And Malone lived at the free-throw line. He averaged 8.2 free-throw attempts per game.
Only Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal have attempted more career free throws among NBA players than Malone’s 11,090. “I hated Moses,” said Mychal Thompson, the first pick in the 1978 draft by Portland who also went on to play on multiple Lakers championship teams in the 1980s. But like most of the big men of that generation, there was no preparing to bang for 40 minutes with Malone. “I had sleepless nights when I knew I was playing the Rockets or 76ers,” Thompson said. “I knew I was going to be assigned to him. I knew I was going to be sore the next night. The guy was freaking relentless. You just knew you were in for a long night. I knew I was going to be beaten up and bruised. He didn’t mind the contact. And he was in such great shape. He didn’t play above the rim, but he was in great shape and he had such great anticipation on rebounds. It was like playing against an athletic octopus.
