ORLANDO – Is Terrence Ross, who scored 24 points against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, the best off-screen shooter in the NBA right now?
An argument can certainly be made that he is, even though there are several others who are also excellent in this category.
Entering Sunday’s NBA action, the Orlando Magic sharpshooter ranked No. 1 in off-screen points. Indiana Pacers swingman Doug McDermott, New Orleans Pelicans veteran J.J. Redick, Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic and Sacramento Kings rising star Buddy Hield round out the top five.
Since Dec. 1, Ross has been scorching hot from beyond the arc. He’s made 40 percent of his threes during this time and 44 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.
It’s amazing how often he makes shots when defenders are draped all over him. The 28-year-old has connected on 47 percent of his threes when a defender is within two feet of him, per Second Spectrum tracking data. The only player in the league who has taken more threes than Ross with a defender contesting this closely is Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, but he’s only shooting 21 percent from downtown in these situations.
Nikola Vucevic, Orlando’s second leading scorer on Saturday with 22 points, is thriving in a particular scoring category as well. A first-time NBA All-Star last season, Vucevic ranks No. 2 in pick-and-roll (roll-man) scoring per game. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana’s budding big man, ranks No. 1. The Magic’s 7-footer led the NBA in total pick-and-roll points last year.