Foul-line work not paying off

MIAMI — Opponents have yet to move toward hack-a-Hassan this season, but it could be coming. Then again, sending the entire Miami Heat roster to the foul line has proven to be a winning proposition.

Friday’s 16 of 25 from the line in the loss to the Los Angeles Clippers dropped the Heat to .667 for the season, not only worst in the league, but by a huge margin over the NBA’s secondworst team, the Orlando Magic at .709, with the San Antonio Spurs at a leaguebest .824.

Part of their struggles Friday was Hassan Whiteside’s 1 of 5, which dropped him to .525 for the season, below the career .582 NBA percentage that has had opponents moving toward intentional fouling at previous junctures.

Coach Erik Spoelstra again attempted to deflect discussion of the subject.

“We’re working at it,” he said, with the Heat turning their attention to today’s game against the Boston Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena. “We still have chances. At the end of the day, all you’re thinking is do you have a chance at the end of the game? We had opportunities to take the lead, and we just weren’t able to make enough plays down the stretch, even without the free-throw shooting.”

In a 4-point loss, the Heat were outscored by 7 at the foul line.

Guard Goran Dragic, who closed 7 of 7 from the line Friday in his 21-point performance, said it is an undeniable concern.

“If we make all the free throws, probably the game would have gone differently,” he said. “I would say it’s all mental. We need to go upstairs [to the practice court] and we need to be focused on the free-throw line, not only in games, but in practice.”

Dragic said the time in the practice gym has to be about more than going through the motions.

“Not just go to the line and just shoot it, but try to visualize like it’s in a game, and then it’s probably going to be a much better percentage,” he said.

“He said after the game, it felt like after he went back there [to the locker room] that he could go back in. But we’ll have to wait and see. Players, what they say and feel in the moment of competition could be different the next day.”

Ellington missed the first 16 games of the season due to a bruised right thigh.

The Heat played Friday without guard Tyler Johnson due to an illness, with the hope he will be available today. The Heat did not practice Saturday.

“I don’t know, it’s maybe some curse on us,” Dragic said, with guard Dion Waiters having missed the past 11 games due to a groin issue, with no return estimate offered. “We just need to fight through that. It’s not easy, but we never use excuses. We know Tyler’s going to be back. He was sick. So hopefully Wayne, it’s nothing serious.” Winslow

MIKE EHRMANN/GETTY IMAGES The Heat’s Wayne Ellington, left, was lost in the third period against the Clippers with a right hamstring strain.