The Indiana Pacers hope Victor Oladipo and Tom Crean’s advice pays off, but April has always been a tough month for the former Indiana University star.
For all the times that the relationship between players and coaches get over-romanticized, there was something special about seeing Victor Oladipo work with Tom Crean after the Indiana Pacers win over the Charlotte Hornets.
They may have been in North Carolina, but the reunion of the former Indiana University coach and player adds to all the little reasons why this season is special for Indiana Pacers fans.
While it was a moment that made Hoosiers swell with pride, the fact is Oladipo needs some help shooting free throws this month. After knocking down 79.9 percent of his attempts this season from the foul line, he has bottomed out in April at 56.3 percent.
Oladipo drops 27 PTS on 12 for 15 shooting. But he went 0-2 from the line.
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) April 8, 2018
So, of course, he is talking shop with Tom Crean AFTER the game. Incredible. Courtesy: Fox Sports Indiana pic.twitter.com/45zAsA4823
Five games is a small sample size, but it follows a career pattern of his worst free throw shooting month coming in April. He drops to 71 percent in April, down nine percent from his career 80 percent average.
Is Oladipo just getting tired as the season wears on? That’s possible. It’s hard to point to the situations in his career as being a factor.
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The Orlando Magic teams he played with didn’t have much to play for late in the season, but even on last season’s playoff-bound Oklahoma City Thunder, Oladipo’s free throw numbers took a huge dip. For what it is worth, he was six of six from the line in the playoffs last season.
Since joining the Pacers, Oladipo has gotten to the free throw line more often than any season in his career. Part of that comes from his more aggressive approach (thanks Russell Westbrook) that sends him to the line more often, but none of that clears up why April is his worst month as a free throw shooter.
Strangely, if you look at almost any splits beyond these games in April, Oladipo’s free throw shooting is closer to 70 percent. That’s below his season average, but not nearly as concerning as the coin-flip that his trips to the line have been this month.
What’s more interesting than a possible statistical anomaly is the fact outside of his free throws, this is arguably been one of the best stretches offensively for Oladipo this year. If his 64.3 true shooting percentage holds through tonight’s game, it would be his best month offensively with the Pacers, efficiency-wise at least.
Oladipo’s December saw him post 28.5 points per game compared to his 21.6 figure this April, but he is shooting 6.3 percent better from the field and 9.4 percent better from deep this month when compared to his scoring onslaught in December.
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His free throw shooting in April could be the product of tired legs, apathy (more in previous seasons than this one), or any number of factors, but it is worth keeping an eye on as the Pacers get ready for the playoffs.