Why they are winning: The Phoenix Suns are a good 3-point shooting team again
By Adam Maynes
Mikal Bridges Phoenix Suns (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Who needs to improve their 3-point shot
Second-year forward Mikal Bridges shot an okay 33.5% from beyond the arc last season, although not bad considering the awfulness of the offense all together.
However, this season, Bridges has not been able to find his outside shot, making just 3-15 for a paltry 20.0%.
Phoenix Suns
One has to think that that percentage will go up to some degree (and will probably creep it’s way back up into the 30’s), however, with such a good offensive rookie season, to see that percentage drop as far as it has thus far, especially in an offense that absolutely should not allow any individual players to take such a step back, this is a disappointing development thus far.
The other surprise negative (especially considering the success of Baynes) is that of Frank Kaminsky.
Of course, he is and was not expected to be a dominant offensive force.
That said, shooting 20.0% from beyond the arc this season thus far is absolutely hurting his chances of seeing consistent, regular minutes, especially when Ayton returns.
Kaminsky has been so poor, in fact, that the two 3’s that he made against the Lakers (on three attempts), were the first outside shots that he has made since October 28. In total, having played in all ten games, he has only made a 3-pointer in three, having missed his prior 13 over the five games before the L.A. encounter.
It is not as if too that he is a poor shooter either. 34.4% for the career of a center is not bad at all, and that is on the heels of shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc combined in 2017-19 before signing with Phoenix.
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The Phoenix Suns’ winning should not come at a surprise when considering how efficient of a 3-point shooting team they have been to start this season.
One would have to think then too that if the overall shooting does continue to remain at a rate similar to that which they are shooting now, that the wins will continue to pile up. Let us hope that that is absolutely the case.