Luka is not helping his team by jacking up 3's

[bdonovan]

Against the Pelicans, Luka hoisted up 13 3's. And made only 2. The game was decided by two points. (https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401468208)

Some people (apparently Luka included) mistakenly think Luka is a good 3 point shooter. Luka's career average for 3pters, is 33.6% (https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3945274/luka-doncic). The league average this year is 35.2% (https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/nba-league-average-3-point-percentage).

Part of an instinct to win is to do what it takes and refrain from doing things that will put the team at a disadvantage.

Notedly, this means not: playing hero-ball, over-dominating the ball, volume shooting your team into oblivion, pretending you are good at one aspect of basketball when you're not (ie: Westbrook mid-range shooting).

Doncic may have the 3 pt shot to keep defenses honest and not back off him. I didn't watch the game but my guess is they may have laid off him at the 3 pt line, challenging him to shoot. Doncic may think he needs to shoot the 3 to free up his drive game. But look what happens when you over-prioritize your own scoring over the team's.

Most of the superstars in this game never won anything. Only a small handful know how to put the team above their own performance, and they're the one with rings. He's going to have to balance his focus on his own game versus the overall team outcome.

[tontoz]

Yeah that's been his biggest flaw, spamming 3s.

[Real Men Wear Green]

There are better things in his arsenal clearly but part of why he shoots at that percentage is that he takes some difficult ones. He doesn't get set up much by others, most of his offense comes off the bounce. I don't have the exact figures but he definitely does more threes of of a crossover, step back, etc. Than the normal player and even when your move creates space these threes are harder because you have to have your balance and feet positioning.

Besides he is still defended as if he was a good shooter from distance so even though he may miss the individual shot it's part of his overall game which is highly effective.

Slightly off-topic I have been thinking about who in NBA history would be the best guy to check Doncic one on one. I'm thinking it's 25 year old KG but maybe Raptor TMac.

[Patrick Chewing]

Luka's flaws that he needs to correct in order to achieve GOAT-like status.


1. Stop chucking 3's
2. Get in shape. Lose the flab.
3. Stop smiling all the goddamn time
4. Stop complaining to the refs all the the goddamn time
5. Get angry. Start dunking on and then flexing on these fools

[tontoz]

Slightly off-topic I have been thinking about who in NBA history would be the best guy to check Doncic one on one. I'm thinking it's 25 year old KG but maybe Raptor TMac.


I'd go with Rodman. He gave Bird a hard time. Luka couldn't bully Rodman.

[Real Men Wear Green]

I'd go with Rodman. He gave Bird a hard time. Luka couldn't bully Rodman.

A good pick I didn't consider. I do like the combo of quickness and length Garnett presented though.

[Kblaze8855]

Does anyone in history have a wider gap between what it feeeeels like happens vs the facts?

You watch Luka miss threes all day but he makes so many wild ones you feel like he’s a good shooter.

Hes one of the best weapons against eye test I can remember. I expect all his threes to fall because of the few times he made most of them taint the truth. He’s not that good apparently.

[Kblaze8855]

That said he probably is helping his team by jacking up threes. Modern coaches value the spacing more than the outcome of individual shots. If teams honor the potential shot you’ve done most of your job as a shooter. Making the shot is gravy. That’s why teams encourage even mediocre shooters to keep shooting.

[3ba11]

.
The Bulls didn't need much shooting help because their highest volume shooter provided it:



Bulls 1993 Playoffs

https://i.makeagif.com/media/10-25-2022/QZLM2Y.gif


Bulls 1992 Playoffs

https://i.makeagif.com/media/10-25-2022/_BzLmP.gif


Bulls 1991 Playoffs

https://i.makeagif.com/media/10-25-2022/lfq7Xf.gif



So Luka is trying to provide his team with shooting help but he's doing it the wrong way by dominating the ball instead of being an assist target/bailout guy for teammates

[HoopsNY]

A good pick I didn't consider. I do like the combo of quickness and length Garnett presented though.

Bruce Bowen

[Real Men Wear Green]

Bruce Bowen

Bowen would be dependent on officiating. He was a guy that got away with a lot of stuff that you can't do in the current NBA. If the game is refereed the way that it was in his heyday he has a shot and it's impossible to guess how that kind of defense effects Doncic. But modern rules he fouls out in 3 minutes.

[tontoz]

That said he probably is helping his team by jacking up threes. Modern coaches value the spacing more than the outcome of individual shots. If teams honor the potential shot you’ve done most of your job as a shooter. Making the shot is gravy. That’s why teams encourage even mediocre shooters to keep shooting.


The problem is that a lot of his 3s are early in the clock when nobody else has touched the ball. Those aren't good shots. He can get those shots at any time so why not work the ball around to try and get a better shot?

[ArbitraryWater]

He does that a lot early in the season.

Doesn't really matter.