The Pelicans and Gentry want Anthony Davis to Develop into a 3 pt Shooter

[danglertx]

It only takes one guy to guard him at the three point line, same as it takes to guard KO.  Never in the history of the NBA has someone been doubled at the three point line.  Unless it is a trap off a pick and roll. 

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

It only takes one guy to guard him at the three point line, same as it takes to guard KO.  Never in the history of the NBA has someone been double at the three point line.  Unless it is a trap off a pick and roll.

Yes, but it takes a certain type of player, another tall player to even be a threat to bother him.

[danglertx]

It only takes one guy to guard him at the three point line, same as it takes to guard KO.  Never in the history of the NBA has someone been double at the three point line.  Unless it is a trap off a pick and roll.

Yes, but it takes a certain type of player, another tall player to even be a threat to bother him.

So let's say the Celtics are playing NO.  AD goes out to the three point line and KO follows him out there because we are really worried about him burying a three.  I'm fine with us playing 4 on 4 everywhere else.  We actually have a shot at winning that game.  I'd even sag off of AD and let him have the three, what % do actually think he could shoot?

[danglertx]

Let me rephrase that, I'd rather have IT guarding Davis at the three point line than anyone else on our team guarding him 15ft and in.  That is how much I fear Davis shooting over someone for a three pointer.

15ft and in, I probably send an extra defender at him almost every time and try to play 3 on 4 everywhere else.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

It only takes one guy to guard him at the three point line, same as it takes to guard KO.  Never in the history of the NBA has someone been double at the three point line.  Unless it is a trap off a pick and roll.

Yes, but it takes a certain type of player, another tall player to even be a threat to bother him.

So let's say the Celtics are playing NO.  AD goes out to the three point line and KO follows him out there because we are really worried about him burying a three.  I'm fine with us playing 4 on 4 everywhere else.  We actually have a shot at winning that game.  I'd even sag off of AD and let him have the three, what % do actually think he could shoot?

That's assuming no switches are made all game. Also, usually the bigs are the better rbs so it just pulls that big body out of the paint so that his teammates get more chances and more room to go for them. Forget about what it does for his teammates, imagine him blowing by his defenders who have to come out to contest. I mean there is just so much that it can help if he is consistent at hitting them. Defense isn't black and white.

I still haven't heard one good reason why it's bad for a player to be able to hit buckets from anywhere.

[D.o.s.]

^ Exactly.

You would also have to go back to a time where it was illegal to double team a player without the ball for guys like that to really flourish. And probably go back to the older hand checking rules too.

However, it is no coincidence that an overwhelming number of modern day (i.e. Post-Pistons) NBA championship teams have lead the postseason in three pointers attempted and made the year they won their rings:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2014.html#all_team_stats

I think you've turned this from a debate on if Anthony Davis should be shooting three point shots, to the value of three point shots.  I don't think anyone is saying shooting threes is a bad thing.  The question is, is moving Davis out to the three point line to shoot poor to mediocre from the three point line is a more valuable way of using him.   

If I'm CBS playing the Pels and they want to move AD out to the three point line from 24-50% of the time and let him jack threes, I thank God and take my chances.  Are they trying to space the floor for Tyreke Evans to drive?  I'll take my chances with that.

If you move AD to the three point line he effectively becomes Kelly Olynyk on offense, although probably not as good.  You leave him 15ft in and he is probably the best player in the NBA, with the possible exceptions of Curry, LeBron, and maybe Durant.

Seems silly to me, but if I'm coaching against it, I'm all for it.

In the context of the post I was replying to that was essentially what we were talking about.

Let me rephrase that, I'd rather have IT guarding Davis at the three point line than anyone else on our team guarding him 15ft and in.  That is how much I fear Davis shooting over someone for a three pointer.

15ft and in, I probably send an extra defender at him almost every time and try to play 3 on 4 everywhere else.

I don't think anyone is advocating for him to work on the three pointer at the expense of any other part of his offensive game, although there's an argument to be made that it's more useful for him to work on shooting threes than an 18 or 20 footer.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Let me rephrase that, I'd rather have IT guarding Davis at the three point line than anyone else on our team guarding him 15ft and in.  That is how much I fear Davis shooting over someone for a three pointer.

15ft and in, I probably send an extra defender at him almost every time and try to play 3 on 4 everywhere else.

Of course you say that now b/c you assume you know he will never be good enough at it. Also, no one in their right mind would want IT4 contesting if AD only becomes an avg 3pt shooter if there is a choice! You would do just as well not guarding him because that's what it would be like.

[LooseCannon]

According to the stats at nba.com, Anthony Davis had 0.85 points per possession on post-ups last season.  If you shot 28.3% on threes, you would score 0.85 PPP on three-point attempts.  Jared Sullinger shot 28,3% on threes last season.

[Robb]

Has anyone watched Anthony Davis play? We're not talking about a big man in the mold of Shaq or Big Al or Jahlil Okafor, here. He's so much more what Kevin Garnett/Hakeem. He was scouted as a guard before a growth spurt made him a big and his game is predicated on his athleticism and his ability to drive to the basket. This talk of his three point shot isn't new, he was shooting them last year, though not in volume. If he adds his three you can literally play five out with no one at the basket and no other big in the league can keep up with him. He will be the most unguaradble player in the league.

[danglertx]

According to the stats at nba.com, Anthony Davis had 0.85 points per possession on post-ups last season.  If you shot 28.3% on threes, you would score 0.85 PPP on three-point attempts.  Jared Sullinger shot 28,3% on threes last season.

His career 3pt% hovers between 0 and .222.  The problem is you negate his rebounding if he is standing at the 3pt line. 

That also doesn't include free throws does it?  He isn't getting fouls at the three point line, he isn't passing out of double teams and getting as many assists. 

If I'm coaching against them and they want to move AD out to the three point line, I'm happy.  Thrilled.  I'd even hope he hits his first one so he keeps shooting like Twoine back in the day.

[Robb]

According to the stats at nba.com, Anthony Davis had 0.85 points per possession on post-ups last season.  If you shot 28.3% on threes, you would score 0.85 PPP on three-point attempts.  Jared Sullinger shot 28,3% on threes last season.

His career 3pt% hovers between 0 and .222.  The problem is you negate his rebounding if he is standing at the 3pt line. 

That also doesn't include free throws does it?  He isn't getting fouls at the three point line, he isn't passing out of double teams and getting as many assists. 

If I'm coaching against them and they want to move AD out to the three point line, I'm happy.  Thrilled.  I'd even hope he hits his first one so he keeps shooting like Twoine back in the day.

You don't negate his rebounding. Threes mean long rebounds which lends advantage to athletic players who cover ground.

His foul rates aren't an issue, because the effectiveness at 3s is only going to keep a big, lumbering defender close which will encourage him to drive more against players who can't defend him. Who cares if he doesn't get fouled if he gets to the rim all of the time?

[PhoSita]

I still haven't heard one good reason why it's bad for a player to be able to hit buckets from anywhere.

/thread.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

According to the stats at nba.com, Anthony Davis had 0.85 points per possession on post-ups last season.  If you shot 28.3% on threes, you would score 0.85 PPP on three-point attempts.  Jared Sullinger shot 28,3% on threes last season.

His career 3pt% hovers between 0 and .222.  The problem is you negate his rebounding if he is standing at the 3pt line. 

That also doesn't include free throws does it?  He isn't getting fouls at the three point line, he isn't passing out of double teams and getting as many assists. 

If I'm coaching against them and they want to move AD out to the three point line, I'm happy.  Thrilled.  I'd even hope he hits his first one so he keeps shooting like Twoine back in the day.

You don't negate his rebounding. Threes mean long rebounds which lends advantage to athletic players who cover ground.

His foul rates aren't an issue, because the effectiveness at 3s is only going to keep a big, lumbering defender close which will encourage him to drive more against players who can't defend him. Who cares if he doesn't get fouled if he gets to the rim all of the time?

He's never going to get fouled taking a 3, I mean, no one ever gets fouled taking them. 0.0 Instead of needing to be fouled twice, he can just step to the line and take 3 off of 1 foul.

When he fakes a 3, blows past his defender which makes another guy have to step up, he drops the ball off to a wide open guy for a layup/dunk. Assists.

Again, can't wait to see it. If he becomes avg. it opens up so much more for him and his teammates.

[PhoSita]

He just won't do it.  Not because he can't, he just doesn't want to.

Except that no, he can't.  Dude plays between 36 and 44 minutes a game.  He takes 20+ shots a game, plus all the times he gets fouled and goes to the line.   There is no way he can just drive to the hoop every time down the floor.  He needs to able to conserve energy.

The ability to take shots from outside and open up space to drive and finish inside helps LeBron maintain the strength and quickness to still attack the paint and finish through multiple defenders even late in games.

[Robb]

According to the stats at nba.com, Anthony Davis had 0.85 points per possession on post-ups last season.  If you shot 28.3% on threes, you would score 0.85 PPP on three-point attempts.  Jared Sullinger shot 28,3% on threes last season.

His career 3pt% hovers between 0 and .222.  The problem is you negate his rebounding if he is standing at the 3pt line. 

That also doesn't include free throws does it?  He isn't getting fouls at the three point line, he isn't passing out of double teams and getting as many assists. 

If I'm coaching against them and they want to move AD out to the three point line, I'm happy.  Thrilled.  I'd even hope he hits his first one so he keeps shooting like Twoine back in the day.

You don't negate his rebounding. Threes mean long rebounds which lends advantage to athletic players who cover ground.

His foul rates aren't an issue, because the effectiveness at 3s is only going to keep a big, lumbering defender close which will encourage him to drive more against players who can't defend him. Who cares if he doesn't get fouled if he gets to the rim all of the time?

He's never going to get fouled taking a 3, I mean, no one ever gets fouled taking them. 0.0 Instead of needing to be fouled twice, he can just step to the line and take 3 off of 1 foul.

When he fakes a 3, blows past his defender which makes another guy have to step up, he drops the ball off to a wide open guy for a layup/dunk. Assists.

Again, can't wait to see it. If he becomes avg. it opens up so much more for him and his teammates.

If he is effective at that range you'll have big goofy centers with limited agility and body control trying to close out on him so I think he'll actually be able to draw more fouls than guards. Again he maybe never even have to take these shots, the amount of movement and chaos that'd create will make that offense blow up.