@rkamienski (Rafal Kemienski) tweeted at the Valley of the Suns a video of all 147 three-pointers Devin Booker made this season, the video which you can see below.
@ValleyoftheSuns Devin Booker all 147 three-pointers in 2016-17 https://t.co/hFwUvvjzmv
— Rafal Kamienski (@rkamienski) May 19, 2017
Yes, I watched the entire thing. Which then got me thinking, what were some interesting statistics surround Booker’s three’s this season? So after some research, I have come up with my a top-ten interesting (although admittedly kind of random) stats about Devin Booker’s three-point shooting in 2016-17.
1. As referenced in the intro, Devin Booker made 147 three-pointers this past season (tied with Kawhi Leonard and Patti Mills), placing him 31st in the league. One player more than doubled that number (no surprise who) – Steph Curry, with 324.
2. It was only the 23rd time in franchise history any Sun has made at least 147 in a season (although only the 12th individual player). 18 of those have come since 2004-05.
3. Book attempted 405 three-pointers, making him the 16th Sun to ever attempt at least 400 in a season.
4. Those 405 attempts rank as the 15 most attempts in a single season by a Sun, with Jason Richardson attempting 400 in 2009-10, the only other over 400 attempt shooter in team history.
5. Of the 16 Suns that has ever attempted at least 400 three’s in a season, Devin Booker’s 36.3% rate is tied for the second worst with Dan Majerle who made the same percentage of attempts in 1994-95. The only shooter less efficient was Quinton Richardson in 2004-05, 35.8%.
6. In 04-05 Richardson attempted 631 three’s, which still stands as the franchise’s high. That means that this past season Booker still fell 226 below that record. For him to have even matched the 631, he would have needed to attempt an additional 2.89 per game.
7. To further put that into perspective, the 226 differential from last season to Q’s in 04-05 is more than the Suns as a team attempted in 1980-81, 81-82, 82-83, and 85-86. It is also more than any individual Sun attempted from 1979-1991, as well as the lockout shortened 1998-99 season.
8. Remember how deadly accurate Steve Nash’s running fastbreak three’s were? Of Book’s 12 running jump shot and running pull-up jump shot’s from three this past season – he made 11. A rate of 91.7%.
9. Book attempted 30 three’s from the left corner and 29 from the right corner. However, he converted 17 from the right corner for a 58.6% shooting percentage, and only 7 from the left for a much weaker 23.3% shooting percentage.
10. The longest three Booker made all season was from 33 feet out, less than a step in from the outside of the right side of the fireball Suns logo that adorns Talk Stick Resort Arena’s halfcourt. The shot came very late in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards and left his hand with 9.0 seconds remaining, and went through the hoop with about 7.4 seconds remaining. The shot pulled the Suns to within a 127-129, deficit, however Phoenix would go on to lose, 131-127.