Wolves' struggle at the free throw line proving costly

BOSTON – The Timberwolves went back to work Thursday in Boston after they took off Wednesday for a team-building Washington, D.C., field trip to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. They particularly went back to work on their free throws after missing 15 during Tuesday's 109-95 loss to the Wizards.

"We did do extra free throws," Wolves forward Thaddeus Young said, "especially me."

Young estimated he shot 50 or 60 extra free throws before and after Thursday's practice after he made only five of 12 against the Wizards and the Wolves went 20-for-35 from the line.

They also modified Thursday's scrimmage, opting to shoot free throws when a player was fouled rather than continuing to play.

"We've worked on some free throws," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said after his team prepared for Friday's game against the Celtics, who traded away star guard Rajon Rondo on Thursday. "The main thing is to get the right guys to shoot 'em."

It would certainly help if the Wolves' most prolific and accurate free-throw shooter — shooting guard Kevin Martin and his career 86.9 percentage — wasn't sidelined for probably at least the next month because of wrist surgery. The presence of point guard Ricky Rubio (sprained left ankle) would help, too.

"When they come back, it'll be better for us," second-year forward Shabazz Muhammad said. "We can actually see two in a row go in the hole."

"The biggest surprise is Thad not making free throws," Saunders said. "He couldn't make a free throw, but he made every 18-foot shot, starting in the second quarter."

Muhammad remarked after Tuesday's loss about the Wizards' loud and loyal fans, complimenting them because they remained vociferous late into a game when their team led by 20 points in the fourth quarter.

"The crowd was really into the game," he said that night.

That might have been because the Wizards offer a scoreboard promotion that advertises a free chicken sandwich when an opposing player goes to the free-throw line. If he misses both shots, ticket holders win free grub.

Those fans were filled with hope in Tuesday's second half, when the Wolves went 4-for-14 in the first half — including 3-for-10 in the second quarter — and trailed by exactly 10 points at halftime.

Saunders acknowledged how repeated missed free throws change a game's pace and momentum.

"It keeps you connected," Saunders said. "When we got to within three, if you make some free throws, you put pressure on them. We never really put pressure on them. You make some free throws and maybe you can get up over the top and put a little pressure on them."

Saunders theorizes the team's many injuries have demanded so much of the players who remain relatively healthy. When there's a break in the action and they go to the free-throw line, maybe they rest and relax too much, he suggests.

"It might be a little of that, especially with a player like [Muhammad]," he said. "With him, sometimes it's that he plays so hard, he has a tendency to catch his breath when he gets to the free-throw line. When he does that, he loses his concentration."

Muhammad is shooting 67.4 percent from the free-throw line this season, up a couple percentage points from last season. Never a particularly good free-throw shooter, Muhammad calls it "focus," or lack thereof.