Less distractions, better free-throw shooting -- right? One would think a correlation exists but stats coming out of the NBA’s bubble say differently.
Players are shooting 75.1% from the charity stripe down in Orlando -- down from the 77.1% they were shooting in front of hecklers during the 2019-20 regular season.
So, what impact do fans have on shooters attempting free throws? Comparing performance on the road versus at home would indicate not much, as NBA players shot both 77.1% from the line on the road and at home before the season stopped earlier this year.
New sight lines and rust are both factors that could be hindering player performance as the league starts up again this week but one thing remains clear heading into Thursday’s tip-off: A fan-less atmosphere hasn’t benefited free-throw shooting.