With the 2022-23 season done and dusted, the best and worst shooters by the zone have been dissected.
A comprehensive zone board with data on the best and the worst shooters has been doing the rounds on Twitter and has details of the most and the least efficient shooters by each zone.
To quickly dissect, and focus on the big names that are seen on the graphic, Russell Westbrook has shot 22.2% from the left corner 3, while Luka Doncic has 25% from the corner 3. Trae Young has managed only 16.7%.
Take a look at Kevin Durant, who has 63.8% in the paint, while Nikola Jokic comes close with 61.9%. Quite simply, these are stellar numbers for Durant and Jokic.
On a side note, the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie and Mike Conley have fared well from the left and right corner 3s with 61.0% and 57.5 respectively.
Focusing on three-point shooting, the graphic shows how essential it is to be a proficient three-point shooter in the modern-day NBA. At the same point, attacking in the paint is more than just a handy way to score, as it shows how forwards and centers can use it to their advantage to destroy opponents. That’s where Durant and Jokic’s success comes from, and the numbers prove just that.
The Modern-Day NBA Places Much Emphasis On 3-Point Shooting
While mid-range sniping and attacking the rim are considered basics and art, the evolution of the downtown shots has fast superseded the two. In fact, the ability to drain a three-pointer is now a prerequisite to survive in the NBA.
Earlier, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle echoed the sentiment saying it is necessary to be able to shoot threes.
“If you can’t shoot the three now, in my position, you can’t play bro. You cannot play,” the New York Knicks forward told Paul George during his appearance on Podcast P.
Over time there have been contrasting views on where a player gets his points from, and while the graphic gives a good idea of the zones where certain players are good, it also shows how they have areas to improve, and the beyond-the-arc is definitely one to work around.
