In crunch time, which is harder to do: Roll a strike or shoot a free throw?
Chris vs. Chris
Comparing the New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul’s free throw shooting to Denny’s PBA Tour star Chris Barnes’ strike attempts in the 2006-07 season
Chris Paul
292 of 357, 81.8 percent
Ranked 49th in free throw percentage
Chris Barnes
1,030 of 1,563, 65.9 percent*
Ranked 4th in strike percentage
*Match play only
One shot … with the game on the line. The tension has built to a crescendo. This is the final moment – the one everyone will remember.
Make it and you’re adored and lauded by fans and teammates for your heroic, game-winning performance. Miss it and you’re left wondering “What if?” as that final shot replays in your mind for weeks, months and maybe years to come.
For a basketball player, it’s the culmination of 40-plus minutes of action – lay-ups, dunks, turn-around jumpers, 3-pointers – coming down to a single set shot worth one point.
For a bowler, it may be the capper on a league championship at the local bowling center, the clincher to vault a player over the cut line after a eight-game block or seal the first career Denny’s PBA Tour title.
From high school gymnasiums and eight-lane centers to Madison Square Garden and the National Bowling Stadium, basketball and bowling each have their shares of critical situations that breed clutch performers.
Debate It!
Here are some factors that can affect free throw and strike attempts when the game is on the line:
Energy Level
Basketball
For someone who has played almost the entire game, his or her energy level is drained and might not have the same bounce in the knees in taking the shot. This could result in the player overcompensating in the arms and throw off the mechanics of the release. Obviously for a fresher player off the bench, energy level isn’t much of a factor. Legs are likely to be more tired than arms in basketball by the end of a game. |
Bowling
This can depend on the format. After practice, qualifying and preliminary matches rolling a 16-pound ball hundreds of times each day, exhaustion may start setting in for a Denny’s PBA Tour player who needs a strike on the final ball of Game 7 to clinch a spot on Sunday’s TV show. Now on said TV show, where a player likely only bowls two games at most in the bracket format, energy levels are likely still high; however, the hot TV lights may have caused a few beads of sweat to form. Arms are likely to be more tired than legs in bowling by the end of a game, match or block. |
Noise/Distractions
Basketball
A player playing in front of his home crowd will likely receive the courtesy of silence from the fans. On the road is a different story, where a player needs to block out the loud noise and deal with fans waving anything from arms to thunder-stix behind the basket. |
Bowling
For the most part, bowling doesn’t have to deal with distracting crowds or sudden movements in the line-of-sight at critical times (some Denny’s PBA Tour players might disagree). But how much silence is too much silence? Does the absence of crowd noise allow more room for extra thoughts to creep into your head? |
Game Elements
Basketball
The ball is the same size as it was at the beginning of the game, maybe some slight deflation from use (although it may not be the same ball the game started with). The basket remains at the same height. The free throw line still is 15 feet away from the backboard and the player likely stands in the same spot at the foul line as always. The only thing a basketball might have to contend with is any moisture from sweat on the ball or on the hands. |
Bowling
Bowlers have to deal with a bevy of elements. When it’s time to throw the last shot, the lanes have transitioned (even more if it’s under the hot lights of TV) and likely has forced a bowler to make one or many moves. Fingers have swelled and a piece or two of bowler’s tape likely has been removed from the thumb hole. Despite efforts to clean it with a towel, some lane oil residue remains on the ball. Bowlers also have to check the pin deck to make sure they got a good rack or opt for a re-rack. |
Discuss
Now it’s your turn to debate.
What other factors come into play? Does having support from teammates make it slightly easier for a basketball player? How does team bowling and individual bowling compare when it comes to a critical shot?
One shot with the game on the line …
Which is harder to do: Sink a free throw or deliver a strike? Debate it!
Fun facts about free throws and strikes
Statistics from the 2006-07 season in the National Basketball Association and Denny’s PBA Tour
NBA |
Denny’s PBA Tour
(Match play only) |
48,015 free throws made
63,834 free throws attempted
75.2 percent made |
27,150 strikes made
44,370 strike attempts
61.2 percent made |
Best
Kyle Korver, Philadelphia 76ers
191 of 209, 91.4 percent made |
Best
Parker Bohn III
633 of 928, 68.2 percent made |
Worst
Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls
109 of 267, 40.8 percent made |
Worst
Joe Ciccone
267 of 504, 53 percent made |
*100 attempts minimum |
*6 match play appearances minimum |
