The free throw. It’s named “free” for a reason. It’s one of the easiest shots in the game. But have you ever realized that sometimes players miss them on purpose? Why exactly do they do this? In this article we will go over all the possible reasons a player may miss a free throw on purpose.
Here’s The Answer: Why Basketball Players Miss Free Throws Intentionally
Towards the end of the game, when a team is down 3 with limited time left, they may opt to make the first and miss the second on purpose with hopes to get a rebound. This gives them the ability to either hit a 3 to go up and win the game, or get a quick two off the rebound and tie the game.
Here’s a great example of Russel Westbrook and Steven Adams missing on purpose to then hit a 3.
Can A Player Throw It Straight Off The Backboard?
You must be thinking that it sounds pretty simple to do. All you have to do is throw it off the backboard, right? Wrong. That’s exactly what I thought when I played back in highschool. However, in order to do it the right way, you need to be able to hit the rim. If you don’t, it’s a violation. This means the other team will get the ball automatically. Being able to throw it off the rim perfectly is pretty hard to do, but as you see above, it could be done.
Conclusion
So, if you see a player miss on purpose on a free throw at the end of the game, it’s likely they are trying to get the offensive rebound in order to get another shot attempt. If it looks like someone missed a free throw in the middle of the game on purpose, it’s likely they are just a bad free throw shooter.