How to Become More Consistent
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The most simple way for Thompson to generate more consistency in his game would be to stop relying so much on his long-range shooting prowess and find a way to get to the line.
For starters, the Warriors ranked 23rd in the league in free throws made per game, 26th in free throws attempted, and 26th in personal fouls drawn. And for a team that prides themselves as one of the best shooting teams in the league, they shot just 76.8 percent from the charity stripe.
While they may have been one of the most high scoring offenses and one of the top defenses in the NBA, it’s clear that the Warriors will have to build up from what they established last year if they want any chance of winning a second consecutive championship. Thompson becoming a threat from the free throw line would be the easiest way to add another dimension to their game.
Klay Thompson to KNBR: "I'm excited for this season because I think I'm going to add another dimension to my game as well."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) September 3, 2015
Thompson shot a career high 87.9 percent from the line on 3.3 free throw attempts per game. If he could get his FTA’s to somewhere in Harden’s realm (10.2) or at least in Butler’s realm (7.1), he could turn that high percentage free throw shot — which is higher than both Harden and Butler, respectively — into one of the most potent weapons in the league.
And speaking of Harden and Butler, another thing that Thompson could work on in terms of generating more offensive consistency and efficiency is his ability to see the floor and create open shots for his teammates.
When Thompson gets the ball, there’s no doubt nearly any shot from him is a high percentage shot, and it would ill-advised to discourage him from letting it fly. But in those rare cold spells, it would be great if Thompson could learn to dribble around, make the defense move, and create open looks or lanes for his team.
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