When looking at the current NBA stats, my eyes opened as big as an anime character to see that the Sacramento Kings were ranked 2nd in the league in 3P%.
So far it has been a subpar season for the Sacramento Kings with a 4-9 record, but a bright spot to their season has been their perimeter shooting. Considering that the Kings perimeter shooting has been a weakness for the last couple of seasons, it’s a pleasant surprise now to see that the team can rely on multiple players to make shots from beyond the arc.
Right now, the Kings have four of shooters that are shooting 40% or more from the three point line, none of them sharpshooter Marco Belinelli (shooting 37.5%). These shooters are Ben McLemore (50%), Omri Casspi (45.7%), Darren Collison (40.9%), and DeMarcus Cousins (43.1%). So far the perimeter shooting has been efficient for Sacramento, but it still can be more of an asset to their overall offensive game.
More from Kings News
- 3 Ways Chris Duarte improves the Kings chances in 2023-24
- Bleacher Report crazily lists Kings’ All-Star as “most overrated NBA player”
- Kings and Heat fans clash on Twitter to debate All-Star players
- Sacramento Kings’ Chris Duarte playing in 2023 FIBA World Cup
- 3 Young players the Kings must develop, 2 to give up on
Even though the Kings are shooting 39.1% from the perimeter as a team, they are not shooting enough attempts per game. Right now the Kings are averaging 21.6 three point attempts a contest, currently ranked 22nd in the league in this category. The Kings offense right now is already respectable being ranked 6th in points scored a game (averaging 103.7), but if they start to shoot more three point attempts going forward it can become more lethal.
Three pointers are becoming more of an attraction for teams in the NBA, especially for the successful teams. According to ESPN, last season five teams (Cavaliers, Warriors, Hawks, Clippers, and Trail Blazers) were all ranked in the top ten in both 3P% and three point attempts, all these teams ending up making the playoffs. A possible direction the Kings could, and should, considering to take going forward.
More from A Royal Pain
- 3 Ways Chris Duarte improves the Kings chances in 2023-24
- 5 Players the Sacramento Kings never should have signed
- Bleacher Report crazily lists Kings’ All-Star as “most overrated NBA player”
- Kings and Heat fans clash on Twitter to debate All-Star players
- Sacramento Kings’ Chris Duarte playing in 2023 FIBA World Cup
With the Kings looking at a hefty task, especially with their 4-9 record now, in making the playoffs this season, surrounding their offense more on the three point shot could help the Kings offense immensely advancing towards the season.
Obviously the better solution to helping the Kings is better defense (article for later), but to improve more on what is already a pretty high-powered offense for Sacramento, the Kings need to start chucking more shots from beyond the arc.
Next: Turnovers Remain An Issue For Kings In Loss To Heat
The Kings continue on their road trip Saturday night in Orlando. It’s not a “must win” game for the squad, but more of a “Um, you better win” type of game. Hopefully George Karl implements the three point shot more in this game, as well as the rest of the season, because it is indeed a strength that the Sacramento Kings have under utilized so far this season.