Nuggets coach Melvin Hunt praises DeAndre Jordan for two clutch free throws

DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com

 

DeAndre Jordan has been victim to the hack-a-DJ ploy many coaches use on him because he is such a poor free-throw shooter. Foul Jordan on purpose, and chances are he won’t make more than one of two free throws – often times, he misses both ends.

Jordan, who is making just 39.7 percent of his free throws this season, was 4 of 10 (40 percent) from the line in Monday’s 110-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets. But he made both ends of an opportunity with 2:49 left in the game for a 98-97 Clippers lead. It was the only time Nuggets coach Melvin Hunt utilized hack-a-DJ, and it backfired.

“I tip my hat off to DeAndre,” Hunt said. “He’s such a good competitor. He went out there and made his free throws. That could have been a turning point in the game if he misses those. We were trying everything that we could do. We just came up a little short.”

Jordan finished with 20 points, 21 rebounds and four blocked shots.