Price of Free Throws Is High for Clippers

After shooting a career-high 80.2% from the free-throw line last season, Clipper forward Danny Manning has struggled at the line this season, shooting a career low 64.8%

“I don’t know what it is,” Manning said after missing six of nine free throws in the Clippers’ 109-108 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night at the Target Center. “If I knew, I’d be making mine. I have no answers.”

Manning wasn’t the only Clipper who shot poorly at the free-throw line as the Clippers, the fifth-worst foul shooting team in the NBA, lost for the seventh time in their last 10 games.

Guard Ron Harper missed three of seven free throws and forward Loy Vaught missed three of six as the Clippers missed 16 of 30, including five of eight in the final quarter. Manning missed four of six in the final three minutes.

“It’s something that’s really hard to explain,” Vaught said. “It should be the easiest shot in basketball, but if you’ve got some sort of mental block about it, then it becomes the toughest shot.”

It was the sixth time this season that the Clippers have shot under 60% at the free-throw line, and it was also the sixth time that they would have won if they had made all of their free throws.

“We don’t go to the line thinking that we aren’t going to make our free shots,” Harper said.

With the Clippers trailing by 102-100 with 3:09 remaining, Manning had a chance to tie the score, but missed two free throws. With the Clippers behind by 105-104 with 1:29 left, Manning had a chance to give the Clippers the lead, but he missed the second free throw after tying the score, 105-105.

“Missing all those free throws was purely psychological,” Clipper Coach Bob Weiss said. “Danny, Loy and Ron are good free-throw shooters, but tonight they were 10 for 22 between them.

“It’s stepping up to the line not thinking you’re going to make them. Tonight we kept our turnovers down, but we missed 16 free throws, and that’s the game. If you just add on 10 free throws, we win. We were our own worst enemy.

“It’s not a matter of practicing enough. These guys are good shooters. It’s a matter of just getting up there and having the confidence to make them.”

But the Clippers still had a chance to win.

With the Timberwolves ahead by 106-105 after center Mike Brown made a free throw with 1:28 remaining, the Clippers played aggressive defense and appeared as if they might get the ball back by forcing a 24-second violation. But the Clippers drew a technical foul with 19.7 seconds remaining when they were called for their second illegal defense of the game after center Elmore Spencer moved over to double team Christian Laettner, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Thurl Bailey, who had 20 points, missed the foul shot, but the Timberwolves got the ball back and the Clippers, forced to foul to get the ball back, fouled Bailey, who made one of two free throws for a 107-105 lead with 18.6 seconds left.

Harper had a chance to give the Clippers the lead, but he missed a 10-footer. Harper got the rebound, but Laettner stripped him of the ball as he was shooting and then made two free throws to give Minnesota a 109-105 lead with 3.4 seconds left.

“I had a good look twice,” Harper said. “I shot the one and I knew it was going in and came out and then (Laettner) made a very good play.”

But the Timberwolves gave the Clippers one last chance when Manning was fouled by Michael Williams on the inbound play with nine-tenths of a second remaining. After Manning made the first free throw, Vaught dunked Manning’s missed free throw to make the score 109-108.

Vaught stole Laettner’s inbound pass, but missed a shot from midcourt.

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Clipper Notes

Clipper forward Mark Aguirre scored a season-high 22 points, 16 in the first half, in 25 minutes off the bench. . . . Rookie guard Isaiah Rider, the fifth player taken in the June draft, led the Timberwolves with 27 points, 16 in the first half. . . . The Timberwolves put guard Doug West on the injury list because of a rib injury and activated forward Marlon Maxey, who had been sidelined six games because of a hand injury.