Are we done with shooting threes?

[DropStep]

3 pts attempted:
Game 1 - 42, Loss
Game 2 - 39, Win
Game 3 - 28, Loss
Game 4 - 17, Win

Hope I'm not overstepping - but um, what are we doing here? Early on, the narrative seemed to be: "There will be growing pains, but if we can change our habits to always be looking for threes, we will have a more modern NBA offense and the threes will eventually fall, and we'll be a better team. Any losses while we transform to a modern offense are worth it."

Four games in, the narrative seems to be, "It was a fun idea, but we are what we are in our DNA, and we need to find ways to enable and/or cope with the iso-heavy, mid-range players we have, without a true point guard. We will end up better off if we go back to our usual offense, with some changes around the margins. It's the only way we can win, and we are, unfortunately, some sort of a win-now team."

Have the Bulls really given up on our "modern offense" already as a team, and has this board given up on it? Which I guess are two different questions. Game 2-3-4 seems pretty quick to give up on a fundamental shift for the franchise. It feels like when the refs say "We're calling palming now! Be ready! It's going to be a big change!" and it lasts 15 games.

This question seems pretty crucial to the purpose of this season and the construction of the roster going forward. What should we do?

[prolific passer]

Nah. They just went up against a team that shot worse from 3 than they did.

[GoBlue72391]

It was one game.

[DropStep]

Maybe? We're currently third to last in 3pa, shooting 10% (2.7 per game) more than we did last year. The offense feels a lot different than it did in game one. If Billy really wants this change to take, I feel like what happens next is important.

[FriedRise]

Our volume needs to come from Zach, Coby, Carter, Craig, and Pat. Last game, Zach was the only one who attempted more than 2 3PAs, which is crazy.

Coby, Carter - primarily tasked to initiate the offense, so they're usually somewhere inside attacking the paint
Craig - has his moments, but more focused on offensive rebounding than spacing the floor. Whenever someone else has the ball, he's usually roaming around the basket getting ready to offensive rebound
Pat - is Pat

So yeah, I don't know where the volume is supposed to come from. I saw a few times guys turn down a 3 after either a screen or if their defender closes out uncontrollably. Like, if your man is gonna fly at you at full speed to contest, just wait for a second, fake, or side step and then shoot the 3. Or do what other teams do against us and shoot it anyway and draw a foul. Instead, we fake/side step only to drive it.

[chitownsports4ever]

We have lost our way with the focus on three point shooting

Last season the Bulls were on average per game

10.4 makes tied for last in the league
28.9 attempts last in the league


The best team only averaged per game

16 makes
43 attempts

and that was the Warriors with Curry and Klay

Why would we suddenly try and be the Warriors ?

We only needed to get to the middle of the pack the league average was

12 makes
34 attempts

somehow we have got it twisted that we needed to shoot 40+ a game and it doesn't make any sense .

Last year the Bulls were

tied for 5th in ft%
#26 in fta
#22 in ftm


so there is a case that can be made that in the long run that if the Bulls can get from the bottom 3rd of the league to the middle of the pack in those categories while keeping the same defensive success than our offense will overall be greatly improved .

Last night we had over 50 points in the paint and got to the line over 30 times and shot 83.9 but to me thats just as big for this team as making 18+ threes would be and far more easily obtainable with the current roster.

[burlydee]

Part of the problem is the Bulls most prolific 3 pt shooter is also the main guy charged with driving the lane and getting guys 3 pt shots. Need to play Coby off the ball more and tell him to let it fly.

[DuckIII]

Unfortunately the answer doesn’t really matter.

[sco]

I think the problem is that neither Vuc nor DDR are comfortable taking them and they represent a big chuck of our shots. Also, I think Zach isn't confident in his shot since he hurt his back.

I see more 3's going up from secondary guys though. I also agree with the Coby point.

[TheSuzerain]

It's kind of a silly goal to have.

High volume 3-point attempts can absolutely be a bad thing. Very much depends on who is shooting them and when in the shot clock.

[Red8911]

They must do whatever works and whatever gets them wins. If that’s without shooting 3s then great. If you don’t have the roster for it can’t force it.

[bad knees]

I think they are done, and I hope they are done. You have to play a scheme that fits your personnel. Trying to impersonate the Warriors is not it.

[kodo]

Zach: increase in 3PA per minute
Caruso: increase
Jones: Craig is an increase over last season's Jones
Ayo: Carter is a huge increase over last season's Ayo

Coby: decrease, has been trying to assist more
Patrick: decrease, has been driving more & taking long 2s
Vucevic: decrease, been playing more inside

Derozan: almost the same, probably a good call

That's the bulk of your minutes, the 8 man rotation. 4 guys have increased their 3PA per minute, 3 guys have decreased, 1 guy stayed the same. Overall, probably a net wash.

You can't do the same thing (run the same team back) and expect wildly different results.

[jordanwilliams6]

The increase in volume was always going to have to come from Coby & Pat, as well as bringing in Craig & Carter in place of Pat Bev & DJJ/Green. So far those first two guys have failed dismally.

Both guys should be taking 6-7 a game and shooting EVERY time they are open.

[bad knees]

The challenge with Coby and Zach shooting more 3's is that we also have been trying to implement a drive and kick scheme, and they are the only guys who can get to the rim, plus Coby apparently is under orders to feed Vuc. It's just all so jumbled. Bulls should go back to last year's schemes and squeeze a few more 3's out of Coby, Zach, PWill and Carter. Plus one more per game from DDR. Start the vets at PG and PF. Play defense. Play like the team that was 3rd in Net Rating after the all-star break, only a little better.

[League Circles]

I believe the game should be played possession by possession. Therefore, I believe three pointers should rarely be attempted until there's less than like 10 seconds left on the shot clock, unless taken by a really elite shooter. The goal of every possession should be to get a dunk or layup.

[League Circles]

I'm too lazy to do the correlation research, but I've always been curious what the real correlation is between 3PA and wins or offensive output. I know some very poor 3 point shooting teams have had great success in the very recent past. IIRC the Lakers title team a couple years ago was about the worst 3 point shooting team in the league.

Never copy trends. Do what beat suits your personnel, period.

[dougthonus]

I think we are done trying to get above league average attempts per game and will instead focus on quality attempts and what our players are good at.

Way too much was made about threes last year and not nearly enough about offensive rebounds and lack of transition attempts. Both of those factors had a greater impact on offensive efficiency than three point rate given our three point shots were not more efficient than our other looks.

[HomoSapien]

I think we are done trying to get above league average attempts per game and will instead focus on quality attempts and what our players are good at.

Way too much was made about threes last year and not nearly enough about offensive rebounds and lack of transition attempts. Both of those factors had a greater impact on offensive efficiency than three point rate given our three point shots were not more efficient than our other looks.

Agreed. I thought offensive rebounding was a huge issue.

[MrSparkle]

Going for an even newer shooting profile. The pre-season game 1 profile.