3 trends the Detroit Pistons can build on in 2018
1. Stay strong from the foul line
Detroit’s free throw percentage is up 3.4 ( 75.3) percent over last year’s free throw shooting percentage of 71.9. Much of the credit for the team’s improvement from the charity stripe can be credited to Andre Drummond.
Some of you said you wanted #Pistons Andre Drummond to improve his FT; some said his effort/intensity. Others said defense.
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) November 28, 2017
This is what it looks like when he improves all of them.
Drummond is shooting 63 percent from the free throw line this season. The last five years he’s averaged 37, 42, 39, 36 and 37 percent from the line.
NBA Teams learned quickly they needed to devise a new approach to Drummond. The “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy that puts Drummond on the line late in close games is no longer a viable option.
Part of the Detroit Pistons’ success this season lies in Drummond’s improved free throw game. In the past, Stan Van Gundy had to send his big man to the bench during close games.
The ability to keep a big presence on the floor who can also hit free throws opens up opportunities for the team. If teams in the league opt to put Drummond on the line, the strategy might burn them while sealing a victory for Detroit.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: End of 2017 edition
Drummond’s confidence and looser play from the opens up both defensive and offensive options for the Pistons that they didn’t have with the former All-Star shooting poorly from the line. Now that Drummond isn’t dreading hearing the refs’ whistle, he’s free to become a nuisance to NBA teams late in close games when Detroit needs him the most.