Offense has been the name of the game for the Philadelphia 76ers so far this season. Their 5-3 start, which is actually the fruit of their continued down period, is still a relative success early on, and it’s their potent scoring attack that has allowed them to have a winning record through their first eight games.
A big feature of their second-ranked offense is their impressive rise as a three-point shooting group. After being one of the league’s inferior teams in that regard last season, the 76ers now rank fourth in three-point shooting percentage, with a 40 percent advantage over downtown.
However, the 76ers still haven’t maximized that power of theirs when it comes to volume. Despite their notable improvement on that front, they are only 16th in the league when it comes to Rainbow Country tries. The coaching staff will have to double down on their three-point attempts as this time they have the real gunners who are even more formidable.
The 76ers need to lean more on their three-point shooting advantage
Led by Tyrese Maxey, who is second in the league in three-pointers made so far, the 76ers have a lethal platoon of edge shooters. Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie VJ Edgecombe have also shot the three-ball particularly well, while having good volume from the centre.
The 76ers also just got Jared McCain back from injury, and as everyone knows, he’s capable of getting hot quickly from beyond the arc. We haven’t even mentioned Paul George yet, and at this point in his career his three-point shooting is probably his best attribute.
Philly averages 36.3 attempts from three-point range, and as crazy as it may sound, that’s still not a lot. Boston leads the pack with 47 attempts per game, and while the 76ers can’t simply try to match that number by force, a little more heaving from downtown will only help them.
The 76ers are still prone to resorting to iso-ball, which should no longer be a primary refuge for this team. After all, they have a slew of players who thrive primarily on driving to the gap and kicking out. The necessary tools to generate even more three-point shots are already inherent in their makeup.
As the season progresses, the 76ers will have to be even more willing to shoot from beyond three-point range. It has been one of their biggest strengths so far, and it is imperative that they make it an important part of their identity.
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