Whiteside on free throws: ‘A place I’ve got to get out of ’

MIAMI — It looks like time for Plan C for Hassan Whiteside.

A week ago, with the free throws off and the air balls up, the Miami Heat center said he was returning to his previous form at the foul line, stepping back and hoisting the one-point attempts as jump shots.

Since then, he has gone 1 of 4 from the foul line in consecutive games against the Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks, followed by 0 for 2 Sunday against the Orlando Magic and then 0 for 2 against the Toronto Raptors, the possibility of hack-a-Hassan constantly looming.

Until Wednesday’s loss to the league-leading Raptors at AmericanAirlines Arena, the struggles had been masked by victories.

But with the Heat’s fivegame winning streak over, and with yet another airball in the loss to Toronto, the misses again have become a talking point.

So there was Whiteside on Thursday, first working with shooting consultant Rob Fodor and then addressing struggles that have him down to .434 from the line this season.

“I’m in a slump,” he said. “This is the worst I ever shot in my life right now. But I’m not going to overthink it. I’m still the same guy. I’m just in a slump. It’s just a place I’ve got to get out of.”

Of players who have made at least one free throw this season, Whiteside ranks 421st in the NBA in percentage, only eight players worse, none a starter.

After a steady climb at the line from his breakthrough Heat arrival, going from .500 at the line in 2014-15 to .650 the following season, then .628 in 2016-17. Whiteside got himself up to .703 last season.

And then this, now going back to something that had worked earlier in the season.

“I think I’m going to square my feet up a little more, rather than stepping into it,” he said, “similar to how it was. I looked at the film when I shot 9 for 11 against the Spurs [on Nov. 7]. I have more of flat -- my feet were flat toward the basket -- and I feel like it gives me more balance.”

Beyond that, the attempts, themselves, now also are down. The last time Whiteside attempted more than four in a game was Dec. 2, when he shot 1 of 6 from the line in a victory over the Utah Jazz.

“I mean, when you shoot free throws really well, you’re going to be a little more aggressive and try to get fouled more,” he said, as the Heat turned their attention to Friday’s game against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve been doing a little float shot a little more. Maybe I could make a little contact a little more.”

The free throws were fluid and efficient after Thursday’s practice, but that often has been the case amid the slump.

“It’s tough man, it’s tough,” he said. “I wish I could put 20,000 people in the arena and get hit with a hard foul and get sent to the free-throw line in practice -- but I can’t. I just try to just keep putting in the work. I mean, in practice I’m shooting 45 for 50, 50 for 50, it’s crazy numbers that I just want to translate to the game.”

Thursday’s session with Fodor was comforting, and perhaps settling.

“I think I’m comfortable,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve said that. I think this is the routine I’ll have the rest of my life. This one.”

Coach Erik Spoelstra downplayed the slump.

“Hassan has proven that he can knock them down, just like he did last year,” he said. “We want him to get to a comfortable routine and not obsess about it if he does happen to miss.”

Somewhat ailing: Whiteside was limited Thursday due to the hip bruise sustained in the second half of Wednesday’s loss to the Raptors . . . Dion Waiters again practiced, but is listed as out for Friday, yet to return since January’s ankle surgery.