On Sunday, the Detroit Pistons traveled to Minnesota for a match-up against the Timberwolves inside the Target Center. With 6.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and his team trailing by two points, Timberwolves swingman Jimmy Butler stepped to the free-throw line for a chance at tying the score. Butler knocked down the first free-throw. However, sensing the magnitude of the moment, Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson decided to delay Butler’s following attempt at the charity stripe, much to his dismay.
Butler, a three-time All-Star who is usually fairly solid from the stripe (87.9 percent so far this season), missed his second attempt. The Pistons, who trailed by 11 points at one time, went on to win the game, 100-97.
https://youtu.be/i2kI9ZX_Shs
Cavs superstar LeBron James knows a thing or two about heckling opposing players at the free-throw line. After Monday morning’s shoot-around in the Motor City, James was asked about Jackson’s antics at the stripe during Sunday’s game. As most hoops fans will remember, James hassled (then) Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas at the free-throw line during the 2007 Eastern Conference Playoffs — a fact he commented on during media availability.
“I’ve done it before,” James told Joe Vardon of cleveland.com. “I won a playoff series before doing that actually. So, I’m all for it.”
The Cavs, now riding a four-game winning streak, and Pistons, leaders of the Central Division with an 11-5 record, will clash at 7:00 p.m. EST on Monday night inside the newly-dubbed Little Caesars Arena. Fox Sports Ohio and Fox Sports Detroit will have live broadcast coverage. Let’s see if the Cavs can keep their momentum rolling.