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The 2021 NBA Playoffs have certainly been a test of nerves for the players. This is the time of year where a player can cement his legacy by performing during crucial moments of a game. At the same time, the smallest of flaws can be highlighted, exposing the particular player at the grand stage.
Shooting from the free-throw line can either be a blessing or a curse for certain NBA players, which has been evident in the current 2021 NBA Playoffs.
There are certain all-time greats as well who shot poorly from the free-throw line, such as the 4x NBA Champion and 3x Finals MVP Shaquille O'Neal. He shot a career 52.7% from the free-throw line. The list even includes the likes of NBA legends such as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
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The following are five players who have underperformed from the free-throw line in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far.
5. Deandre Ayton
Free-throw shooting%: 50%
The seven-foot center for the Phoenix Suns has been performing exceptionally well so far in the five games he has played against the LA Lakers. Ayton has been shooting extremely efficiently from the field and averaging a double-double so far. However, his shooting from the free-throw line has been below average so far as he is 7-for-14 from the free-throw line in the five games he has played so far in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
4. Rajon Rondo
Free-throw shooting%: 50%
The NBA veteran is a former 2x NBA Champion and one of the best floor generals in the league today. Rondo was traded to the LA Clippers earlier this year in exchange for Lou Williams and two second-round draft picks. Rondo was the perfect fit for the Clippers, who were missing a playmaker from their otherwise stacked roster.
The 4x NBA All-Star, to everyone's surprise, has only played 22.3 minutes per game so far in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Nonetheless, he is still able to make a significant contribution shooting 50% from the three-point line.
Rondo, though, has been rather mediocre in his free-throw shooting as he is 3-for-6 from the free-throw line in the four games he has played so far in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
3. Dwight Howard
Free-throw shooting%: 45.0%
The former NBA Champion plays center for the first seed in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers. Dwight has definitely increased the bench strength for the 76ers who are currently 3-1 against the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.The 8x NBA All-Star is a great rim protector and a defensive force to reckon with. But when it comes to shooting free-throws, Dwight Howard is amongst the top 10 worst shooters from the line.
In the four games he has played so far in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, he is 9-for-20 from the free-throw line.
2. Luka Doncic
Free-throw shooting%: 40.6%
Luka Doncic is definitely a superstar in the making. His ability was recently showcased in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the stacked LA Clippers. Slovenia's Wonder Boy had a 31-point triple-double in a Game 1 win against the LA Clippers in an away match, followed by another win. After winning back-to-back, though, the Mavericks lost their last two games at home.
Luka has averaged 33.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 8.0 RPG as he shot 48.6% from the field. The former rookie of the year, though, has been horrendous from the free-throw line, making only 13 out of his 32 attempts.
This has clearly exposed an area of limitation for the 22-year old which the Clippers will clearly take advantage of in upcoming games of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
1.Ben Simmons
Free-throw shooting%: 25.0%
Ben Simmons, the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, is one of the top candidates for Defensive Player of the year. The 24-year old has great playmaking skills and usually runs the offense of the 76ers. Television personality and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, when asked about Ben Simmons, had this to say,
If Ben Simmons ever develops, any kind of jump shot whatsoever, he is LeBron James 2.0, or part two, whatever way you want to put it.
Simmons has over the years struggled with his jump shots, for which he has been criticized as well. In the four games so far in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the 2x All-Star is 5-for-20 from the free-throw line.
During Game 4, Ben Simmons' inability to shoot the ball was clearly exposed in the final minutes of the match. The Washington Wizards intentionally fouled him, sending him to the free-throw line. Simmons shot 4-for-8 from the free-throw line that resulted in the Wizards winning Game 4.
