
Three-point shooting
For a variety of reasons that have been covered ad nauseam, the Charlotte Hornets were one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA last season. Charlotte’s 33% conversion rate from deep was the second-worst in the league, and their 10.7 makes tied for the third-fewest with Toronto. It was beyond obvious that the Hornets needed some help.
Brandon Miller is averaging two made threes per contest, the second-most in the league among rookies. Miller’s 42.1% conversion rate from beyond the arc is the second-best mark for rookies who are averaging more than 20 minutes per game. The Alabama product’s 4.8 three-point attempts per contest are behind only New Orleans’ Jordan Hawkins (7.0).
When comparing Miller’s performance from deep to some of his Hornets’ teammates, he does stand out, and for a good reason. Miller is tied with LaMelo Ball and P.J. Washington in made threes per game and is second in three-point percentage (behind Gordon Hayward’s 50% on two attempts per game).
Even though Miller’s start has been impressive so far, some of his fellow Hornets are not helping their cause in the three-point department. Charlotte’s 9.3 made threes and 30.1% conversion rate are only better than the league’s worst team in this area (Portland). The Hornets should become better as the season progresses, hopefully with Miller playing a significant role in that turnaround.