Despite coming within one assist of a triple-double during the Sixers' Game 4 loss to the Hawks, Ben Simmons free throw woes drew criticism yet again.
Simmons 1-5 performance at the foul line dipped his playoff free throw percentage to a measly 34%, putting him on track for the 2nd worst FT% in playoff history behind Ben Wallace (minimum 50 attempts). DeAndre Jordan, Shaq, and Wilt Chamberlain all posted free throw percentages under 40% in the playoffs, but none under 37%.
Simmons was not the only Sixer making history on Monday: Joel Embiid's 0-12 performance from the field in the 2nd half were the most missed attempts in a half in the last 25 postseasons. Embiid is in better company than Simmons, having surpassed Michael Jordan's 0-11 1st half of Game 4 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals.
While Simmons has shared the bulk of the free throw blame, the Sixers overall have not shot the ball well from the foul line. They have been the worst free-throw shooting team in the playoffs, shooting under 70% in nine games, and it's been costly. In the Hawks series alone, the Sixers have a 66.7% FT% (78 for 117) and have missed 17 free throws in their two losses (which they lost by 7 points total). While both losses weren't decided by missed free throws, it's still indicative of the missed opportunities the Sixers have squabbled to separate themselves from the Hawks.
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