Head coach Kenny Atkinson believes the Brooklyn Nets’ three-point shooting woes will subside as the season progresses.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently the 27th-ranked three-point shooting team in the NBA, connecting on just 33.4% of shots from distance. However, Kenny Atkinson told Brian Lewis of the New York Post that he’s confident that his team will eventually trend upward in that regard.
“Sure, I think there’s a little bit of crisis of confidence, there’s no doubt about it. … But that just happens during an NBA season,” Atkinson said following a 101-89 loss to the Orlando Magic Monday night. “We’re just in a rut. We shot the ball real well early in the season, where we’re not shooting it well now. It’ll come back. I have confidence in these guys.”
The Nets’ inability to shoot efficiently from the three-point line was relevant in their loss to the Magic. In the game, they shot a measly 10-for-47 (21.7%).
Oddly enough, despite the team’s inefficiency, the Nets are sixth in the NBA in terms of three-point attempts. Under the Atkinson regime, they’ve never been ones to shy away from the perimeter. With analytics playing a major role in how the Nets play on both ends of the court, that’s unlikely to end.
It should also be noted that injuries have played a significant role in Brooklyn’s shooting woes. With Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert both in the lineup, the Nets were third in the NBA in three-point percentage (38.7%).
However, injuries aside, such a deficiency in perimeter shooting will not translate over to success for this roster, as constructed. Players and teams—for that matter—go through slumps, such is unavoidable. Hopefully, this “rut” concludes sooner than later. They’ll need shots to fall if they want to halt this six-game skid.
