Burks creating much-needed offense from free-throw line
SAN FRANCISCO >> As the Warriors search for ways to improve a laboring offense, the free-throw stripe has provided a silver lining.
Despite having the worst-rated offense in the NBA through 45 games, the Warriors are second
in the league in free-throw percentage (81.1%). With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson sidelined by injuries, Golden State misses their shot-making ability, but is trying to make up for it at the line.
Six of Golden State’s healthy players are shooting 80% or better from the foul line, with Alec Burks (90.3%) leading the team. Among NBA players who attempt as many free throws per game (4.6), Burks ranks sixth in freethrow percentage.
In the last 10 games, he has made 60 of 62 free throws, including going 9
for 9 in his 33-point gem in Portland on Monday night.
“Easy points, just anything to get the momentum going,” Burks said. “You take it seriously, everybody on the team, so I’m glad everybody’s making them.”
In seasons past, the Warriors boasted elite shooting to power a top-rated offense. Without Curry, Thompson and Kevin Durant, however, Golden State has relied on foul shots. They rank 30th in field-goal percentage (42.9%) and 27th in 3-point percentage (33.5%), but have gone from 28th in the league in free-throw attempts per game last season to 11th this season.
Newcomers in D’Angelo Russell (4.6 free-throw attempts) and rookie Eric Paschall (3.3) help boost that number, but Burks is the team’s premier foul drawer. While in college at Colorado 10 years ago, he learned to draw contact from upperclassman guard Cory Higgins.
“He would just get to the line a lot, and I would just try to pick that up from him a long time ago,” said Burks, who shot 82.3% on free throws last season. “Just kept going through my career.”
Head coach Steve Kerr has experimented with ways to juice the offense — from simplifying schemes, to implementing more pickand-roll and several lineup changes — but free-throw shooting has remained a rare constant during a turbulent season.
“I think we’re just taking advantage of the opportunity,” Burks said. “We get to the line, we’re going to make them.”