2 weeks Ago By Grey Papke, Larry Brown Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker admitted one feature of the Los Angeles Clippers’ new Intuit Dome had quite the effect on him and his teammates. The new $2 billion arena features what the Clippers have called The Wall, a steep 51-row section that is positioned behind the basket visiting teams will shoot at in the second half of games. The tactic seemed to work, as Booker and Kevin Durant both missed free throws during the second half of Wednesday’s 116-113 win.
“I missed the free throw. I was p-ssed,” Booker told reporters after the game. “(Durant) missed two down there, too, so that s--t might work.
You spend $2 billion and put a wall up.” Booker noted that Jusuf Nurkic made four free throws during overtime, so “they didn’t completely do their job.” It was easy to see why the environment could be so distracting for Suns shooters in the second half, as Phoenix did have some misses down the stretch.
"The Wall" at the Intuit Dome is menacing on the free throw line PHX-LAC 4Q on ESPN pic.twitter.com/Hbzt7cME3Q — NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2024 In total, the Suns shot 7-of-10 from the line in the first half, then went a miserable 8-of-14 in the second half when facing The Wall.
Phoenix proceeded to go 10-of-10 in overtime, however, so the players evidently found a way to adjust. The Wall may not be the coolest feature the Clippers have in the new arena, but it might wind up being the most impactful. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.
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