3 Stats that should have Sacramento Kings fans excited about next season
By Mat Issa
Statistic #2: Opponent Shooting Luck
Some of the Kings' bad luck last year came from their opponent shooting luck. We've discussed this before, but last season, there was a ton of discourse surrounding how poorly the Kings defended the 3-point line. Last year, we finished 29th in opponent 3-point percentage (38.7%).
But much of this criticism was misguided. The brutal truth is that defenses have very little to do with how well their opponents shoot from three, and that part of the game is largely tied to luck.
This is especially the case when we are talking about wide-open 3-pointers. It is quite literally implied by the name. Wide-open 3-pointers are unguarded. There is no way for one team to be better than another team at defending them. So, it is all pure luck when it comes down to how your team fares on those shots.
Last year, the Kings had none of that luck. Opponents shot 42.3% from three on their wide-open attempts against us – the highest mark allowed by any team in the NBA (nearly one percentage point higher than the next-highest team, per NBA.com).
Why Do We Care About This Stat?
Since wide-open 3-point shooting is so heavily tied to luck, it can be very volatile from year to year. One year, you can be dead last in opponent wide-open 3-point percentage only to be first in that category the following year.
If the Kings could have just had average luck last year (opponents shot 39% against them on wide-open threes), they could have been a 49-win team instead of a 46-win team. Three wins can make a huge difference in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.