Here’s a remarkable fact to keep in mind during the Clippers-Rockets round 2 matchup. The Clippers-Rockets series features the top three players in free throw attempts in the playoffs. The series features the only three, in fact, who are averaging double figures in free throw attempts. Here are the numbers for James Harden, Dwight Howard, and DeAndre Jordan:
- James Harden: 10.4 Free Throw Attempts, 10 Makes
- Dwight Howard: 10.1 Free Throw Attempts, 4.4 Makes
- DeAndre Jordan: 10.0 Free Throw Attempts, 4.2 Makes
That’s entering Game 3 of round 2. If there’s a big swing in either Dwight Howard’s or DeAndre Jordan’s free throw percentage, that could be all it takes to tip the series. Note that on virtually the same number of attempts Harden is making nearly 50% more conversions than Howard and Jordan COMBINED. Harden only got to the line six times in Game 1, but the refs saw it differently in Game 2 — and the Rockets as a unit were awarded 64 free throw attempts. They won.
