3-point assists

I remember way back when we traded for Kyle Lowry, one of the selling points was that he was really good at getting his teammates good 3-point looks. So far this year, he's 4th in the league in 3-point assists, which I think helps offset his own individual deficiencies in 3-point shooting. Last year, if you're wondering, he was 9th. Brooks doesn't get nearly as many 3-point assists, but he does lead the team in assists to shots at the rim (15th in the league) which is also very important.

Hoopdata breaks down assists by the distance of the field goal make. Here are the per-minute numbers for players who've played at least 15 mpg:

http://www.hoopdata.com/passingstats.aspx?team=%&type=pm&posi=%&yr=2011&gp=0&mins=15

Code:

     [B]Player Name          Tm     Pos   GP   Min   AST     AST+    AST2    AST3[/B] 
1    Jameer Nelson        ORL    PG    15   29.7  9.3     11      5.9     3.3
2    Steve Nash           PHO    PG    15   34.1  11.3    12.9    8       3.3
3    Chris Duhon          ORL    PG    17   18.4  7.3     8.9     4.1     3.2
<font style="background:yellow">4    Kyle Lowry           HOU    PG    13   31.7  8.1     9.6     5       3.1</font>
5    Tony Parker          SAS    PG    17   34.4  8.5     10      5.4     3
6    Ty Lawson            DEN    PG    16   24.5  6.6     8.1     3.7     3
7    Rajon Rondo          BOS    PG    14   39    14.4    15.9    11.5    2.9
8    Chris Paul           NOR    PG    17   34.5  11.9    13.3    9.1     2.8
9    T.J. Ford            IND    PG    16   22.5  6.7     8.1     3.9     2.8
10   Darren Collison      IND    PG    13   28.5  6.2     7.5     3.5     2.7
11   Luke Ridnour         MIN    PG    12   26.8  6.1     7.4     3.4     2.6
12   Jason Kidd           DAL    PG    17   33.6  11.4    12.7    8.9     2.5
13   Sebastian Telfair    MIN    PG    17   24.7  7       8.2     4.5     2.5
14   Derrick Rose         CHI    PG    14   39.2  8.4     9.6     5.8     2.5
15   Goran Dragic         PHO    PG    17   17.2  7.7     8.9     5.2     2.5
16   John Wall            WAS    PG    10   38.2  9.5     10.7    7.2     2.3
17   Tyreke Evans         SAC    PG    15   36.7  6.2     7.3     3.9     2.3
18   Raymond Felton       NYK    PG    19   37.9  8.5     9.6     6.3     2.2
19   D.J. Augustin        CHA    PG    17   35.2  8.3     9.4     6       2.2
20   Monta Ellis          GSW    SG    18   39.1  5.1     6.1     3       2.1
21   LeBron James         MIA    SF    18   37.7  8.2     9.2     6.1     2
22   Devin Harris         NJN    PG    18   31.7  8.4     9.4     6.3     2
23   Andre Miller         POR    PG    17   33.5  9       10      7       2
24   Russell Westbrook    OKC    PG    18   37.3  9.2     10.1    7.3     1.9
25   Deron Williams       UTH    PG    19   38    10.4    11.3    8.3     1.9
<font style="background:yellow">26   Ishmael Smith        HOU    PG    15   15.5  7.1     8       5.2     1.9</font>
27   Brandon Jennings     MIL    PG    17   35.3  6.5     7.4     4.5     1.9
28   Will Bynum           DET    PG    14   18.1  4.6     5.5     2.7     1.9
29   Kobe Bryant          LAL    SG    18   33.6  5.6     6.5     3.6     1.9
30   Terrence Williams    NJN    SF    8    19.8  6.1     7       4.3     1.8
31   Mo Williams          CLE    PG    13   25.3  7.7     8.6     5.8     1.8
32   Jerryd Bayless       TOR    PG    3    16    6.7     7.5     5       1.7
33   Ramon Sessions       CLE    PG    17   23.5  7.2     8.1     5.5     1.7
34   Carmelo Anthony      DEN    SF    16   35.1  3.8     4.7     2.1     1.7
35   Jose Juan Barea      DAL    PG    17   18.9  6.9     7.7     5.2     1.6
36   Jose Calderon        TOR    PG    17   24.1  9.9     10.6    8.3     1.6
37   Joe Johnson          ATL    SG    18   35.6  5.9     6.7     4.3     1.6
38   Tracy McGrady        DET    SG    18   16.8  4.4     5.1     2.8     1.6
39   Vince Carter         ORL    SG    14   28.3  3.4     4.2     1.8     1.6
40   Jordan Farmar        NJN    PG    18   23.6  7.4     8.2     5.8     1.6
41   Grant Hill           PHO    SF    17   29.8  3.3     4.1     1.7     1.6
42   Chauncey Billups     DEN    PG    14   32.2  6.1     6.9     4.5     1.6
43   Steve Blake          LAL    PG    17   19.7  4.3     5.1     2.7     1.6
44   Manu Ginobili        SAS    SG    17   33.2  6       6.7     4.3     1.5
45   Stephen Curry        GSW    PG    16   33.8  6.8     7.5     5.3     1.5
46   Rodney Stuckey       DET    PG    18   30.7  6.4     7.1     4.9     1.5
47   J.R. Smith           DEN    SG    14   21.4  3.7     4.5     2.3     1.5
48   Ronny Turiaf         NYK    C     14   22.7  4.5     5.3     3       1.5
49   James Anderson       SAS    SG    6    17.7  3.4     4.2     1.9     1.5
50   Delonte West         BOS    SG    5    17.4  4.6     5.3     3.2     1.4
51   Mike Conley          MEM    PG    18   36    7.3     8.1     5.9     1.4
52   Jason Terry          DAL    SG    17   33.1  5.6     6.3     4.2     1.4
53   Lamar Odom           LAL    PF    18   35.2  4.2     4.9     2.8     1.4
<font style="background:yellow">54   Aaron Brooks         HOU    PG    5    29.6  7.3     8       5.9     1.4</font>
55   Hedo Turkoglu        PHO    SF    17   27.4  3.4     4.1     2.1     1.4
56   Ben Gordon           DET    SG    18   27.2  3.7     4.4     2.3     1.4
57   J.J. Redick          ORL    SG    15   22.3  3.3     4.1     1.9     1.4
58   Eric Bledsoe         LAC    PG    18   29.4  6.6     7.3     4.9     1.4
59   Kirk Hinrich         WAS    G     16   35.6  5.6     6.3     4.2     1.4
60   Josh Smith           ATL    PF    18   33.3  4.9     5.6     3.5     1.4
61   George Hill          SAS    PG    16   26.4  3.6     4.3     2.2     1.4
62   Jrue Holiday         PHI    PG    18   34.6  8.2     8.8     6.9     1.3
63   Jarrett Jack         TOR    PG    13   26.7  6.8     7.4     5.5     1.3
64   John Salmons         MIL    SG    17   33.5  3.8     4.5     2.5     1.3
65   Daniel Gibson        CLE    PG    17   27.5  5       5.6     3.7     1.3
66   Dwyane Wade          MIA    SG    17   35.7  4.7     5.3     3.4     1.3
67   Toney Douglas        NYK    G     18   23.7  3.4     4       2.1     1.3
68   Tim Duncan           SAS    C     17   29.5  4.4     5       3.2     1.2
69   Al Horford           ATL    C     18   31.8  3.8     4.4     2.7     1.2
70   Amare Stoudemire     NYK    PF    19   36.5  2.7     3.3     1.6     1.2
71   David West           NOR    PF    17   32.8  2.3     2.9     1.1     1.2
72   Andray Blatche       WAS    PF    16   34.6  2.2     2.8     1.1     1.2
73   Pau Gasol            LAL    PF    18   39.5  4.1     4.7     2.9     1.2
74   Troy Murphy          NJN    PF    7    18.4  3.1     3.7     1.9     1.2
75   Alonzo Gee           WAS    SG    4    16.8  1.8     2.4     0.6     1.2
76   Baron Davis          LAC    PG    4    27.3  7.3     7.9     5.9     1.1
77   Danny Granger        IND    SF    16   37.8  3.1     3.7     2       1.1
<font style="background:yellow">78   Brad Miller          HOU    C     16   19    4.9     5.4     3.7     1.1</font>
79   Boris Diaw           CHA    PF    17   35.4  3.9     4.5     2.8     1.1
80   Brandon Bass         ORL    PF    17   20.1  2.2     2.7     1.2     1.1

 

And D'Antoni's system.

 

Mental lapse.

Orlando offense is 3-point friendly also (hence, Jameer Nelson is #1).

 

Good question. My guess is around half of them.

 

Done, thanks.

 

I don't see how that's relevant here, because Kyle Lowry doesn't play in Orlando. Do you mean that Lowry's 3-point assists are inflated on this team?

The main point I was trying to get at was that even though Lowry doesn't shoot the 3-pointer well, he can still help the team's 3-point shooting overall by being adept at finding his perimeter shooters. Its one of the skills the Rockets were intrigued by when they traded for him.

 

Finding spot-up up shooters on kick-outs was one of the things they mentioned a lot when they brought him in.

 

Martin shoots lights out on thee-pointers in transition and in catch-and-shoot spot ups (both over 50%). I'm sure Lowry is also well aware of that, and makes a concerted effort to find him.