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The LA Lakers' 3-point shooting is a problem. It has been their Achilles heel for a few seasons now, and no matter how big a name they rope in to deliver from beyond the arc, the team has constantly and consistently remained at the near bottom when it comes to downtown shooting percentage. This 2023-24 NBA season is no different as the Lakers rank 22nd in the league on that front. For a team with championship aspirations, LA lacks one of the key weapons that is a staple in top teams from both conferences.
LeBron James (40.9%) leads the Lakers in their 3-point percentage. The 4x NBA champion is 70-of-171 this season. Anthony Davis has only landed 12-of-31 attempts. The team's designated 3-point sniper Taurean Prince is the only other player with 40.1% while Austin Reaves is 35.7% and D'Angelo Russell is 38.8% shooting at a decent clip. Emphasis on the word decent though, as these numbers pale in comparison to how the the top three teams' shooting has been from the perimeter.
A recent thread on Reddit saw fans come up with multiple theories as to why some of the league's top 3-point shooters have struggled since making their way to the Purple and Gold. Here are five of those factors that fans believe have played a role in the unit's patchy and erratic 3-point shooting.
5 reasons why some of the NBA's best 3-point shooters have struggled after joining the Lakers
#5. The lighting at the Crypto.com Arena
According to a Silverscreen and Roll feature, the lighting at the Crypto.com Arena has been one of the major talking points over the last few seasons.
The team's "Lights Out" campaign sees the lights dimmed across the venue except the court for a more theatrical effect. This though has proved detrimental when it comes to depth and vision for the players.
#4. Darvin Ham
Darvin Ham has always been a defense-first coach and that put him on the radar when the Lakers' 3-point shooting woes come up. Last season, the team rang in the changes ahead of the deadline by adding more depth in that department by adding Russell and Malik Beasley (who is now part of the Milwaukee Bucks and has become their bonafide downtown threat).
However, Russell's minutes have taken a backseat and that means less one option as the team has looked at defense as their primary move. While this is debatable, it does count as one of the reasons with the coach held for being more accountable for addressing the issue.
#3. Higher scrutiny and massive expectations
Playing for a team like the Lakers comes with massive expectations. That would mean immense pressure for every shot attempted. A parallel could be drawn with how Steve Kerr explained in "The Last Dance" where a role player like himself was burdened with the pressure of each shot that took way too much importance.
So for every shot at clanks off the rim, the scrutiny these players face is massive and could dent their mojo and confidence. Over the years, the likes of Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wayne Ellington have all taken the brunt after missing shots.
#2. More looks for LeBron James and Anthony Davis
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis being the focal points of the Lakers offense, one of the reasons behind their 3-point no-show is perhaps planning the play centering around their superstars.
The rest of the offense then will look at wide-open looks and attempt their shots. This of course was one of the notions, but with James and Davis being the big guns, the team needs to find a way to get the two more assistance.
#1. Over-reliance on LeBron James
At 39, James has proved to be a force on both ends of the floor and has even led the side from beyond the arc. He's propping up 25.4 points (53.5% from the field, 40.9% from 3-point land, and 74.9% from the free-throw line) playing at an elite level clocking close to 35 minutes per game.
This shows the team's over-reliance on a seasoned veteran and that's again putting too much strain on a player who has the most versatile players around him.
