What is not shown in this highlight video is Noah “Chokey McChokeman” Vonleh missing two free throws with a minute to go that would have tied this game. That’s because this is a “highlight” video, and those missed free throws are not a highlight except if you’re a Blazers fan. In watching this video, you will see Vonleh drain four straight and it makes him seem like some kind of elite free throw god, but he then missed four straight in the fourth quarter to leave him at 4-of-8 for the game. Just as quickly as “Elite Free Throw God” status was granted, it was revoked.
However, the blame might not all fall on Vonleh. He could have been told by coach Fiz, or teammates, or fans on Twitter, or Adam Silver, to miss those free throws in order to ensure that the tank continues to roll along undisturbed. There are a lot of parties interested in having a real superstar back on the Knicks, and one way to do that is to give them the first pick in the draft. “Not tryin’ for Zion,” as the kids have been saying these days. Vonleh himself doesn’t care one way or the other since he’s a free agent after this season, but if, for example, his teammates were clamoring for a better pick in the draft, he would rather miss those free throws than create tension in the locker room.