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Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Malone Doesn't Care About Lakers Free Throw Disparity: 'They Had A +500 Differential This Year'

Originally posted on Fadeaway World
By Ishaan Bhattacharya | Last updated 4/23/24

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone isn't concerned about the Lakers' season-long advantage in shooting free throws given their impenetrable record against the franchise.

"Why should we? We keep winning. I didn't know that stat, but I'm basing it on what you're saying. I think in the 2nd half we had zero FT attempts, which is concerning when you consider we scored 30 in the paint, and made a lot of field goal attempts in the paint, it's not like we're settling for jump shots."

Malone made it clear that the Nuggets are playing a style of basketball that warrants more free-throw calls.

"We are attacking, we are posting, we are playing to the rim. You'd think that would warrant a few free throws, at least two. But that wasn't the case last night, so we got to stay the course and continue playing the game in our style and hope there's a payoff at some point."

Malone also revealed that the Nuggets knew they'd struggle to get calls with the Lakers net free-throw differential on the season.

"We went into this series knowing they had a +500 differential this year. So that is something that's been happening all season long."

Malone made these comments before the Nuggets' incredible 20-point comeback win last night. There are major referee concerns around the result of the game, but with the Lakers' alleging mistakes that went against them, as LeBron James discussed after the Game 2 loss.

"I don't understand what's going on in the replay center, to be honest. I think I said it this year or last year or whatever. D'Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive. What f--- do we have a replay center for? It makes no sense to me. It bothers me. I just saw what happened in the 76ers-Knicks game too, What are we doing?"

The Lakers had attempted more free throws in their last nine games against the Nuggets, all ending in losses. They looked poised to win Game 2, a game where they shot just 13 free throws compared to the Nuggets' 17 but fell apart in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers Have Had A Free-Throw Advantage

As of March 26, the Lakers had a +1017 free throw differential over the last two seasons and the playoffs, a staggering number proving that the Lakers have been the biggest beneficiaries of officiating over this stretch. While there are calls in this period that have gone against them with game-losing ramifications (Eric Lewis, anyone?) but it's a cause for criticism by many.

The Lakers free-throw disparity may seem immense, but it isn't as bad as historic trends would suggest. This season, the Lakers ended with a +507 net free-throw differential. While the number may seem ludicrously lopsided, it isn't even close to the all-time highs for free-throw differential over a season.

The biggest single-season free throw differential in the 21st century belongs to the 2017-18 Charlotte Hornets with +722. There wasn't a league-wide conspiracy to get them to be successful, given the 36-46 record they ended the year with.

The Lakers lead every other team in the NBA by almost double, so the criticism in the present is fair. But a free throw differential hasn't led to bad teams becoming winning teams before and it clearly hasn't now either.

This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

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