The Thunder were almost out of hope in Game 4, trailing by as much as 10 points. Then, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander intervened, scoring 15 of the Thunder’s last 16 points in the game. SGA was quiet the entire night, and then he became the MVP every Thunder fan knows. He willed Oklahoma City to a Game 4 victory and once again gave them a chance of winning the championship. Even in the victory, some fans say the game “was rigged,” and the Thunder only won because of free throws. Is this true, or are fans embellishing the number of foul calls the Thunder gets?
The Secret Behind The Thunder’s Free Throw Numbers
The Thunder had 38 free-throw attempts in Game 4, whereas the Pacers had 33. This is not a large differential, but it is enough for fans to wonder if there is some favoritism for SGA and the Thunder. Why did Oklahoma City shoot so many charity stripe shots, though? The simple answer is that they lived inside the three-point line.
The Thunder only shot 16 three-pointers compared to the Pacers’ 36. This is a large differential, and it is much harder to draw shooting fouls while shooting threes. Thanks to Shai and the Thunder’s mid-range attack and driving game, they were able to get more shooting fouls called on Indiana. Notably, the Thunder had 50 points in the paint while the Pacers had 36.
If you take away three-pointers in Game 4, the Thunder took 62 shots, and the Pacers would have taken 44 shots. Do some quick math and divide the number of two-pointers by free throws, and the Thunder would draw a shooting foul for every 1.6 shots attempted. Now, if you do the same with the Pacers, they would get a free throw attempt for every 1.3 shots attempted. So, the Pacers were rewarded more for shots inside the three-point line.
Does Shai Get a “Special” Whistle
Another topic, like it is after every time the Thunder beat someone’s favorite team, is that Shai can only score because of free throws. This narrative has been debunked repeatedly, yet no one wants to listen. It was brought up again in Game 4 because of the free-throw differential between Shai and Tyrese Haliburton. Shai took 36 free throws in the Finals, while Haliburton took his first free throws of the series in Game 4. They have different styles of play, though, and it shows in their shot selection.
Haliburton has shot the ball 59 times, and of those shots, 30 are three-pointers. Over half of his shots come from beyond the arc. Now, going to SGA, he has taken 95 shots, but only 17 are three-pointers. Only 17 percent of his shots come from beyond the arc. Shai’s 86 drives in the Finals are over 20 more than anyone else, while Haliburton has just 39 drives. These numbers prove that Shai has earned every one of his three-pointers and is not just flopping at the three-point line like some social media accounts claim.
Is There Favoritism for the Thunder?
The Thunder have shot 125 free throws, and the Pacers have shot 102 free throws. Yes, there is a decent gap, but the Pacers have been shooting more threes and have shot the ball less. Fans are also focusing on the wrong player for free-throw numbers. Bennedict Mathurin had eight free throws in just 14 minutes during Game 4. It is time to stop believing this false narrative about Shai and the Thunder, to be quiet, and watch the games.
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