The Wizards had the NBA’s worst preseason 3-point percentage, but they’re not discouraged

When Washington Wizards Coach Scott Brooks encouraged his players before preseason to go toward the basket or take a step or two back from their beloved long midrange sweet spots, he didn't think they'd catch on this quick. Players immediately embraced the new mind-set, and during the five exhibition games, Washington ranked second overall in the NBA in shooting (48.5 percent) - certainly, the result of decreasing midrange shots and driving more frequently to the basket.

The Wizards might have seen immediate success by inching closer to the rim, but the move to the perimeter wasn't as easy.


Although very few conclusions can be drawn from the preseason, Washington ranked last among the 30 NBA teams in three-point shooting at 27.8 percent. Several international clubs, like the Wizards' opponent last Friday night, also played in exhibition matchups.

All-star Bradley Beal, who averaged the most three-point attempts on the team but shot just 32 percent from distance, considered Washington's low three-point percentage as just a part of the five-game dress rehearsal.


"Shots are going to go in," Beal said. "Make shots, miss shots, but as long as they're great shots - you rep those everyday in practice, so it's just a matter of time when you're knocking those in."

The team's percentage wasn't due to a lack of trying or even from jacking up bad shots. The Wizards appreciated playing under Brooks's blessings for more threes and lofted the sixth-highest deep attempts per game in the NBA (36.0). Most of the shots were open looks or shots coming off extra passes.

Looking back on the attempts, Brooks saw more than a sub-30-percent success rate. He saw an improving offense.

"I like the ball movement. I like the guys' body movement. I think the guys are really picking things up offensively," Brooks said Friday night. "We haven't made a lot of shots but that's not the end of the world. That comes and goes as the season go along. I think we just have to continue to trust the pass and play with the pass and continue to look for great shots.


"I think it could play better, there's areas to improve," Brooks said of the offense. "But overall, I think our shots are good and our threes - I didn't think that we would take this many threes this early on. I thought we would have to continue to reinforce it but hopefully, this is who we are. We can take good shots, particularly from the three."

The team's passing numbers back up Brooks. Washington averaged 28 assists per game, and did so while keeping its normal rotation intact through most of the short schedule. For the Wizards' parade of threes to truly kick in, the ball sharing must continue into the regular season.

In practices, the Wizards strive for a certain type of three-point attempt, one that comes from making an extra pass. When a teammate gets into the paint, draws defensive attention and turns and kicks a pass out to a wide-open shooter waiting from the three-point territory.

"We call it the 'simple threes,' " Brooks said. "Those are the ones that we will make at a high rate and we got really good catch-and-shoot three-point shooters."

Beal can create his own offense as well as spot up, but as one of the team's best shooters, he should benefit from "simple threes," if the Wizards continue to stress the importance of driving and passing. Even so, Beal believes the preseason three-point percentages are not an indication of what's to come in the regular season.

"As long as we shoot with confidence, and they're great, we'll live with the percentage, whatever it is," Beal said. "But we feel confident enough that we have guys that can shoot it well enough to not be in that type of slump the whole year."