As the Golden State Warriors enter the Play-In Tournament, they are set for a tough matchup against the young and hungry Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center on Tuesday.
While the Warriors, at one point, had the potential to jump as high as the third-seed, brutal losses against the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers have left them fighting for one of the final playoff berths.
The last time the Warriors were in the playoffs in 2023, they were bounced by the Los Angeles Lakers in six games largely as a result of their inability to keep up at the free-throw line. However, Golden State now have a weapon that, were they to make the playoffs, could flip the script in their favor.
Warriors' free-throw shooting could make a difference in the playoffs
Even with Stephen Curry who is one of the best free-throw shooters of all-time and is hitting a league-leading 93.1% this season from the line, Golden State were one of the worst foul-drawing and free-throw shooting teams for much of the first 60 games of the season.
Yet the arrival of Jimmy Butler just before the trade deadline changed that narrative entirely, wit the Warriors having averaged 24.8 free-throw attempts across the last 15 games -- good for third in the NBA in that category. They've also ranked eighth in free-throw percentage across this recent stretch at 79.8%.
In 29 games with the Warriors, Butler himself has averaged an absurd 7.7 free-throw attempts per game and shot 87% from the line. While Golden State's offense has remained inconsistent at times even through their hot stretch of March and April, Butler's ability to draw fouls has helped keep them in games they otherwise would have struggled to remain in.
This change of team dynamic could make a massive difference in Tuesday's game against the Grizzlies, and in a potential first-round matchup. In the 2023 Western Conference Semi-Finals, the Lakers had double the free-throw attempts with 160 compared to Golden State's 80. The Warriors lost that series in six games, and their inability to match the Lakers' aggressiveness and foul-drawing abilities was a large reason for this defeat.
Now with a must-win game looming against the Grizzlies and a potential matchup with the Houston Rockets beyond that, Golden State's ability to draw fouls and shoot effectively from the free-throw line is not only no longer a flaw, but actually a strength that they could use to their advantage.
While Butler has changed the narrative surrounding Golden State in many ways this season, this could end up being the difference for the Warriors as they look to reach the playoffs and make a deep run.