Just about everyone from Bill Simmons to the 12-year-old inhaling a slice at Halftime Pizza had hoped that Jayson Tatum would start earning more trips to the stripe. Myself included. It seems like Tatum may finally be satiating this collective desire.
A look at the top free-throw attempts (FTA) per game leaders will explain why. Ranking at the top of that list are two MVPs (Harden and Giannis) and a handful of potential MVPs (Luka, Davis, and Embiid.) Getting to the line boosts efficiency, allows superstars to dictate the pace of the game, and ensures meaningful nights during shooting slumps.