With just under 86% career success, Kawhi Leonard is a very solid free throw shooter. After seven games played this season, this percentage reached only 70%, its lowest level of skill since its debut in the Big League.
More surprising is his volume of shots on the penalty line. With just under 3 attempts per game, he has never had so few shots since his 2013/14 season with the Spurs. Or before he became an All-Star and gradually established himself as a superstar in the league.
Coming out of his match in Brooklyn, where he finished with a modest 2/2 on the line, the Clippers player initially had a little difficulty in explain the phenomenon : “ I don’t know. You have to stay aggressive and see what happens. It was one of the games where I probably shot the fewest free throws. »
Two days earlier at Madison Square Garden, he didn’t even cross the line. This was already the second time this season that this had happened to him, as many as the entire previous season.
“ We’ll see what happens as the season progresses. », continues the winger, before finally mentioning a factor: “ But you have to have the ball in hand to get fouls. I don’t know how bad I had it. »
The impact of the arrival of James Harden?
To find out, just take a look at the statistics. Since the start of the season, he touches the ball on average 51 times per match (compared to 57 last year). This is less than Russell Wesbrook (68) and Paul George (59). And if we reduce the window to the last two matches, this figure drops to 41.5 times.
Why two matches? Because James Harden has since arrived in Los Angeles, and the former Sixers player touches the ball 60 times per game. He, like Russell Westbrook, dribbles and logically keeps the ball in his hands longer, thereby reducing the phases with the ball of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
However, the double MVP of the Finals adds: “ I am not complaining. We try to win. It’s not a question of free throws, you have to take shots and defend. » Always looking for balance for his “Fab Four”, Tyronn Lue is already asking his players not to be “ passive “.
As for the specific subject of the few free throws obtained by Kawhi Leonard, a phenomenon which also affects Russell Westbrook (only one attempt per game), the coach retorts: “ I don’t know… We have to keep attacking. Continue to attack the racket and the whistles will go in the right direction. »
| Kawhi Leonard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | SAN | 64 | 24 | 49.3 | 37.6 | 77.3 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.9 |
| 2012-13 | SAN | 58 | 31 | 49.4 | 37.4 | 82.5 | 1.1 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 11.9 |
| 2013-14 | SAN | 66 | 29 | 52.2 | 37.9 | 80.2 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 12.8 |
| 2014-15 | SAN | 64 | 32 | 47.9 | 34.9 | 80.2 | 1.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 16.5 |
| 2015-16 | SAN | 72 | 33 | 50.6 | 44.3 | 87.4 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 21.2 |
| 2016-17 | SAN | 74 | 33 | 48.5 | 38.0 | 88.0 | 1.1 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 25.5 |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 9 | 23 | 46.8 | 31.4 | 81.6 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 16.2 |
| 2018-19 | TOR | 60 | 34 | 49.6 | 37.1 | 85.4 | 1.3 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 26.6 |
| 2019-20 | LAKE | 57 | 32 | 47.0 | 37.8 | 88.6 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 27.1 |
| 2020-21 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 39.8 | 88.5 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 24.9 |
| 2022-23 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 41.6 | 87.1 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 23.8 |
| 2023-24 | LAKE | 7 | 34 | 47.2 | 41.7 | 70.0 | 1.3 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 21.4 |
| Total | 635 | 32 | 49.5 | 38.8 | 85.8 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 19.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
