In Saturday’s defeat, the Golden State Warriors received three more fouls than the Orlando Magic. They went to the charity stripe three fewer times than the Magic but also made more free throws.
In the grand scheme of 2022-23, those numbers are actually relatively encouraging for the defending champions. No team in the league owns a more drastic discrepancy with regard to fouling and free throws than Golden State.
The Warriors’ 21.9 personal fouls per game ranks third-highest in the league, and their 18.5 personal fouls drawn per game is second-fewest, per Team Rankings. Golden State’s .221 free throw rate is dead last, while its opponents’ .289 free throw rate is third-worst, according to NBA.com/stats.
Steve Kerr’s team has been working to fix that issue since it first cropped up in November. Weeks later, though, the Warriors are still getting bitten by the foul and free throw bug on an almost nightly basis—and Draymond Green is worried about it.
“I think we take responsibility in the way we’re defending,” he said, per Shayna Rubin of Bay Area News Group. “There are times we can get a little handsy. Not using our hands as much. We have to take some responsibility in it. At the same time, it’s a little alarming.”
The loss to Orlando marks Golden State’s second straight, coming on the heels of a season-long five-game winning streak. But the Warriors’ eight-game home stand comes to an end on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns, and they remain basketball’s worst team on the road.
Will foul and free throw problems continue dogging Golden State going forward? Leaving the friendly confines of Chase Center certainly won’t make them any easier to avoid.
Source: https://clutchpoints.com
