Celtics Jaylen Brown's recent shooting percentages showing balance
Jaylen Brown's free throw shooting has been a concern all season. His percentages from the line have hovered in the mid-50's for most of the season, but they have soared in the last four games. Conversely, his field goal and three-point percentages have been very good early on, but have dropped somewhat in the last four games.
In encouraging Celtics shooting news:
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 28, 2018
Jaylen Brown made 56.4 percent of his foul shots over the season's first 46 games and has made 85.7 percent of them over the last four.
I see this as an overall good sign. In November, Jaylen was averaging two free throws per game and hitting 56.6% of them. In the last four games, he is averaging three freebies a game and making 85.7%. This is no guarantee that the free throw shooting woes have been eliminated, but it gives hope for future games.
Brown's field goal percentage was 47.1% in November and has dropped to a still-respectable 45.2% for the last four games. He hit 43.3% of his threes in November and 33.3% for the past four games, still a decent percentage. His November FT% ranked 325th out of 451 players, but his last-four-game percentage ranks 102nd. Quite a boost.
I like the combined shooting percentages I see for the recent past and hope they are sustainable. In the NBA players are expected to make the bulk of their free throws. Poor percentages are tolerable only in the elite superstars sch as Shaquille O'Neal. The recent percentages of 45.2% FG, 33.3% threes and 85.7% FT would be just fine for Jaylen for the rest of the 2017-18 season.
Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC
Photo via Jessica Brown/AP Photo
