For anyone that has had the pleasure of playing the sport of basketball, we can relate that there are certain spots on the hardwood where we are confident in our abilities to put the ball in the basket consistently, and then are areas that we feel the complete opposite.
Everyone has these specifics locations on the basketball court, even the professional players themselves.
Throughout this month, A Royal Pain has authored numerous articles that analyze which spots on the basketball court are the players on the Sacramento Kings successful in scoring the ball.
Without further ado, please enjoy this slideshow that contains data on which locations on the court are the sweet spots for each player on the Sacramento Kings.
Next: Isaiah Cousins
Isaiah Cousins
Because Isaiah Cousins was drafted this Summer, he does not have any data to show for what he has done in the NBA.
Based on his shooting chart from last season, when he played for the Oklahoma Sooners, Cousins’ favorite spots on the court were in the paint or beyond the perimeter (excluding the baselines).
The spots where Cousins had trouble the most in making shots were in the midrange areas on the right side.
To check out the full article on Cousins, click here for the link.
Next: Georgios Papagiannis
Georgios Papagiannis
Georgios Papagiannis is kind of the man of mystery on the team. He has only had basketball experience outside of the United States, so it is tough to really analyze the plus 7-footer.
However, thanks to Draft Express, the ARP team was able to have a clearer perspective on Papagiannis. Based on what he did in Greece, Papagiannis’ area of scoring is strictly in the paint (surprise, surprise).
He has the potential to eventually hit the midrange shot consistently, but for right now the interior is where Georgics will do most of his damage.
For more details on Papagiannis, click here.
Next: Malachi Richardson
Malachi Richardson
When going into the draft, Malachi Richardson wasn’t the most athletic stud in his class, but his length and ability to hit three-point shots made him a promising prospect.
If Malachi hits the hardwood this season, his sweet spots would be in the perimeter areas. Although streaky in college, Richardson has the mechanics and skill level to become a player that can hit perimeter shots whether it is off the catch-and-shoot or off the dribble effectively.
To check out the complete analysis on Richardson, click here for the article.
Next: Skal Labissiere
Skal Labissiere
Like his rookie counterparts, Skal Labissiere hasn’t logged any NBA minutes yet. But based on his shooting chart with the Kentucky Wildcats, the paint was where Labissiere did most of his production.
Although the data shows that Labissiere has no game beyond the perimeter, he proved in his summer league campaign the opposite as he showcased his ability to make the deep shot.
Overall, Labissiere was an interior scorer at the collegiate level, but I foresee the rookie having success as a mid-range shooter as he continues his basketball career at the professional level.
Click here to check out the full article on Labissiere.
Next: Lamar Patterson
Lamar Patterson
Last season Lamar Patterson was a rookie that played limited time, meaning that he has a small sample so far in his NBA career. Based on this sample, Patterson had the most success when he drove to the basket or shot the ball from the left baseline perimeter.
Where Patterson struggled to make baskets were either at the top of the key or the wing locations from beyond the arc.
To check out the full article on Patterson, click here.
Next: Jordan Farmar
Jordan Farmar
The Kings recently signed Jordan Farmar in the hopes of adding some reinforcement to the point guard position.
During his past few seasons, Farmar has shown that the perimeter is his favorite spot on the court, recording percentages of 40, 38, and 43.7. Farmar also has success in making shots in the interior, posting a percentage of 53.8.
The spots where Farmar struggles the most are in the midrange areas where he is recording percentages of 36 and 30.7.
To check out our full analysis on Farmar, click here.
Next: Matt Barnes
Matt Barnes
Based on his production from last season, Matt Barnes was at his most efficient when attempting to score in the paint, but also showed success shooting from the left-baseline perimeter.
The areas where Barnes struggled to make shots were from the midrange and the right baseline area beyond the three-point line.
To check out the article on Barnes, click here.
Next: Sir McLemore
Ben McLemore
In his last two seasons of play, Ben McLemore has shown inconsistency in his shooting charts. In his previous year, McLemore was successful in making shots from the paint and on the left-wing perimeter.
But when looking at the data from his 2014-2015 campaign, his sweet spots were in the paint, on the baseline perimeter areas, and the right wing perimeter.
The results say that McLemore’s best spot on the court is in the paint, but that is a little suspect.
McLemore isn’t that great of a slasher. Most of his shots made in the paint are due to scoring on the fast break, which means most of the field goals attempts by McLemore in the interior are due to easy layups and dunks.
Overall, like McLemore’s career so far, it is unknown where the former Jayhawk feels comfortable when taking shots. He hasn’t shown a consistent pattern of success in any area on the hardwood.
To see the full details on McLemore’s shooting charts, click here.
Next: Anthony Tolliver
Anthony Tolliver
The Kings signed Anthony Tolliver this offseason hoping that he can be the stretch-four that the franchise has been longing for.
Based on his last two seasons, Tolliver has been consistently effective in making shots from the right side of the perimeter, especially on the baseline.
Although he doesn’t shoot much in this area on the court, Tolliver does struggle the most in making shots in the midrange areas.
To see the full details, shooting charts, and more on Tolliver, click here.
Next: Kosta Koufos
Kosta Koufos
Kosta Koufos is a 7-foot big man that weighs 265 pounds, an ideal body for someone who wants to score in the paint.
Based on his shooting charts, there is one area on the court where Koufos is effective, which is in the interior. Other than that, he shouldn’t be attempting shots anywhere else.
For the full analysis on Koufos, click here.
Next: Garrett Temple
Garrett Temple
Based on the data, Garrett Temple is the most successful shooting on the baseline areas from the perimeter, preferably more on the left baseline.
The 6’6” guard also had success scoring in the paint as well but had trouble making shots from the midrange areas and the areas beyond the arc that weren’t the baseline.
To check out the full article on Temple, click here.
Next: Omri Casspi
Omri Casspi
In the last two seasons, Omri Casspi has been able to develop a reliable three-point shot. Based on the data, Casspi has been his most consistent shooting from the top of the key and driving to the basket.
The weak spots on the court where Omri struggles to make shots are in the midrange locations on the court.
To check out the complete analysis on Omri, click here.
Next: Ty Lawson
Ty Lawson
Similar to Farmar, Ty Lawson was also acquired by the Kings recently to help add depth to the point guard spot.
Based on the data, Lawson’s most effective spots to score are in the paint and the baselines of the perimeter. In the paint, he has a success rate of 59.6% and on the baseline perimeter areas he is recording percentages of 37.5 and 40.7, both numbers are above the average 3P% from last season.
The areas where Lawson struggled the most are in the midrange areas where he is posting percentages of 38.4 and 41.7, both numbers are under the FG% average from last season.
To check out our full analysis on Lawson, click here.
Next: Willie Trill
Willie Cauley-Stein
Based on what Willie Cauley-Stein produced last season, the paint seems to be his bread and butter.
With his 7’0” frame and insane athleticism, Willie was the beneficiary of countless tip-ins and ally-oops, which should remain the same for this season.
Although Cauley-Stein showcased a jumper last season, it is unknown whether it will be consistent for the near future. But what Kings fans do know is that Cauley-Stein should be efficient in the paint when he hits the hardwood this Fall.
To check our Cauley-Stein’s shooting chart, click here.
Next: Arron Afflalo
Arron Afflalo
Throughout the majority of his career, Arron Afflalo has been a reliable scorer.
Based on the stats, his favorite areas to score are either in the midrange areas or the baselines beyond the perimeter.
If there is an Achilles heel for the 9-year veteran, it is at the top of the key or the wings of the perimeter, but he is still recording a 3P% of 34.6% in those locations.
To check out the entire shooting chart for Afflalo, click here to view the article.
Next: Darren Collison
Darren Collison
Darren Collison has shown throughout his career that he is a reliable scorer. He does most of his damage driving to the basket and shooting from the baseline perimeter areas. If there is a weak link to Collison’s shooting chart, it is in the midrange areas where he is posting his least effective numbers.
To view the full details on Collison’s shooting, click here.
Next: The Great Rudini
Rudy Gay
Throughout a good portion of his career, Rudy Gay has been a versatile scorer, but his areas of expertise have been in the interior and the midrange areas on the court.
He doesn’t struggle much beyond the arc, but those are the areas on the court where Rudy has recorded his lowest percentages. He has a solid success rate of 37.1 on the left baseline area, but other than that, the other numbers are mediocre.
To view the details on Gay, click here.
Next: Boogie Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins
Similar to Rudy Gay, DeMarcus Cousins has become a player that can score in various ways. With the evolution of his three-point shot from last season, Boogie has the making of being an unstoppable scoring machine.
With this being said, however, the sweet spot for DeMarcus remains to be in the paint. The 6’11” and 270-pound specimen that consists of muscle has been a menace in the paint throughout his career, and will continue to do damage in the interior for many seasons to come.
Cousins should continue to work on his jump shot going forward, but when the purple and white need a dire basket, they should look for #15 near the basket.
To see the full analysis on Boogie, click here.