Latest news with #3pointshooting
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Troubling Caitlin Clark Issue Emerges After Missing Five Straight Fever Games
Troubling Caitlin Clark Issue Emerges After Missing Five Straight Fever Games originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA last year after a sensational college career at Iowa, her biggest skill was thought to be her 3-point shooting. Advertisement After all, she made 37.7% of her 10.4 3-point attempts a game while at Iowa, and her ability to hit shots from the suburbs with a defender in her face helped her become the NCAA's all-time leading career scorer. But so far as a pro player, Clark's outside shooting has been inconsistent, and it has boiled down to whether she has been in the 317 area code. A ClutchPoints post on X pointed out that at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of her Indiana Fever, Clark has made a sterling 44% of her 3-point attempts. But away from there, she is just 1-of-28 from beyond the arc so far this season. Overall, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds a game this season. She's second in the WNBA in assists average, but her shooting has been as uneven as the temperature of food cooked in an old microwave. Advertisement She's currently at just 39% overall and 29.5% from downtown. Her 2-point shooting accuracy is at 50.8%, which illustrates how much her inconsistency from beyond the arc has been the problem. Interestingly, last year, she actually shot better from 3-point land on the road than at home — 36.7% versus 32.3%, to be exact. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22)Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Lately, Clark has had an additional problem — injuries. She has appeared in just nine games so far due to multiple ailments, although it looks like she's nearing a return from a strained groin. Somehow, the Fever have been winning games without her. While they hold a mediocre 9-9 record, they have taken eight of their last 13 games, which doesn't include their victory in the Commissioner's Cup final last week over the Minnesota Lynx. Advertisement Related: WNBA Applauds Indiana Fever Star After Blowout Over Aces This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Al Arabiya
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Malik Beasley Should Be in High Demand After a Career Season. Off-Court Issues Are Changing That
Malik Beasley should be riding high right now after a season where he became just the fifth player in NBA history to make at least 300 shots from 3-point range in a single season. Instead, his future seems very uncertain. He's a free agent and facing some serious off-court issues–including being part of an investigation surrounding what's believed to be unusual betting patterns on games and now some unrelated legal matters involving his personal finances. Beasley was a key part of the Detroit Pistons this past season, averaging 16.3 points per game for a team that made the playoffs and was one of the feel-good stories in the NBA–winning 44 games after winning only 14 in the previous season. Some questions and answers about Beasley's current situations and his future: What are the gambling-related allegations? Beasley has not been charged with any crime. Federal investigators, who have not commented publicly, are looking into betting patterns surrounding some games Beasley played in during the 2023–24 season when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks. The primary focus of the probe is what are called prop bets, ones where bettors can wager if a player will go over or under a certain statistical total–like will he score more than 10.5 points, grab 5.5 or more rebounds, that sort of thing. It is similar to other investigations–such as the one that led to the banning of then-Toronto player Jontay Porter from the league. Terry Rozier, who plays for the Miami Heat, was a subject of a similar probe surrounding part of his time with the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier was never charged and never faced any penalty from the NBA. ESPN reported that one game in question surrounded Beasley's performance on January 31, 2024, and in particular whether he would get more or less than 2.5 rebounds. Bettors, ESPN was told, wagered large sums that he would not get that many rebounds. But Beasley got six rebounds that night, meaning those under bets did not pay out. What are Beasley's off-court legal issues? News of the gambling probe broke on Sunday, followed by news of lawsuits two days later–including one brought by a sports representation agency that is seeking more than $2 million in damages. That suit, brought by Hazan Sports Management Group, says Beasley breached his contract and failed to fully repay a $650,000 advance, among other issues. Beasley and that agency parted ways in recent months even though it negotiated a $6 million contract for him to play with the Pistons this past season. 'I have been with Malik for a long time. I have seen a lot of people around him come and go, but I have stayed away from any of his financial management or mismanagement or decisions he would make with money,' Beasley's criminal defense lawyer, Steve Haney, told The Detroit News. 'I'm his lawyer. I don't get involved in his finances,' Haney told the newspaper. 'You hope to get them around the best business people and planners and management people. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.' Other issues that were revealed were issues with rent payments, along with a settlement with a dentist and even a barber who works with a number of NBA players. What are his NBA prospects now? The NBA has seen a huge spike in dependency on the 3-point shot in recent years, and Beasley–who made 319 of them this past season, one back of Minnesota's Anthony Edwards for the most in the league–is an elite 3-point shooter. Only two players have made more than 1,000 3s over the last four seasons. Golden State's Stephen Curry, the league's all-time 3-point king, is one. Beasley is the other. This means Beasley should be in high demand given the fact that he has a skill all teams crave. And the Pistons, according to a person with knowledge of the talks, were prepared to offer Beasley a three-year contract to stay. But given the seriousness of the issues that have come up in recent days, those talks cooled. On Tuesday, Detroit struck a deal to bring in former Miami guard Duncan Robinson–another elite 3-point shooter–after striking a three-year deal. Beasley is a free agent, meaning he can sign with any team. Outside of the off-court concerns, here's another problem: Very few teams have the means available under the salary cap to give a new player a contract in the range of what Beasley would be worth, which is probably in the $15 million annually range. He may have to accept something much, much smaller–possibly even a minimum deal of about $3 million–to have a chance with a team next season.
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Paige Bueckers commends how Caitlin Clark handles ‘inhumane' pressure amid her 3-point shooting slump
In Caitlin Clark's last three games played, she shot 1-for-23 from the 3-point line, a stark contrast from the dazzling logo 3s and big-time buckets fans are accustomed to seeing from the Indiana Fever star. Clark is in the midst of a 3-point slump. Though she only played nine games so far this season, Clark is 29.5 percent from deep, the lowest of her career extending back to her time at Iowa, and posts three 0-fer games shooting from the arc. Last year as a rookie, Clark went 34.4 percent from 3. Advertisement 'It's a 44-game season, I'm not going to play perfect for 44 games, and that's where I kinda really struggled last year at times,' Clark told reporters after a June 21 practice. 'I held myself to such a level of perfection every single night that I wasn't giving myself much grace. I didn't play very well at Golden State (on June 19) but I wasn't defeated after the game. Was I upset at the way my team performed, absolutely, but that doesn't define our season by any means.' How Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, handles the pressure and expectations was commended by the newest No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers. 'She handles it with grace. The pressure that she's put on every single night to perform at the level that she does, it's inhumane, really, to expect people to be perfect and to not have off games or off nights,' Bueckers said at practice Thursday. 'If she doesn't go 8-for-10 from 3, people are questioning things. It's unfair to have to deal with that.' NEWS: Caitlin Clark will miss her sixth game of the season Thursday night as the Indiana Fever ruled their star guard out with a left groin injury. — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 26, 2025 Clark missed the Fever's last game against the Los Angeles Sparks with a left groin injury. Coach Stephanie White said Clark's injury is 'very much a day-to-day thing' and Clark's return depends on how she responds to treatment. It was Clark's sixth absence this season. She had never previously missed a regular-season or postseason game in college or the WNBA. Clark returned to play on June 14 after missing three weeks with a left quad strain. Clark also missed one of Indiana's preseason games with a left quad injury, although the team said her regular-season injury was not an aggravation of her prior injury. Advertisement Clark starred in her initial return to action, scoring 32 points and recording nine assists and eight rebounds against the New York Liberty. While she scored 20 points three days later against the Connecticut Sun, her shooting splits have suffered as Indiana went on a three-game road trip. Aside from her 3-point woes, Clark recorded 22 turnovers on Indiana's West Coast trip, and her six-point performance in the Fever's eight-point win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday was a season low. On the year, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. The Fever (7-8) sit in fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New York Liberty Star Sabrina Ionescu Makes History Against Mystics Thursday
New York Liberty Star Sabrina Ionescu Makes History Against Mystics Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On the day the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers began, it was WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu who was busy making history. Advertisement The New York Liberty star guard hit a 3-point shot early in her team's contest against the Washington Mystics on Thursday, but it wasn't just any old basket. This particular connection from deep rendered Ionescu the most successful 3-point shooter in the franchise's history. "Sabrina Ionescu is the new 3-point queen in NY," the WNBA's official X account captioned video of the bucket. "She just passed Crystal Robinson for the most 3PM in [New York Liberty] history! NYL-WAS | WNBA Commissioner's Cup presented by @coinbase." Ionescu accomplished the feat early in her sixth professional season. She now adds the accolade to an impressive resumé that includes three All-Star appearances, three second-team All-WNBA selections, and a championship ring in 2024, which was the franchise's first title in its history. Advertisement Ionescu is one of the most prolific and dangerous 3-point snipers in the league, connecting on 36.3% of those shots across 7.3 attempts per game for her career. Ionescu is averaging 17.9 points, 4.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game through seven contests this season. The Liberty entered their eighth game of the season against the Mystics on Thursday night with a 7-0 record. Related: Sabrina Ionescu Reacts to WNBA's Big Announcement on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Why The Indiana Pacers Run To The NBA Finals Is Unlike Any Other
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 27: Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers reacts after a three point ... More shot during the second quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) One of the stats I've been keeping tabs on throughout this postseason is role player 3-point shooting. The reason for this is that, in the playoffs, defenses tend to focus on their opponent's best players and dare the other players on the court (i.e., the role players) to beat them from beyond the 3-point line. If one team's role players shoot much better than they did in the regular season, it can cause them to outperform expectations, and vice versa if they shoot much worse than what they usually do. With this in mind, this postseason, there has been one team that is benefitting from this boost more than practically any "underdog" in the 3-point era. This postseason, the Indiana Pacers are leading the tournament in role player 3-point shooting percentage (41.3%). They also have the highest difference between their regular season and postseason 3-point percentage (+5.3%). For those wondering, here is a full chart of all those numbers. Anyway, looking at these numbers, it makes sense that a team that finished with just the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference was able to defy the odds and be the last team standing on that side of the bracket. Their complimentary guys are hitting their "dare shots" more often than any other team in the pool. What's interesting, though, is how little their hot shooting is being discussed. When we talk about the Pacers, we often talk about their speed, Tyrese Haliburton's splendor, or their great coaching. And while all those talking points deserve their own segments, very little has been made about guys like Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Thomas Bryant shooting well above their normal averages. However, when you look at this through the lens of the entire pace-and-space era (which, for the sake of this article, we are defining as 2010-present), what is happening right now is basically unprecedented. Of the 32 teams to play in the NBA Finals since 2010, only five (15.6%) were not a top three seed in their respective conference (making them "underdogs" in the title contention sense). Here is the regular season and playoff role player 3-point % for each of those teams: The Pacers have the highest role player 3-point % and the highest difference between the two of any other team in this group. They are even higher than the Cinderella 2022-23 Miami Heat – a run that many people attributed to shooting luck. Of course, one could argue that the Pacers' difference is only higher because they have yet to play in the NBA Finals. With a larger data set, their shooting numbers will stabilize, and they won't look like as much of an outlier. To counter this, we've included the role player 3-point % for the other teams through just the first three rounds of the postseason: While the margin is far closer, this Pacers' team is still getting better shooting from their role players than the Heat team that made it to the NBA Finals as an eighth seed. How are the Pacers getting so much more out of their role players from beyond the arc than any other underdog of the 3-point era? One explanation could be that their beautiful, movement-heavy offense is producing more good looks for their role players. After all, the better the shot, the better the chance that it falls. When you compare the number of wide-open 3-point attempts for Indiana role players to those of the other underdog teams, you will see that this hypothesis does indeed stand the test of scrutiny. This still doesn't explain, though, how the Pacers' role players are shooting way better on threes in the postseason despite attempting fewer open threes (14.3) than they did in the regular season (15.6, per We could be looking at a classic case of Robert Horry Syndrome. Horry was famous for consistently elevating his play during the game's second season. Maybe the Pacers have a couple of his spiritual descendants on their roster? Nesmith certainly looked like Big Shot Bob in his iconic Game 1 against the New York Knicks, and this is the second straight season where Nembhard has upped his 3-point % in the postseason. Lastly, there is the argument that this could all be a byproduct of shooting variance. 3-point shooting is a very volatile statistic, and because of this, teams can get very lucky/unlucky from downtown in small sample sizes. So, what is it? Is the Pacers' offense uniquely-designed to amplify its role players? Did they manage to accumulate a roster full of guys who were born with the clutch gene? Or are they just flat out lucky? As any pluralist will tell you, the right answer is probably some mixture of the three. One thing can be said for certain, though, and that is that we've never seen a run to the NBA Finals quite like this one.
