Poor free throw shooting might be the Heat’s downfall in the Finals.
The team shot 70.0% during the regular season, while their opponents shot 73.9% – a manageable difference. So far in the playoffs, the Heat have shot 66.5% from the charity stripe, compared to their opponents’ 73.6%. Not a good sign, but Miami’s solid team play was good enough to get the team to the Finals.
In Game 1, the Heat shot 7-19 (36.8%) from the free throw line, with Dwayne Wade making 6-10, while Shaquille O’Neal went just 1-9. Meanwhile, the Mavs shot 20-26 (76.9%), and have shot 81.4% from the line in these playoffs. The Heat won’t win the series if this disparity continues.
