One Of These Is Not Like The Others

Here are some team free throw statistics from Game Seven-

Celtics' free throws, Quarter Four: 6

Celtics' free throws, First Three Quarters: 11

Lakers' free throws, First Three Quarters: 16

Lakers' free throws, Quarter Four: 21

Do you remember Games One and Two? Those were the ones everyone hated because the refs called a zillion fouls and dragged the games out with an endless amount of free throws. Here are the number of free throws the Lakers shot during each of those eight quarters, listed from least to most: 4, 4, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15. Those games had nothing on the Lakers' final period of Game Seven.

Comments

[Gavriel]

It's unfortunate the last quarter the refs completely changed their foul standards. They were letting the players play for 3 out of the 4 quarters...

Planning on writing an article on the MVP award?

[Danielle]

The celtics were tired and were committing obvious fouls and the Lakers were driving to the basket it wasn't the refs fault that the Lakers got to shoot more free throws. They just took over the game in the 4th quarter and the Celtics ran out of gas, in 2008 Leon Powe got more free throws by HIMSELF than the entire Laker team in a pivotal game. Drive to the basket and you will get the foul calls that shouldn't change because it's game 7. It's still basketball

[Zachariah Blott]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. The difference between this and Game Two of the 2008 Finals (the Leon Powe game) is that this is the 4th quarter of Game Seven, and it didn't fit in with any other quarter from the entire game or series - it stood out as very odd both in watching and statistically. In 2008, the Celtics shot more free throws in only 2 of the 6 contests, the first two. The Lakers even shot more freebies in Game Six (the Celtics' blowout 131-92 clincher).