Trailing by two with 1.1 seconds remaining in Game 7, the Oklahoma City Thunder earned a technical free throw after a peculiar turn of events on an inbounds attempt.
For those who expected point guard Chris Paul to go to the line, there may have been surprise when power forward Danilo Gallinari stepped up.
Gallinari had just four points Wednesday night. Paul was statistically the most clutch player in the league this season and the leader of the team, one who made the to go-ahead two free throws in Game 6.
But Gallinari stepped to the line. He missed. Oklahoma City’s ensuing inbounds play was hindered as the Houston Rockets forced a turnover, sending the Thunder home with a 104-102 series-ending loss.
The reason Gallinari took the free throw is actually a simple one:
“You watch any of the games that we play, Gallo always shoots the techs. It happened again, we do the same thing,” Paul said. “We have the utmost confidence in Gallo, so if we had it all over again, he’s shooting again.”
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Oklahoma City did not want to alter its usual game plan that had generally succeeded throughout the year.
Gallinari this regular season was three made free throws shy of eclipsing 90% for the fourth year in a row. He has the third-best free throw percentage in the league over the last four seasons, trailing just Steph Curry and Damian Lillard.
He had made a technical free throw in both Games 5 and 6, and iced Game 6 with a pair of free throw to increase the Thunder lead to 104-100.
The plan for the following play may have presented even more of a need for Gallinari to shoot it.
Oklahoma City likely thought it would be good for Gallinari to see the ball go through the net before what would have been the biggest shot of the season. The inbounds play was drawn up for Gallinari. He was just 2-for-6 on the night; seeing and feeling the ball go in could have given him a psychological boost going into a play that was expected to end in a shot from him.
With that all said, there is reason to argue that Paul should have gotten the shot. Like Gallinari, Paul is an 87% career free throw shooter, and Paul made more than 90% this season. He lead the NBA in crunch time points this year, and as the leader, he is expected to step up in the big moments.
If you think Paul should have taken the shot, that’s reasonable.
Ultimately, the Thunder stuck with what they had done all year long and put Gallinari at the line when they had the option.
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