WALTHAM — Last season the Celtics attempted 10 or more free throws in all 82 regular-season games. But they have fallen below that mark in the last two games. They took nine fouls shots in a win over the Nets on Wednesday and eight in a loss to the Spurs on Friday.
“I think [getting to the foul line is] an important thing, but you have to play to your strengths and we have a lot of guys that have not been high free throw-rate players throughout their careers,’’ coach Brad Stevens said. “So some guys might be able to improve incrementally or a little bit in that, but guys like Isaiah [Thomas] are going to get to the free throw line as long as they are playing. Other guys may not get there as much.’’
This season Thomas leads the team with 145 free throw attempts, and then the dropoff is significant: Rookie forward Jaylen Brown is second on the team with 27 attempts. Thomas has taken 145 of Boston’s 327 total free throws, or 44.3 percent. Last season, he took 544 of 1,929, or 28.2 percent.
The Celtics are averaging 20.4 free throw tries per game, 25th in the NBA.
“You play to your strengths,’’ Stevens said, “and if you’re not getting there as much as a team, then you need to have to balance it out by making sure you don’t turn the ball over, making sure you’re taking the right shots, and win in other areas.’’
Aching to help
Thomas continues to recover from a sprained middle finger on his shooting hand. He ices it after every game and tapes it at practices. He said the pain has subsided but the finger remains swollen.
The All-Star point guard was shooting 47.8 percent from the field before injuring the finger in Boston’s Nov. 12 win over the Pacers. Since then he is shooting 43 percent from the field.
“There’s still a few misses here and there in the games where I’m at the rim and it just doesn’t go in,’’ Thomas said. “So those are the frustrating parts. But for the most part I’m working with what I’ve got. And I’m just, like, after practice today I’m trying to figure out how to shoot these floaters. Get back to when I had touch a few weeks ago.’’
Upper atmosphere
The Celtics are just 16 games into an 82-game season that will almost certainly be even longer because of the playoffs, but Brown is already trying to adjust to the NBA grind.
“With all the traveling and stuff, that’s been the hardest part,’’ the rookie said. “The games are fine. Just, like, the flights and everything, you get jet-lagged. And my body’s not as used to it as I would like it to be. So that’s been the hardest part for me. But you’ll get more comfortable as it goes on I’m pretty sure. And I’m just waiting for that day.’’
Brown played all of 34 games as a freshman at California last season.
On the outside
The Celtics entered this season with visions of joining the NBA’s upper class, but so far they have yet to prove that they belong. They have gone 0-3 against the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Spurs, losing the three games by an average of 9.3 points. Thomas, for one, is tired of searching for moral victories. “[If] we want to be a good team we can’t, when we lose [say], ‘Aw we played well though,’ ’’ he said. “It’s just not good enough. I think we’ve just got to be more disciplined on both ends of the floor. Like I said before, with those good teams you can’t make mistakes, especially key mistakes in the clutch.’’ . . . Celtics rookie Demetrius Jackson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Maine Red Claws’ 100-91 win over Raptors 905 on Saturday afternoon. Celtics draft pick Abdel Nader missed the game because of a shoulder injury and was seen at Boston’s training facility after the team’s practice.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach @globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.
