OKLAHOMA CITY — It’s no secret that the Lakers’ 3-point volume has dipped significantly sinceLuka Doncic has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain.
But ifthe Lakersare going to have any chance of beating the Thunder in their best-of-seven second-round playoff series, they’re going to have to reverse the trend regardless of Doncic’s status.
The Lakers were a low-volume 3-point shooting team even before Doncic and Austin Reaves (left oblique) suffered their regular-season-ending injuriesApril 2 against the Thunder.
Just 36% of their shot attempts came from beyond the arc through April 2, according to Cleaning The Glass, which ranked 22nd among NBA teams.
But Doncic, through his perimeter shooting and playmaking, helped the Lakers become a more threatening team from deep.
The Lakers’ 3-point frequency increased by 5.7% when Doncic was on the floor compared to on the bench, by far the highest mark on the team.
The Lakers’ 3-point frequency dropped to 30% (28th) in the final five regular-season games without Doncic and Reaves.
And through their first seven playoff games, their 3-point frequency has stayed at 30%, the lowest among all playoff teams.
Even withReaves’ return during Game 5 of the first-round series against the Rockets, the Lakers’ 3-point frequency jumped to 31.3% over the last three games entering Thursday, ranking 13th among the 14 playoff teams that played a game since Reaves came back.
The Lakers were one of the league’s most efficient scoring teams during the regular season because of their free-throw shooting and dominance on scoring inside of the paint — areas in which Doncic played a significant role.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
