It only took one game for Luke Kennard to show the Los Angeles Lakers what he can offer. He scored 10 points in 26 minutes, shooting 2-of-4 from beyond the arc in a 105-99 win. Unfortunately, he proceeded to attempt just 1.9 three-point field goals per game over his next seven appearances—never once reaching the four he posted in his team debut.
Thankfully, the past two games have seen Kennard right the ship, refocus his attention on his primary skill, and give the Lakers exactly what they need: An elite shooter who's willing to shoot.
Kennard posted 16 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 27 minutes as the Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-101. He shot 6-of-10 from the field and, more importantly, buried four of his seven attempts from beyond the arc.
A day later, Kennard remained aggressive with 11 points, five assists, one rebound, one block, and a steal while shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range.
It was a refreshing development that saw Kennard make as many threes in two games as he'd made in his first eight with the Lakers—combined. More importantly, he'd attempted 11 treys in his previous six games and reached 12 in the aforementioned two-game stretch.
Though there may not always be space for Kennard to attempt seven threes, the Lakers can't look back after finally creating a strategy that sees their resident sharpshooter prioritize the three.
Luke Kennard is finally shooting 3s and Lakers can't let it stop
Los Angeles is currently No. 23 in three-point field goals made per game and No. 24 in attempts. It's also No. 17 in three-point field goal percentage, thus signaling how it ranks no better than the bottom half of the NBA in any general area revolving around the three-ball.
What may be most alarming of all, however, is the fact that the Lakers have three downhill scorers and playmakers, yet rank No. 29 in the NBA in catch-and-shoot three-point field goals made per game.
Kennard, meanwhile, currently ranks No. 1 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage. He's shooting an absurd 49.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes. Both of those facts lend themselves to helping the Lakers address a pressing issue.
The unfortunate truth about Kennard is that he shares one of the Lakers' most frustrating tendencies: A lack of volume as a shooter at just 3.2 three-point field goal attempts per game.
Thankfully, the past two outings have signaled a shift in ideology from both Kennard and the Lakers. In addition to his own increase in volume, Los Angeles attempted 39 and 41 three-point field goals during that brief stretch—a drastic increase from their season average of 33.5.
If Kennard and the Lakers continue to shoot with volume, then the rest of their offense should take shape and their rise to contender status should be expedited.