Wizards and Hawks combine to make free throw history

In their matchup last night, the Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks made free throw shooting history.

The Hawks shot 29-29 from the free throw line; the Wizards 16-16. According to the box score database at Stathead.com, opposing teams have combined for free throw perfection just five times in league history — all since the year 2000.

With a combined 45 free throws, the Hawks and Wizards stand atop the (small) heap with the highest total of attempts (and makes). Next closest: the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons, who combined for 41 free throws without a miss on January 12, 2012.

The Hawks doubled up on history last night by becoming the first team to make this list twice. They collaborated with the Toronto Raptors to do it first, but the teams combined for just 16 free throws total in a 78-72 slug fest.

Here’s the complete list of combined free throw perfection, according to Stathead:

1. Nov. 1, 2021 — Hawks def Wizards, 118-111 — 45 combined free throws
2. Jan. 12, 2012 — Milwaukee Bucks def Detroit Pistons, 102-93 — 41 combined FTs
3. Oct. 25, 2016 — Portland Trail Blazers def Utah Jazz, 113-104 — 38 combined FTs
4. Jan. 30, 2018 — San Antonio Spurs def Denver Nuggets, 106-104 — 19 combined FTs
5. Dec. 22, 2000 — Hawks def Raptors, 78-72 — 16 combined FTs