One of the strangest things happening during this Warriors’ playoff run is what is going on with Steph Curry from the free-throw line.
Curry, statistically the greatest free-throw shooter of all time at 90.8 percent, has struggled from the charity stripe so far this postseason.
In the Warriors’ 12 games so far, Curry is shooting a shocking 79.5 percent from the line, including missing his first two free throws and going just 4-of-7 during Wednesday’s 112-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
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So Steph, what is going on?
“I shook this one off,” Curry told reporters after the win. “You always just talk to yourself no matter if you're missing shots or free throws or whatever it is, you just talk positive to yourself about what's coming next.
“I think I blamed it on the four-day break tonight in my head and then just tried to shake it off. Whatever you can to motivate you yourself. I don't ever lose confidence. It's just that self-talk that helps.”
Four-day break or not, Curry missing multiple free throws in a game remains a strange sight, yet it has happened more than once throughout this playoff run.
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Draymond Green even told Curry to “get your head out of it” after the two-time NBA MVP missed his first two free throws Wednesday night.
Curry missed the last 12 games of the regular season due to a foot injury, and perhaps the extended layoff impacted part of his routine from the line heading into the postseason. Curry shot 92.3 percent from the line across 64 regular-season games, so the 12-game playoff sample size remains small.
It still seems more of an anomaly than cause for concern for Curry and the Warriors, but it certainly has become something to monitor as the rest of the playoffs unfold.
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