How critical is 3 point shooting?

[HooperScooper]

Doesn't it depend on the offense the team runs? Uconn is built aroud Tarris and a bunch of shooter. Others teams may be built around their frontcourt.

I guess. Here are Arizona's leading scorers:

F Koa Peat: 14.7 ppg
G Brayden Burries: 14.3 ppg
G Jaden Bradley: 14.1 ppg
C Motiejus Krivas: 11.0 ppg
F Tobe Awaka: 10.7 ppg

Seems pretty balanced (prorata) between the guards and forwards/center. Bradley is by far their best 3 point shooter at 46.7% but he's only shot 30 threes this season (1.67/game). About the same as Demary shoots them.

 

[Waquoit]

Well then don't pick Arizona to win it all.

Why did you attach me to this nonsense. I don’t give a crap about Arizona.

 

[Kemba15]

Great read. In addition to being due for positive regression with shooting 3s on offense, we’re probably going to see opponents make more 3s since they’re currently only shooting 27.5% versus us (4th lowest in the country). But that could end up being a net positive since Hurley’s teams are always really good at limiting 3 point attempts.

tldr: We have to make more 3s and we should since we’re getting good looks

 

[REB1094]

If your rely on it to win: very. If you have other ways, not as much

Florida was 6-24 in the national championship game last year but they won because of defense

UConn was 6-22 against Purdue but won because they locked up everyone not named Edey

6-17 against SDSU (not bad but not good) but won because of defense

Kansas 6-17 against UNC in 2022 but they won because they clamped up in their second half comeback

I’m starting to notice a trend..but they don’t call it the equalizer for nothing. You can be getting dominated and then completely turn the tides of a game in a few minutes if a few threes go down

 

[husky429]

Haven't read the thread. The answer is very.

Defenses are heavily focused on limiting attempts and keeping 3pt% low. Even on a bad shooting night, the threat of a 3 is how you create space to get your buckets.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Haven't read the thread. The answer is very.

Defenses are heavily focused on limiting attempts and keeping 3pt% low. Even on a bad shooting night, the threat of a 3 is how you create space to get your buckets.

Way too many teams are still not looking for the 3 to set up the offense, they are just committing to a 5 out offense and jacking contested bombs.

Spoelstra humiliated Budenholzer and his dominant Bucks team in the 2020 playoffs by playing a stretch zone. That should have been the end of the forced 3’s era because of “analytics” but it is still happening. Why are so many college teams still jacking shots into the teeth of the defense today, 6 years later?

 

[husky429]

Way too many teams are still not looking for the 3 to set up the offense, they are just committing to a 5 out offense and jacking contested bombs.

Spoelstra humiliated Budenholzer and his dominant Bucks team in the 2020 playoffs by playing a stretch zone. That should have been the end of the forced 3’s era because of “analytics” but it is still happening. Why are so many college teams still jacking shots into the teeth of the defense today, 6 years later?

Because it works.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Because it works.

Do you think defense matters in basketball, or is shot location the only thing that matters?

 

[dennismenace]

Analytics basically ignores what defense they are facing, which is obviously a silly assumption. Every defense is designed to contest the perimeter now, and teams close hard on shooters, with help designed to meet penetration at the rim.

Teams are going to have to give defenses more to adjust to or even good three point shooting teams will have bad games from deep. I think mid range has to be added back to offensive game plans or offenses will take a lot of contested threes.

Agree. The defense will always find your weaknesses. Overcome weakness with perseverance through repetitions. Same with free throws. Save some time at practice or elsewhere. Make the defense pay for daring you. Punish them for overplaying you with passes and cuts.
Happy are they who overcome.

 

[dennismenace]

Doesn't it depend on the offense the team runs? Uconn is built aroud Tarris and a bunch of shooter. Others teams may be built around their frontcourt.

Build around three level shooting. Change isn't painful; it's resistance to change that is painful.