DeAndre Jordan’s improvement from the free-throw line this season has gone from drastic to now downright unconscionable.
Before Saturday’s game against the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle revealed that he would potentially be using Jordan as the team’s techical free throw shooter in certain situations, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Rick Carlisle says DeAndre Jordan, who is shooting a career-best from the foul line, could potentially be used as a technical foul shooter "in certain situations." A career 45 percent FT shooter, Jordan is shooting 80 percent this year.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 24, 2018
Carlisle made good on his word during the game, as Jordan shot a technical foul shot for the team late in the fourth quarter. Though the veteran big man missed the free throw, the Mavericks were up by nine at the time with 12.7 seconds left, so it made little difference.
DeAndre Jordan shoots – and misses – a technical free throw after Marcus Smart is called for one.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 25, 2018
Jordan, a historically awful free throw shooter who entered the year at 45 percent from the line for his career and had never shot better than 53 percent in a season, has suddenly enjoyed dramatic success now that he is in Dallas. He entered play on Saturday shooting 80 percent from the stripe this season, which is actually the highest mark among qualified Mavericks.
Jordan’s free throws were the laughingstock of the NBA not too long ago, so credit to him for plugging up the biggest and most glaring hole in his game to the point that you can almost consider it a strength now.
