Tim doesn't get to the line anymore....

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

As I've looked at boxscores during the season I've noticed that TD's free throw attempts per game have been down pretty significantly this season. He's only averaging 5.5 attempts down from 7.1 the year before. His lowest per game average over the last seven years was the 2005/06 season when he averaged 6.7 attempts but was also nursing an injured foot. His high over the last seven years was 8.7 attempts per game, so 5.5 is a significant drop. As a percentage he's getting to the line 23% less than last year.

What's the reason for the drop? Is it that teams are abandoning the idea of putting him at the line because the perceive him to be hitting better? Is he 'saving it for the playoffs' and not taking the ball up as aggressively as he used to? Are the refs looking the other way and letting him get hacked on?

I started thinking about his free throw shooting in the Boston game when his arms were getting swatted and hacked whenever he was holding the ball and no fouls were being called. I was watching Ginobili getting pinballed around with no calls, so it wasn't just Tim. Granted, the refs were letting the teams go after it pretty good that game but it made me wonder if TD is not getting the kind of calls he used to get from the refs, or if he's just not efforting like he used to, or if there's some other explanation.

[E20]

Up to this point Tim is averaging 5.5 trips to the line (50 games thus far) compared to last year averaging 6.9 a game (82 games). The past couple of games TD has been barely going to the line though.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Yup, I've noticed the same thing.

A lot of it has to do with the way they are calling the post - Davis and Powe were constantly hacking on him the other day and he went to the line for 2 and-1s and then those two missed FTs in the 4th. A bad joke. That's been happening to him all year. If half of the times he's been hacked this year were called, he'd be averaging 10 FTs a game, and he should be.

The terrible officiating of the charge-block and hacking in the post are ruining the game. Why do ticky-tack touches on the perimeter get called all the time when hacks, pushes and body-checks in the act of shooting at the rim get ignored??? Makes no sense to me.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Up to this point Tim is averaging 5.5 trips to the line (50 games thus far) compared to last year averaging 6.9 a game (82 games). The past couple of games TD has been barely going to the line though.

Actually Tim had 80 appearances last year so his average was 7.1 attempts.

Over the course of a season that amounts to 128 fewer attempts if Tim plays 80 games. That's a lot of points...and perhaps a win or three...and I want to know why the best player in basketball isn't getting the love!!! :madrun

[duncan228]

I think it's a combination of the two you mentioned.

He's not getting calls even when he's getting beat to shit.
And he's not as aggressive as he can be and as I'm sure he will be as we get towards the playoffs.

I'm not sure why he's not getting calls that are obvious he deserves. (Replays showing it.) His whining at most everything can't help. But there have been a lot of non-calls where his whining is appropriate. Where he'll get called on one side but not get the call on the other for the same foul. It's frustrating and I think he's letting his frustration show.

I'm not worried about his aggressiveness. It will pick up at the right time. He always plays with more fire in the Playoffs.

His FT% is so-so this year. It went up a little, it went back down. It's never going to be a strong part of his game, it's obviously his achilles heel. But again, during the Playoffs he usually makes the ones he needs to. I don't think other teams avoid putting him on the line.

[SenorSpur]

It's true. He's not getting to the line as often. However, he's getting hacked as much or more as he ever has. Defenders are really making a point to "swipe" at the ball. Which is why Tim needs to keep the ball above his head and away from prying hands. Officials are much more likely to call those "reach-up" fouls than they are those where a defender is trying to swipe, steal or tie up a player.

I just don't want to see him chucking up any more of those wild-ass, off-balance shots, while sprawling to the floor and looking at the refs for calls, while the opposition sprints back the other way. It really bugs me when he and Manu repeatedly do that shit.

[dbreiden83080]

I'll say this about Tim, he has been a beast since he has come back from injury. Putting up like 22 and 13 a game for like 6 weeks. So please lets not hear any crap when Tony comes back and his numbers go down that he is not in his prime anymore.

[E20]

I did not take into consideration the games Duncan missed in my average from 82 games. Or was that taken into consideration already?

[ancestron]

Because the refs are letting teams hack the shit out of him!!!!!

[td4mvp21]

Yup, I've noticed the same thing.

A lot of it has to do with the way they are calling the post - Davis and Powe were constantly hacking on him the other day and he went to the line for 2 and-1s and then those two missed FTs in the 4th. A bad joke. That's been happening to him all year. If half of the times he's been hacked this year were called, he'd be averaging 10 FTs a game, and he should be.

The terrible officiating of the charge-block and hacking in the post are ruining the game. Why do ticky-tack touches on the perimeter get called all the time when hacks, pushes and body-checks in the act of shooting at the rim get ignored??? Makes no sense to me.

NO what pisses me off even more is that FUCKING GUARDS get to the line all the time when they drive, for less contact than what Tim takes. FUCKING GUARDS. Now that is some bullshit.

[duncan228]

Duncan gets beat up so much that by the Playoffs, when things are allowed to get more physical, he wears the padded shirt under his jersey. To protect his kidneys.

(Sorry, I don't know what that piece is called.)

[T Park]

flak jacket?

[1Parker1]

Blame Stern. Officiating isn't friendly to big men in this league. Especially when you consider the # of times guys like Duncan get no calls in the paint, but if a guard like Kobe or Wade gets the most ticky tack fouls. It's not even close the way officiating in this league has turned into a favorable advantage for teams with big guards. Thank god Spurs have their own two guards.

[T Park]

Parker doesn't go to the line as much as he should either.

[bigfundamental21]

I have noticed the lack of free throws for Duncan as well, and for our team in general. In the Boston game, we got 13 attempts and they got 34. That is a huge discrepancy. Granted, they were driving to the basket, but as has been said, Duncan was getting repeatedly hacked in the post. In the Toronto game, Duncan had one free throw attempt. ONE! I know his aggressiveness plays a part and that will increase with time. But at the same time, he should be getting to the line a lot more than once a game.

[Brutalis]

This is what has always bugged me.

Duncan this season is not getting calls like he should. Players like Big Baby Davis clobber the shit out of him and it's a no call, while on the other end of the floor BBD gets the foul called when Duncan hasn't even left his feet.

I can't begin to say how many times this has happened this year.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

NO what pisses me off even more is that FUCKING GUARDS get to the line all the time when they drive, for less contact than what Tim takes. FUCKING GUARDS. Now that is some bullshit.

True, dat.

And I agree that TP doesn't get to the line as much as he should given the contact he absorbs.

[m33p0]

answer: the league hates us.

[remingtonbo2001]

At least he isn't getting poked in the eye as much this year.

[baseline bum]

Why do ticky-tack touches on the perimeter get called all the time when hacks, pushes and body-checks in the act of shooting at the rim get ignored??? Makes no sense to me.

Kobe, Wade, LeBron, AI, and all the other exciting players

[remingtonbo2001]

Kobe, Wade, LeBron, AI, and all the other exciting players

T.D. is boring? :huh

Maybe he should come out with his own rap album. That should earn him a few more trips to the line. Right? Isn't that the logic here?

[ehz33satx]

answer: the league hates us.

Maybe it's fallout from the Timmy and Joey Crawford incident. I always knew it would come back and bite us in the posterior. Refs are taking out their revenge on the Spurs. Sucks if its true.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Kobe, Wade, LeBron, AI, and all the other exciting players

Indeed, but you think they'd extend that to TD like they used to a few seasons ago...

I don't believe in conspiracies, but there's some circumstantial evidence that the league is skewing their refereeing guidelines to try to prevent the Spurs from winning another ring.

[ancestron]

I'll tell you what I think. I don't think it will matter, this preferential treatment. The Spurs will adjust, and win the whole thing anyway.

[remingtonbo2001]

Indeed, but you think they'd extend that to TD like they used to a few seasons ago...

I don't believe in conspiracies, but there's some circumstantial evidence that the league is skewing their refereeing guidelines to try to prevent the Spurs from winning another ring.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least bit.

The NBA is first and formost an entertainment driven business.
A business is going to do whatever is in it's best intrest.

However, the NBA shouldn't be a self entitled business, but a governing body which oversees and regulates a group of businesses (NBA owners). I don't know the legislation of the business so it would ignorant for me to purpose anything.

As a Louisiana State Trooper once told me...Somethin' just ain't right, it just don't add up.,,Well, you boys have a nice day.

[hsxvvd]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/04/17/2003670547.jpg

"Sorry, My fault."

[timvp]

Very nice thread, EHJ. Good stats and observations.

I do think the refs have let teams beat up on Duncan a bit this year. Especially before he gets the ball. Big Baby was just allowed to sit there and push him away from the basket the whole game. I also have noticed that the body bump isn't called as much for Duncan this year when he's taking up a shot around the rim.

However, I think Duncan has taken a couple moves out of his repertoire that were moves he did just to draw fouls. And honestly, I hated those moves. When Duncan goes up trying to draw a foul rather than score a basket, the result was usually bad. This season (and especially lately) Duncan has done a great job of always trying to score instead of sometimes going up trying to get fouled.

Combine both reasons and then we can start to figure out why his free throws are down. Luckily Duncan is good enough to be dominant whether the refs want to call fouls or whether the refs let it be physical. As long as it's consistent, Duncan will be fine. But for example in that Celtics game, the refs can't let Big Baby and Powe push him all game and then call that weak offensive foul when Duncan was just going up to complete a basket. If the refs want to let the defense be physical, they have to let Duncan be physical as well when he has the ball.

[rascal]

Has Duncans shot attempts also decreased?
IF so, fewer attempts = fewer free throw opportunities

[timvp]

Has Duncans shot attempts also decreased? Nope. His field goal attempts are actually way up. Highest since the '04-05 season.

[picnroll]

Big Baby did what refs have been allowing since Malone played Duncan in the WC semis in '04. Refs letting Malone run through Duncan on his shot was a big part of LA winning that series and it's continued since.

You never see Duncan doing that arm drag through his shot to draw a foul on a reaching defender anymore. That use to be good for a couple of shooting fouls a game. Don't know if that's because nobody bites on it anymore.

[timvp]

Big Baby did what refs have been allowing since Malone played Duncan in the WC semis in '04. Refs letting Malone run through Duncan on his shot was a big part of LA winning that series and it's continued since.I don't think it's been as drastic as this season. Lately, Duncan just gets blatantly pushed out of position with no call. The last couple years they seemed to crack down on the dislodging using the knee and both arms. They don't even seem to do that anymore.


You never see Duncan doing that arm drag through his shot to draw a foul on a reaching defender anymore. That use to be good for a couple of shooting fouls a game. Don't know if that's because nobody bites on it anymore.That was one of the moves I was talking about earlier. Duncan has gone away from those moves -- mostly out of design, I assume. I didn't like those moves and they lost their effectiveness since he used to try that move almost every game. Now if he breaks it out at some point in the playoffs, it'll be much more effective again.

[picnroll]

That was one of the moves I was talking about earlier. Duncan has gone away from those moves -- mostly out of design, I assume. I didn't like those moves and they lost their effectiveness since he used to try that move almost every game. Now if he breaks it out at some point in the playoffs, it'll be much more effective again.
Could be because his bank shot isn't as consistent the last couple of years so it's not as feared or played as tightly.

[ancestron]

Tim has still managed to be a beast lately.

[ambchang]

So why isn't Parker getting more calls?

[timvp]

Could be because his bank shot isn't as consistent the last couple of years so it's not as feared or played as tightly.I have to highly disagree. His bank shot has been much improved this season. I haven't seen him hit his bank shot as regularly as he has this season since his first couple seasons in the league.

[Fabbs]

Indeed, but you think they'd extend that to TD like they used to a few seasons ago...

I don't believe in conspiracies, but there's some circumstantial evidence that the league is skewing their refereeing guidelines to try to prevent the Spurs from winning another ring.
Why could that not be called a "conspiracy"?

[Hemotivo]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/04/17/2003670547.jpg

"Sorry, My fault."
:lmao

[m33p0]

Maybe it's fallout from the Timmy and Joey Crawford incident. I always knew it would come back and bite us in the posterior. Refs are taking out their revenge on the Spurs. Sucks if its true.

spurs in the finals------------------------>>>>> low ratings

gotta get rid of the spurs


there's nothing more i want than for the spurs to shove the trophy up stern's ass.

[Cry Havoc]

It's ridiculous, really. There are blatant hacks that they show over and over on a replay where Duncan is getting chopped at, physically pushed while in mid-shot, or just knocked out of the way with no call.

Here's what I hope, though: That he turns it up during the playoffs, MAKES the refs call the fouls, and runs right over the top of people who are trying to push him out of the way. So BBD wants to push? Duncan will catch a ball with position in the post, throw the ball through the hoop and deliver a well-placed forearm to his sternum. I've always had to remind myself just how strong Duncan is when he wants to be, and he tends to turn adversity into dominance -- it's what makes him one of the all-time greats even at this stage in his career. It's not always possible (try getting hit on your forearm when you're in the middle of a shot) but he has the ability to beat this. I have to think he'll get at least SOME favorable calls in the playoffs when we're at home as well.

[picnroll]

I have to highly disagree. His bank shot has been much improved this season. I haven't seen him hit his bank shot as regularly as he has this season since his first couple seasons in the league.
He usually takes that shot form the left outside the paint. He's shooting .333 from there this year link (http://www.nba.com/hotzones/popup.html) . He's shooting a much better percentage from the right or left near the top of the key.