These 5 NBA teams should shoot more 3s. Plus, your Lynx-Liberty WNBA Finals preview

By / / Sports / 7 minutes of reading


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This has nothing to do with basketball, but someone discovered Jon Gruden’s TikTok account this week. The rule around here is, if I have to suffer through/be haunted by something, you should too. Watch this before watching this, and tell me you can sleep just fine.

Here Come Some 3s

These teams need to shoot more from deep

Back on opening night of the 2015-16 season, I was in Miami to watch the Hornets and Heat tip off their season. The Hornets had a successful preseason, going 7-1 in the exhibition games leading up to the real action. Normally, you just dismiss preseason results because … well, it’s preseason. You’re just hoping nobody gets hurt and everybody is ready to go on opening night. Something was different with these Hornets, though, and it wasn’t just ridding themselves of all things Bobcats over the previous year.

Those Hornets were shooting a ton of 3-pointers. This was noteworthy because Steve Clifford was their coach and had an old-school, defensive-minded approach. In his first two seasons coaching Charlotte, the Hornets ranked 27th and 24th, respectively, in 3-point volume. Their approach in the 2015 preseason was much different. I asked Clifford why they were suddenly chucking up high volumes of 3-pointers. He very succinctly noted the best offenses in the league had moved to putting up a lot of 3-point shots, so the math problem needed solving.

In 2015-16, the Hornets had the fourth-highest 3-point volume and improved their offensive rating from 28th to ninth. Their leading scorers were Kemba Walker (20.9) and Nicolas Batum (14.9). Charlotte’s third-leading scorer was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12.7), but he played in only seven games that season. The 3s were the reason for the Hornets’ jump.

Why am I reminiscing on a random sixth-seeded Hornets roster? I was reminded of its strategy after reading Will Guillory’s piece on the current New Orleans Pelicans looking to greatly increase their 3-point volume. Despite the Pelicans having impressive offensive talent, they ranked only 11th last season while taking the 22nd-highest 3-point volume. Coach Willie Green wants them to average 40 attempts per game, as opposed to the 32.6 they put up last season. Considering they had the fourth-highest 3-point accuracy, an increase in volume sounds like a good idea … if Green can stomach it.

“I’m growing offensively (to accept) that those are good shots for us.”

Last season, averaging 40 3-point attempts would be good for second in the NBA. And with the Pelicans’ shooters and offensive talent, that would elevate them from a good offense to an elite one. Of course, they aren’t alone in needing to put up more 3-pointers. These other teams would greatly benefit from increasing their 3-point volume with quality looks:

Los Angeles Lakers | 28th in 3-point rate, 15th in offense: The Lakers were eighth in 3-point percentage last season, and yet they hardly took those shots. The JJ Redick era promises to involve a lot more 3-pointers. I don’t know if LeBron James shoots 41 percent again, but coming close should help the Lakers’ offense get much more efficient.

Philadelphia 76ers | 23rd in 3-point rate, 14th in offense: It’s pretty surprising a Daryl Morey team didn’t shoot a lot of 3-pointers. With a revamped roster using Paul George as a main cog, you can expect that number to go way up. Most of their rotation guys should shoot well.

Denver Nuggets | 30th in 3-point rate, 5th in offense: Criticizing the fifth-best offense seems odd, right? Hear me out. With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope gone and the Nuggets trying to piece together a rotation with young guys, I actually think it behooves them to shoot more 3-pointers. Their margin for error has decreased, but they can tip the scales back toward being unstoppable.

Detroit Pistons | 27th in 3-point rate, 27th in offense: I truly believe Monty Williams was actively trying to destroy this situation last season. Now, J.B. Bickerstaff is on the sidelines after having the Cavaliers rank seventh in 3-point volume last season. I don’t know if Detroit has the shooters, but it needs all the mathematical help it can get.

Orlando Magic | 25th in 3-point rate, 22nd in offense: This is entirely contingent on Franz Wagner shooting well again, Jalen Suggs (career-high 39.7 percent from deep last season) maintaining his improved efficiency, and KCP raising the team’s potential on the perimeter. After ranking 24th in 3-point percentage last season, the Magic should only shoot more if they’re making them.

Preseason Geekout

KAT, Wemby highlight early basketball returns

Preseason results and statlines? Those don’t matter! Unless, of course, we’re using them to strengthen an argument they’ll have to pry away from our cold, dead hands. The moments in preseason, though? That’s what we need as the 2024-25 season’s tip-off on Oct. 22 nears. Two big men are providing the “wows” and “yowzers” being thrown around. Let’s start with our favorite, Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs.

Last night, he made his 2024 preseason debut and immediately had two extremely fun highlights. The best of those was this attack off a hard closeout by the Magic. Wemby gave the ball fake, stepped through the contest, took one dribble and took off. As you can see below, he put a little mustard on this dunk — we love mustard.

image1 101

Don’t forget to check out this lob from Chris Paul, as well (courtesy of our friend Mo Dakhil). CP3 will have so much fun finding Wemby for some amazing assists.

CP3%20Wemby%20Preseason%20Lob%20GIF

The other big man we’re in awe of is the Knicks’ new acquisition. Karl-Anthony Towns’ young New York career has enjoyed a strong soft launch, as shown by his 25-point, 12-rebound game in just his second preseason game as a Knick. Knicks fans are already freaking out at the glimpses of a Jalen Brunson-KAT two-man game. Of course … he also had five fouls, but that’s the whole Towns experience!

WNBA Finals Preview

Liberty seek first ring; can Lynx snap drought?

Tonight! Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals tips off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as the Liberty host the Lynx. It begins at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Liberty had the best record in the league at 32-8, and the Lynx (30-10) finished second in the W. Here’s everything you need to know entering Game 1.

What’s at stake? The WNBA championship! Duh.

Have the Liberty won it before? They have not. They’re 0-5 in WNBA Finals history, but four of those finals losses happened by 2002.

Have the Lynx won it before? They have. The Lynx are 4-2 in the WNBA Finals, winning in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. Their four titles are tied with the Comets and Storm for the most in WNBA history.

How did things go in the regular-season series? Minnesota went 2-1 in its season series against New York. The Lynx were 1-1 in Brooklyn.

What’s the star matchup? Napheesa Collier versus Breanna Stewart. Phee has been the best player in the postseason so far. Stewie is a two-time champion and a two-time finals MVP with Seattle. Collier has done everything but win a title. Stewart will test every bit of Collier’s Defensive Player of the Year capabilities.

What’s the other key matchup? Courtney Williams versus Sabrina Ionescu. This seems lopsided on the surface. It might still be once we dig a bit deeper. Ionescu is one of the WNBA’s best guards, but Williams has had huge runs and is lighting everybody up. She just might match Ionescu if Sabrina doesn’t shoot the lights out.

What do the Liberty have to worry about the most? The 3-point line. The Lynx are the best at making 3s on offense and preventing them on defense. The Liberty must connect from deep.

What do the Lynx have to worry about the most? Minnesota’s defense is great, but the Liberty have by far the most offensive firepower in the league.

What are the betting odds? Our friends at BetMGM have the Liberty at -275 to win the series.

WNBA Finals prediction: Lynx in five.

Bounce Passes

We gave you the East over/unders pod from “No Dunks” earlier in the week. You need to listen to the West over/unders episode.

Tyrese Haliburton says he doesn’t care about respect. I believe him.

Kyrie Irving went unplugged with Sam Amick on his new chapter.

Most-clicked in Wednesday’s newsletter: Media-day availability from NBA executives.

📫 Love The Bounce? Check out The Athletic’s other newsletters.

(Top photo: Katelyn Mulcahy  / Getty Images )





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About The Author

Avatar of Fannie Hogan
Fannie Hogan is a writer and editor who covers lifestyle, books, sports, education, and tech. She's always loved to write—from the time she was a little girl writing stories about talking animals to the day she got her first job as an editor at a lifestyle magazine. Her hobbies include long walks on the beach, running, and taking breaks from work to read a good book.

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