Lakers’ Three-Point Shooting: Mediocre or Just Underperforming?
Are the Lakers lacking in shooting skill, or do they simply have capable shooters who aren’t living up to expectations beyond the arc? This question might play a critical role in their success as they head into the second half of the season, starting with their upcoming game against the Clippers at home.
As of Friday, the Lakers were sitting at 21st in the league with a 35% 3-point shooting percentage. This is actually lower than last season’s 36.6%, which ranked them 14th, and far from the 37.7% that put them at 8th the year before.
Despite the concerns surrounding their perimeter shooting contributing to offensive struggles, there’s a bit of optimism among fans that their outside shooting could improve as the regular season winds down.
Before the break, the Lakers managed to shoot 37% from the field across 19 games, landing them at seventh in the league. Earlier, they had one of the worst shooting percentages at just 33.9% during the first 35 games. Admittedly, injuries played a big role during that time frame.
The Lakers excel in pull-up 3-pointers, attempting 12.2 per game—fifth in the league. However, these shots are naturally more challenging and come with a lower success rate compared to catch-and-shoot attempts. This means they face an uphill battle when it comes to improving their overall shooting percentage.
If players can maintain or enhance their shooting rates—like aiming for 37% on catch-and-shoot 3s instead of the 34.8% they suffered last month—they could see better results moving forward.
There are plenty of factors suggesting that improvement is within reach.
Notably, many of the Lakers’ high-volume shooters, including LeBron James and Luka Doncic, have not been performing at their usual levels with catch-and-shoot attempts this season. Even Luke Kennard, who has been the most accurate 3-point shooter in the league, has struggled since joining the Lakers prior to Friday’s game.
The poor performance on catch-and-shoot opportunities began to ease for the Lakers before the break. With the team getting healthier, there’s a renewed sense of confidence that they can turn things around, even if some players—like Rui Hachimura—start reverting to more typical stats.
Interestingly, the Lakers have demonstrated that high-level 3-point shooting isn’t necessary for effective offense. They’ve been strong inside the arc and have consistently drawn fouls to get to the free throw line.
Yet, sustained success from beyond the arc could be the key to elevating their offense from good to great. They seem to be aiming for that next level, striving to fulfill the potential many believe they possess.
