Los Angeles Lakers: How good of a three-point shooter is D’Angelo Russell?

Area of the Court

Firstly, Russell’s ability to knock down the three varies depending on which area of the court he is shooting from. For example, when Russell shoots from above the break or the middle portion of the court, which is furthest away from the basket, he converts only 34% of the time on a total of 379 field goal attempts. This is best explained by the fact that Russell has virtually no lift on his shot, which can limit the distance from which he is able to shoot.

In contrast, when Russell shoots a three from the right corner, which is closer to the basket and requires less lift upon release, he shot nearly 7% better at a shade under 41% on 22 attempts.

Moreover, the Ohio State product is able to connect from beyond the arc most efficiently from the left corner, as illustrated by the fact that he shot a remarkable 48% on 28 attempts from there this season.

Thus, although it is a small sample size, it is clear that Russell is more effective from the corners as opposed to a more central area of the floor.