The Memphis Grizzlies are a legit 3-point shooting team
For the first time in almost 20 years, the Memphis Grizzlies are trending towards having an elite 3-point shooting team. With the personnel and system in play, it feels legitimate.
The Memphis Grizzlies have developed a scorching offense that doesn’t resemble anything like we’re used to seeing on Beale Street. So many moving parts exist in this phenomena — historic pace, unconventional player movement, and remarkable finishing in the paint. However, let’s digest another key component for the not-your-older-sibling’s Grizzlies: 3-point shooting.
Outside shooting had been an achilles heel since the Grit ‘n’ Grind era. The 2013 Spurs crammed the paint to double Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and to shut down driving lanes for Mike Conley — without reputable accurate volume shooters to make them pay. Then in 2015, the Warriors capitalized on Tony Allen’s lack of shooting — and hurt hamstring — by having Andrew Bogut “guard” him and effectively have him roam to whoever had the ball between Gasol and Randolph.
On to the Next-Gen Grizzlies, they’ve done a little bit better from beyond the arc — targeting and developing shooting talent on the wing in Desmond Bane, De’Anthony Melton, Grayson Allen, and Luke Kennard. The “take more 3’s to make more 3’s” approach from Taylor Jenkins helps as well. However, they have never trended toward the top of the league in volume and accuracy within the NBA’s 3-point boom. It might be a byproduct of a star that’s more of a paint punisher, a paint-bound big usually on the floor at all times, and inaccurate volume shooters manning the 3.
This year’s Grizzlies team is bucking its 3-point trends. For the first time since the 2007-08 season, the Grizzlies are in the top-10 in 3-point percentage — as they’re making 37.4 of their 3’s, good for 7th in the NBA. They’re also 13th in the league in attempts per game at 37.4.
When I wrote my quadrant observations 25 games into the season, 3-point shooting was an area for improvement — calling out the shooting distribution, mainly with who’s shooting 3’s and the desire for Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard to shoot more of them. With this overarching point:
“Since the 2020-21 season, each championship team has been in the top-5 in either 3-point percentage or attempts per game. This isn’t my usual ‘the Grizzlies need to take more 3’s’ take. However, if the Grizzlies get better shooting production from its key perimeter weapons — or seek outside shooting reinforcements at the deadline — it’ll propel their half-court offense and championship hopes.”
Let’s fast forward. Since then, the Grizzlies are 1st in 3-point percentage, drilling 39.5 percent of their 3’s over the past month and a half, while shooting 38.5 attempts per game (10th in the NBA).
When analyzing their hot shooting month, it starts at their core shooters: Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard. In this span, Luke Kennard is shooting 53.3% from 3 on 5.3 attempts per game, and Desmond Bane is making 43.9% of his 3’s on 5.9 attempts per game. They’re a reliable, flame-throwing duo that can buoy a good shooting team.
Bane quickly asserted himself as one of the league’s best shooters when he entered the league. In 2023 though, they needed more shooting help, as Bane was the only consistent source of shooting. Insert Kennard — at the time of acquiring him, the 2 players were 5th and 6th respectively in 3-point percentage.
With Bane and Kennard, the Grizzlies have two lethal shooters that can be used in different actions.
Bane is the more potent weapon, as defenders also have to respect his downhill attack. His growth as a live-dribble creation not only enables his driving, but his outside shooting. He’s currently shooting 40.5% (37 attempts) as a pick-and-roll ball-handler in 120 possessions, while making 44.4% of his 3’s (18 attempts) off screens (33 plays), per Synergy Sports. His footwork in these situations pop off the page, as he’s nailing down how to create space with his step-back jumper. Though I’m of the belief he should hunt even more 3’s, Bane is a knockdown shooter that has become a big-time creator, too.
Kennard’s shooting prowess is historically good. He’s currently shooting 49% from 3 on 4.6 attempts per game this season. Not only would he tie Steph Curry for the most seasons shooting 45% from 3 on at least 3.5 attempts, but he’d become the 1st player in NBA history to make 49% of his 3’s on at least 4 attempts per game in multiple seasons — if these numbers hold. After briefly being out of the rotation, Kennard found his groove and became more assertive as a shooter. With how he’s hunting shots, and how he’s performed as a playmaker, he gives the Grizzlies another weapon to run actions for.
“Coaches and my teammates keep telling me to be aggressive. I’m looking to hunt shots whenever I can,” Kennard said.
A key component in the Grizzlies’ 3-point surge is the emergence of Jaylen Wells within the team’s shooting core. The rookie is connecting on 38.8% of his 3’s on 5.1 attempts per game. For context, the only other rookies since 2014-2015 to shoot better from 3 on a similar clip are Landry Shamet, Keegan Murray, Tyrese Haliburton, and Tyler Herro. His outside jumper at his size on three wing helped propel him into draft conversations, shooting 41.9% from 3 at Washington State and 44.3% from 3 in his final season at Sonoma State . While his defensive stopping has secured him a starting spot, his shooting has been just as valuable.
Wells’ ability to get his shot off has been an indispensable factor in this Grizzlies’ offense. Closeouts don’t affect his shooting because of his size, and he can generate some sweet buckets in the midst of contact as a result. In addition, his mechanics are smooth and repeatable. This combination at 6’7” is valuable for a 3-and-D wing, as it just represents unshakable confidence — a huge trait within Wells’ game and character, and a necessity in Taylor Jenkins’ “let it fly” philosophy.
“They give me all the confidence,” Wells said. “Even when I miss, they keep swinging the ball back to me. “Being able to shoot those confidently and they’re fine with me shooting that is pretty cool.”
Intersecting the three, they run the floor well in transition to position themselves for good looks from 3 — whether it’s filling space in the corners, or hunting 3’s themselves. They’re all shooting at least 44.4% on transition 3’s, per Synergy Sports. Good shooters leveraging their jumpers in transition not only leads to easy shots beyond the arc, but defenses also have to respect them, and it leads to opportunities at the rim, too.
Also, it’s so cold-blooded how Desmond Bane slams on the brakes in transition to fire 3’s.
The hunting mindset also shows in early offense, as these 3 players target triples quickly in the clock.
The shooting prowess of Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, and Jaylen Wells gives the Grizzlies a high-floor for good shooting each night.
“If they’re consistent, and other people have good nights here and there, it’s a crazy percentage,” Jaren Jackson Jr. said.
And with “other people” Jaren alluded to, they have a lot of solid moving parts that could lead to great shooting nights we’ve seen recently.
Starting with Jackson, he, Aldama and Huff have become a three-headed monster in the frontcourt when it becomes to letting it fly. This year, 13 players 6’10” or taller have made 60 or more 3’s. The Grizzlies have 3 of them — Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Jay Huff. Only the Denver Nuggets — with Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. — join them as the only teams with multiple players in this query. Their percentages may not be great, but they’re respectable enough to keep defenses honest:
Jackson at 35.5%
Aldama at 36.7%
Huff at 41.7% (the exception to the “may not be great” tag)
How they get their shots off pops off the page. Jackson is the ideal trailer and popper. Jackson’s ascending live-dribble creation keeps defenses on their toes, as he can leverage it to generate space from 3.
Aldama masquerades as a 7’0” wing, and he can get his shot off among whatever pressure, since his size and release point are high and relatively unblockable.
Huff is like the pinch hitter — he may not be in sharpie in the rotation, but when he gets his number called, he can pop off every now and then. Whether it’s as a trailer or in catch-and-shoot, he has this quick release that almost resembles a “pop a shot” motion.
While their outside jumpers may not be there every night to the extent of its shooting core, they all have an ability to get hot from deep and really swing games as a result.
Finally, a quick highlight to two low-volume, high-accuracy shooters. Jake LaRavia has become the level of shooter people envisioned when the Grizzlies drafted him in 2022. He’s knocking down 43.7% of his 3’s on 2 attempts per game. The volume looks a bit low, but his overall shot quantity isn’t high either (5.4 field goal attempted per game). Though his role in the offense is rather limited from a scoring standpoint, it’s a sign that he’s making the most of his opportunities to create high-value shots.
Can’t talk about accurate low-volume shooters without Zach Edey. Prior to the draft, whether it was Edey or Donovan Clingan, I said their team should have them shoot 1 three a game their rookie year. Edey is hitting that threshold at 1.1 trey tries per game, and hitting them at a 38.9% clip. He shouldn’t totally abandon his interior game to be a skyscraper floor-spacer, but the three-ball has served as a nice change-up for Edey and the Grizzlies’ offense, as his man is often not guarding him from beyond the arc.
This isn’t to say the Grizzlies don’t have any shooting trouble. They will have to navigate having two suboptimal shooters as its lead guards in Ja Morant and Marcus Smart. Then Brandon Clarke is a non-shooter, and while Edey is shooting the occasional 3, he typically hangs out near the low block and dunker spot. However, the Grizzlies have its deepest personnel of shooters in quite some time.
The Grizzlies also deploy its shooting talent with a great system predicated around motion, ball movement, and space creation. Taylor Jenkins credits their shooting rhythm to great pace and movement in the half-court.
“When we’re playing at that speed, your vision just opens up — you see more driving lanes and passing lanes,” Jenkins said. “When we’re playing at pace, then we get those rhythm shots. That has enhanced our guys’ ability to be confident from the 3-point line.”
They take advantage of defensive shifts, especially off drives, to cut and find space. It’s been a key cog in their offense.
“It’s a lot of body movement and ball movement,” Luke Kennard said. “When a guy makes a play or drives, we trust each other to be in the right spots. And that just comes with the offense we’ve installed since training camp. It creates a lot of open shots for us.”
Pointing out a specific example…
As Bane gets downhill, he triggers the drive-and-kick, and finds Wells. The rookie drives left, and Kennard slots back to the left wing. When Jackson gets the ball and drive, Bane moves to the open right wing to get into a passing window. Bane attacks the closeout, and Kennard cuts back to the left wing for the open 3 — taking advantage of a ball-watching defender.
Jaren Jackson draws the isolation into the high post-up. Bane’s man comes from the nail to double. Meanwhile, as Bane drifts closer, Wells’ defender rotates over to him. Wells flashes to the paint, leading to the defender gambling for the steal. Because of the gamble, the low big has to help, leaving Kennard wide-open for 3. A wonderful byproduct of surrounding your primary offensive weapons with deft shooting.
“3’s open it all up, because then they got to run us off at times,” Jackson said.
For all the reservations people have about the offense, its impact with its offense — particularly with the outside shooting — is undeniable.
“It’s a big reason why we’ve had the success that we’ve had,” Bane said “Everybody buying into it, getting better in it and understand what works and what doesn’t work. This is just a product of it.”
Obviously, people want to ensure the 3-point shooting leap is sustainable. I’m bullish on its 3-point prowess. The Grizzlies have a good infrastructure for its 3-point shooting with its personnel and system. This breakdown didn’t even include GG Jackson and Vince Williams — league-average volume shooters — returning and getting their grooves back over the coming weeks. Looking to next season and beyond, Cam Spencer lingers as a knockdown shooter. Overall, their personnel consists of three consistently potent 3-point weapons, three floor-spacing bigs, and a few low-volume shooters that make the most of their attempts. With a motion-based offense, the team chases space, identifying spots on the floor where they can best receive the ball for a clear shot. It all ties together quite well.
For the first time in forever, the Memphis Grizzlies are a great 3-point shooting team, and it feels legitimate — and it could be a key in finding success with their halfcourt offense in the playoffs.
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