The Los Angeles Lakers entered Friday with the third-best 3-point percentage in the NBA and heated up again in a 112-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, hitting 15 3 at the Staples Center.
LeBron James was responsible for two of them, going 2 to 6 from the depths, which caused his percentage of the season to drop slightly to 38.2% – which would be the second best shooting season in 3 points from his 18-year career should keep it that way.
Earlier this week, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James was “probably the best shooter on our team,” which begs the question: Does James agree with his coach?
“I mean, we have a lot of great shooters on the team, man,” James said. “KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope], a great shooter. Wes Matthews, a great shooter. Kuz [Kyle Kuzma] can shoot the hell out of the ball. Dennis the threat [Dennis Schroder] can shoot the ball. AD [Anthony Davis] can shoot the ball. So we have a lot of great shooters.
Obviously, if someone says ‘bet’, then, obviously, you guys know, I’ll take myself. This is just the competitive nature of me and the work ethic I put into my shot. But I feel really good with the shot right now, both on the free throw line and on the 3-point line, and I want to continue that. “
Davis, who raised his 3-point score from 33% in his first season in LA to 39.4% in the Pelicans game, weakened James a little lower.
“I should say Kenny is always our type, which we’re always looking for in photos,” Davis said, referring to Caldwell-Pope. “Wes is still struggling to find a consistent 3. He got an open look, but I put Wes there. I put Bron in third place, just because he managed to shoot the ball extremely hard this year Okay, Marc [Gasol] he can shoot her. Marc is up there. And then I got up. Dudz [Jared Dudley]. NEEDLE [Alex Caruso]. “
For those who record at home, that is, nine 3-point shooters differentiated from the Lakers co-captains – and they don’t even include guys like Quinn Cook and Markieff Morris, who live beyond the arc when they’re on the court.
Caldwell-Pope, who shot 4-for-6 from 3 on Friday and moved to Metta World Peace for ninth place on the Lakers’ 3-point franchise list, was not ready to crown James as 3- of the team to shoot the king as long as he is involved.
“The numbers don’t lie,” he said, alluding to the best 55.3 percent of his career so far in 3 so far this season. “But I really like LeBron to shoot the ball. He shoots it with a great clip. He knocks them down and it’s fun to see him [success] shooting the ball as well. But we all know, I’m the real shooter, for sure. “
He may have a legitimate claim there, but, as Davis pointed out, everyone also knows that James has certain privileges that Caldwell-Pope will never see.
“You know LeBron will always be up there, because he shoots them a lot, especially when he warms up and starts shooting halfway and stuff like that,” Davis said. “I don’t think the coach will allow Kenny to do that.”