow % defense". You would think it would more or less even out over time and be roughly the same as the average FT% of the opponents faced, but it actually ranges from 74% to 81%. What the hell is Portland doing, allowing 81% from the line? Does that mean they tend to foul guards more often? Very peculiar. I did a quick check. We were second last year in free throw defense, and we were 1st 3 years ago. Could it just be fluke?
My theory is inspired by the previous poster Could it be just that teams with higher FT % allowed are fouling penetrating guards whereas teams like the Rox and Bobcats are fouling interior players more?
^^We have been a great free throw defense team for many years now so i think there is something to the statistic. And the overall range is not like one or two points, its noticeable. There is more to this stat than humor lads.
OK, I now believe that there is a science to this statistic. The Rockets have been near the top of the league in opposing free throw percentage for several years now. It can't just be a fluke. Either something about the circumstances under which we foul, or otherwise the rims at the Toyota center.
Rims? How so? it has to be the personnel the rockets foul more Who does Yao foul the most? Guards or Bigs?
All the credit for the free throw defense goes to Bill Worrell. He's the best in the business. As soon as he mentions how great a free throw shooter the opposing player is, they clank one on the rim.
Maybe it's because Yao gets fouled for phantom fouls in the post too much. More fouling big men = worse percentages?
Maybe you can also think of free throw defense is only fouling players who don't shot FT's well. Fouling bigs like howard or chandler who cant shoot.
I would say that on the surface, the Rockets tend to foul guards a lot less than other teams, especially on the perimeter. You probably can't remember the last time you saw a Rocket foul a jump shooter, for instance. That would really be my first explanation for the statistic.
Somebody who is less lazy than me (ie, anybody in this forum) do a check to see the raod home splits of free throw shooting. I would like to see if teams shoot better free throws on the road, at home, or if it's the same. Also check to see if we have particular good free throw defense on the road or at home.
Actually, if you look at that FT attempted per FG Attempted by opponents, the Rockets are 2nd best (behind the Spurs). They have done a nice job not sending guys to the line (and apparently does a good job of not sending the really accurate FT shooters to the line). I remember the NYT article on Battier had Morey talk about the absolute worst result from a defensive possession is typically sending the opponent to the line. It seems the Rockets defense has largely followed that philosophy. BTW, the Rockets are 10th best in the league in FTA/FGA.
I am not sure whether it was due to those easy "lay-up" shows performed by teams that torched Rox? Hence one possible reason for the low percentage: shots were not hardly contested and therefore no. of fouls committed by Rox players was reduced.
