How D’Angelo Russell Transformed Lakers’ 3-Point Game Into Strength

In the 23 games since he returned to the starting lineup, D’Angelo Russell transformed the Los Angeles Lakers’ league-worst 3-point shooting from a major weakness into a newfound strength as L.A. begins their stretch run.

Before DLO turned himself into the high volume, high percentage 3-point bomber the Lakers desperately needed to provide floor spacing for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, L.A. had the worst 3-point game in the league.
Over the last 23 games, the Los Angeles Lakers increased their 3PM per game from 10.9 for first 40 games (#28) to 12.4 (#18), their 3PA per game from 30.4 (#30) to 31.2 (#28), and their 3P% from 35.7%(#20) to 39.7% (#4).

The driving force behind the Lakers’ dramatically better 3-point shooting the last 23 games has been D’Angelo Russell, who transformed himself into the elite high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter L.A. badly missed.
DLO raised his FGA per game from 12.4 for first 40 games to 16.5 (3rd to Davis’ 16.7) over the last 23 games, his minutes per game from 29.1 to 36.1, his 3PA per game from 5.5 to 8.5, and his 3PM per game from 2.2 to 3.7

By reinventing himself as the elusive difference-making volume 3-point shooter the Lakers have desperately needed, DLO has triggered a massive foundational change in the team’s blueprint for how to win NBA games.
Instead of a 10 points per game negative 3-point shooting differential that forced the Lakers to have to dominate PIP and FTM to have any chance to win, the Lakers have slashed that negative 10 ppg in half to just -5 ppg.

The 3-point challenged Lakers are suddenly taking and making more threes and that’s dramatically changed the team’s blueprint to win and renewed the importance of D’Angelo Russell to the franchise future.

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DLO Reinvented Himself As Volume 3-Point Shooter

The Lakers seemingly never-ending search for a difference-making shooter who could revolutionize their 3-point game had been a monumental failure until D’Angelo Russell chose to reinvent himself as the shooter L.A. needed.

That Russell’s on pace to set a new Lakers’ record for 3-point shots made in a season despite only posting volume 3-point shot attempts the last 23 games is testament to just how poor Los Angeles’ 3-point game has been.
After a constant offseason rotation of supposedly lethal 3-point shooters who quickly forgot how to make shots after coming to L.A., the Lakers may have finally found a shooter to bring their offense into the 21st century.

In 23 games since he returned to the Lakers’ starting lineup, D’Angelo Russell has averaged 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 36.1 minutes with elite shooting splits of 46.3/43.9/84.5%.
That’s a big improvement over the first 40 games when he averaged 15.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 29.2 minutes shooting 46.9/39.0/76.6%. More minutes, shots, threes, points per game.

Most importantly, DLO dramatically increased the number of 3-point shots he took. During the first 40 games of the year, he averaged just 2.2 3PM pg out of 5.5 3PA pg for 39.4% from deep, a good but still limited performance.
During the last 23 games of the year, however, Russell not only increased his FGA pg from 12.4 to 16.5 but also increased his 3PA pg from 5.5 to 8.5. In last 23 games, 52% of DLO’s shots were threes vs. 35% first 40 games.

DLO has continued to shine in his new role as the team’s 3rd star and high volume 3-point specialist. By this summer, D’Angelo Russell could be as untouchable as LeBron James and Anthony Davis when it comes to trades.

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DLO Changed Lakers’ Blueprint For Winning Games

The Lakers’ blueprint to win in the four years since LeBron signed has been to win games by dominating PIP (points-in-paint) and FTM (free-throws-made) by more points than they give up in the 3-point shooting battle.

That’s become a more difficult blueprint to follow for the Lakers as teams throughout the league are taking and making more 3-point shots than ever before. Suddenly, Russell’s 3-point game transformation has opened a door.
DLO’s expanded shot-making not only made him so valuable the Lakers were unable to find an acceptable deal to trade him. If he can continue to produce volume 3-point shooting at this level, he may be untouchable.

Everything changed the moment DLO decided the best way for him to succeed next to superstars James and Davis was to take advantage of the attention they attract by being aggressive rather than deferring to them. Playing more minutes and taking the same number of shots per game as the Lakers’ two superstars, DLO has put up legitimate All-Star numbers and reinvented himself after returning to the starting lineup 23 games ago.

During the first 40 games of the season, the Lakers won PIP by 5.6 ppg (54.0–48.4) and FTM by 3.0 ppg (18.8–15.8) but lost 3PM by 10.5 ppg (3*[10.9–14.4]) for a net -1.9 ppg, which resulted in a 19–21 win-loss record.
During the last 23 games, the Lakers totally changed their winning formula. They won PIP by 3.8 ppg (59.2–55.4) and FTM by 4.6 ppg (17.8–13.2) but only lost 3PM by -4.2 ppg (3*[12.4–13.8]) for a net +4.2 ppg and 15–8 record.

DLO’s reinventing himself as the high volume 3-point shooter the Lakers needed has transformed the Lakers from one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league to a team that can suddenly rain threes on opponents.