When D’Angelo Russell made his first seven 3-point attempts against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, it was a hot streak, but it wasn’t an aberration. It was in fact just part of a surge from beyond the 3-point arc by the Nets guard.
Over Brooklyn’s last 10 games, Russell is over 40 percent from 3-point range, capped off by his 32-point outing against Toronto, his third 30-point game as a Net and first since returning from a knee injury two months ago.
“You put in work, you trust your craft, and the basketball gods make it go through,” said Russell. “Other than that, it’s simple.”
The All-Star break and Russell’s return to the starting lineup offer a clear break in his 3-point shooting performance since his return to action on Jan. 19. In his first 13 games through the All-Star break, Russell shot 25 percent on 4.3 3-point attempts per game. Beginning against Charlotte on Feb. 22 in the Nets’ first game after the All-Star break, Russell is shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range on 7.2 attempts per game. That’s two more per game than he’s been attempting over the course of the full season.
“I wish I had the numbers to back it up, I think he’s shooting more catch-and-shoot 3s,” said Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. “That was kind of the message. Less off the dribble, contested ones. Trust the catch-and-shoot. Higher percentage shot for him. He’s a heck of a shooter. I think part of that too is taking better shots. He’s definitely taking better ones I think.”
Against Toronto on Tuesday, Russell’s first three makes were catch-and-shoot attempts – one in each corner, then a kick-out from Allen Crabbe high on the left side. In a groove, Russell flowed from there, working around Dante Cunningham ball screens for the next two, pulling up with space in transition, then taking advantage of a mismatch on the perimeter against Serge Ibaka.
The 32-point, 7-for-12 3-point shooting night followed a 26-point game against Philadelphia in which Russell shot 4-for-8 from 3-point range.
Russell arrived in Brooklyn as a 35-percent career 3-point shooter after two years in Los Angeles, but Atkinson sees a much higher ceiling for the smooth lefty.
“Area of improvement is to be a 40-percent shooter,” said Atkinson. “The way he lets it go, he’s got nice form. It’s taking quality shots, to me, less off-the-dribble difficult ones and more catch-and-shoot. Sometimes shot selection can help you improve your percentage.”