3toheadmelo wrote:ctorres wrote:3toheadmelo wrote:Not true at all. Knicks and Timberwolves both went to the conference finals without 4 3 point threats on the court at all times.
I am going to come at you with facts. Only 7 Knicks players played 18 games in the playoffs. Out of those 7 players, 6 of them shot 33.3% to 37.3% from the 3pt line. The only player among the 7 who couldn't shoot threes was Mitch.
Beyond them, the next 3 players who played the most minutes were Payne (3pt threat during the season at 36.3%, but struggled in the playoffs), Shamet (shot 46.7% in the playoffs, shot 39.7% during the season), and Wright (33.3% for the Knicks during the season, so he could in fact shoot it even if he didn't hit them much in the playoffs)
After that you got Achiuwa which I said all season that Thibs would refuse to play him and Mitch together. Therefore, Achiuwa only got 3rd string Center minutes.
Everyone else on the Knicks did not get real minutes.
Then you bring up the Timberwolves. Bro, literally ELEVEN players for them in the playoffs shot 31.8% from three or better. The only guys who shot worse or didn't shot them at all were guys like Josh Minott and Jaylen Clark who played only 5 games each at 5-6 mpg, and Rudy Gobert. Therefore, the Timberwolves, just like the Knicks, had 4-5 guys at all times who could knock down a three.
Look both teams up on basketball reference. Numbers don't lie. Eye test watching the games does not apply here, no way.
Why do you think Bucks pulled a fast one and got Myles Turner? Because they know if you have Giannis, you HAVE TO put 4 3pt shooters around him at all times. Turner is 8 years younger than Lopez and is going to play the same role.
Your argument isn't making much sense to me tho. You're saying shooting 31% from 3 is good but AD that shot 29% from 3 means he isn't capable from 3? That doesn't make any sense to me because both numbers are absolutely terrible. So I'm not sure how you came up with the standard of 31% from 3 that means you're a knock down shooter from 3 but if you're shooting 29% you can't shoot anything, when 31% is extremely below average as a 3 point shooter. League average 3pt % this year was 36%. So anything below that, you're below average. The Timberwolves had 3 players in their starting lineup that shot below that average this season : Randle, McDaniels, Gobert and they went to the WCF. The Knicks had 2 players that shot below 36% in the starting lineup : Mikal, Josh hart and still went to the ECF. And Mikal/hart also openly passed up 3s as well which was even worse for our spacing, yet they still got to the ECF.
So if you really want to argue about shooting 29% and 31% then you're on your own about that because that's such a small difference and they're both very much below the league average either way so it doesn't make sense.
I am not saying 31% is good. You're still a threat that shouldn't be left open. Donte for instance shot the 31.8% but everyone knows he's a better shooter than what his percentage shows.
33% from three is the equivalent to 50% from two. A below average 3pt shooter in the NBA is still a 3pt shooter you can have on the floor. If you're in shooting in the 20's, you are among the lowest percentile of 3pt shooters in the NBA and a detriment to a team.
Post-bubble, AD has shot 25.7% from three in the regular season and 22.6% in the playoffs. That's literally over the course of 5 years. Does it have it in him to knock them down at a decent rate and not clog the paint alongside Gafford and Lively? The 15-18 footer ain't gonna cut it anymore, defenses are too advanced now for it to work anymore consistently.
AD has been mostly below average from mid-range in the last 5 years too from looking at his shot chart
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/anthony-davis-shot-chart-last-5-yearsAD might be like Giannis, he needs to play alongside bigs who can knock down threes and stay away from the paint
Evan Mobley became a 37% 3 pt shooter, which allowed him to play alongside Jarrett Allen and WIN. They were going to have a hard time making it out of the first round without developing the three.