New Orleans Pelicans: Why the Pelicans should not give up on Lonzo Ball
New Orleans Pelicans: The signs are there from three for Lonzo Ball
Ball’s three-point shooting has served as a bulwark for his most strident critics throughout his NBA career, but it is very possible that he has turned a corner in that area for the New Orleans Pelicans.
After shooting over 37 percent from deep last season, Ball’s numbers beyond the arc have regressed to 30 percent. It sounds and looks counterproductive, but a few things have to be taken into account here.
The most simple one is the work that has gone into bettering Ball’s shooting mechanics. He has worked fervently with Pelicans assistant coach Fred Vinson to revamp his shot and the result is a much easier, smoother stroke.
The difference between Ball and Brandon Ingram, who also worked closely with Vinson, is that Ingram’s work off the court is being translated into numbers on the court. The Pelicans forward is shooting a career-high in field goals and three-pointers. This uptick is yet to happen for Ball, but I don’t think it’s unrealistic to check back in a few months and see a comparable improvement.
I believe Ball’s three-point “struggles” have been compounded by a single awful streak. Ball has missed three games this season because of injury. It just so happens that, counting the two games before his absence and the one upon his return, he shot 14 percent from three. Without those three games on his record, Ball would be up to 39 percent on his three-pointers on fairly high volume—a figure I believe more accurately reflects where his shot is at.
It is also crucial to mention the suboptimal role Ball plays on this Pelicans team, which did not change in the New Orleans Pelicans win over the Bucks despite his improved performance. Ball is used as a floor spacer and spot-up shooter for long stretches of games. I have previously written about how this Ball thrives on pace, spacing, and movement—but Stan Van Gundy does not appear primed to make any changes soon, so it is what it is right now.
That leaves Ball taking a career-high number of shots from deep while not having much of a chance to get into his own rhythm. Over 61 percent of Ball’s shots are threes and he has more catch-and-shoot attempts than anyone on the New Orleans squad. He is also second in pull-up threes, which he makes at a very good 39 percent clip.