The Clippers' DeAndre Jordan, mindful of the grim 38.5 free-throw shooting percentage in his rookie season, got his 6-foot-11 self into the gym in the summer.
And stayed in the gym.
"I'm working on my free throws. A lot, a lot," Jordan said. "At the beginning of the summer, I had to make 10 in a row after I worked out to actually leave. The first couple of days it was tough. I would be here, like, an hour.
"I'd get to nine, like, eight times and missed the 10th in a row, like twirling the ball out. I'd be kicking a ball all the way over there. I'd have to stick with it and the time would get shorter and shorter."
He went six of nine from the line on Sunday in the Clippers' opening preseason game at Oakland, a 108-101 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Jordan had his own eye-catching numbers: 22 points and 10 rebounds.
"It was a good progression from the camp that he's had so far," said Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy.
The affable Jordan was getting plenty of feedback from his teammates, part teasing, part praise.
Al Thornton leaned in on Jordan's conversation on Monday after Clippers practice, and reported: "He's playing his [butt] off ...Gotta love it."
Jordan is amused by Griffin's increasing frustration
"It's so funny," Jordan said. "If a kid is sick or he gets in trouble he has detention. He's just sitting around here. He's just watching like his mom told him he can't go outside and play with everyone else."
Lisa Dillman, LA Times
