The 3-point shot is an important part of almost every modern NBA offense. This has been true throughout the decade, but the “trey” is prevalent now more than ever. The 2014-15 Houston Rockets were the first NBA team ever to average over 30 3-point attempts per game, chucking up 32.7. Midway through the 2018-19 season, 19 squads have already crossed that threshold. The Rockets continue to lead the pack, now averaging 43.9 a game!
However, Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen has made the effort to buck the trend. His team is only averaging 23.2 attempts in the 20 games he has coached so far. That number would put them first in the NBA back in 2000-01. However, in 2018-19, they’ve been dead last in the category since Boylen’s first game on Dec. 4. Under predecessor Fred Hoiberg, the team attempted 29.3 per game this year (22nd) and 31.1 in 2017-18 (sixth).
The funny part is that the Bulls have actually been more efficient under Boylen. Chicago shot 34.0 percent from distance in the 16 games Hoiberg coached this season. That percentage was only good for 24th in the league. By contrast, they are knocking down 35.3 percent of their 3-pointers in the games since. That places them 17th over the span of Boylen’s tenure.
At first glance, it may seem that the more conservative approach to shot-taking has been beneficial. That isn’t the case here.
Injuries play a sizable role in this situation. The Bulls shot 35.5 percent from distance in 2017-18, below the league median but still solid. However, Hoiberg came into this season without some of his best shooters that made that number possible. Lauri Markkanen (36.2 percent in 2017-18) and Bobby Portis (35.9 percent) missed extended time, while Denzel Valentine (38.6 percent) was ruled out for the year. Portis’ and Markkanen’s 3-point numbers have stagnated upon their return and under a new regime.
The slower pace Boylen instills also plays a role in this. Stephen Noh of The Athletic noticed this, specifically in Lauri’s case. While the team continues to run many of Hoiberg’s plays, they now take longer to develop. This gives opponents time to set up their halfcourt defense and limit opportunities for quick shots.
Other contributing factors include: The departures of willing shooters Justin Holiday and Cameron Payne, Kris Dunn’s reluctance to shoot open 3’s, and Boylen’s insistence that Wendell Carter Jr’s offensive game should stay inside the arc (eight 3-point attempts in last 20 games).
That’s where the dilemma comes in. It’s easy to say that the Chicago Bulls need to shoot more 3-pointers. However, it’s hard to fathom how the team can go about doing so in such a rigid offensive system. Getting back up to 30 attempts per game would require ugly, forced shots that would negatively affect the team percentage.
We saw a glimpse of that on Wednesday night in the 107-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Chicago went 9-of-31 from beyond the arc, including missing their first eight attempts. Nights like that will only emboldened Boylen to continue coaching the way he does. Considering the rosters’ skillsets, this could stunt their long-term growth.
Of course, the Chicago Bulls front office, Jim Boylen and his staff, and the players all want to develop into the best team they can be. However, doing so will require the front office and coaching staff to set out a gameplan more conducive to the talent on the roster. Chances are, that will require returning to an offense that looks to stretch the floor more than blitz the paint.
While this reality is apparent to those on the outside such as fans, analysts, and maybe even other players, we’ll see if the Bulls organization can finally figure out a way to marry the hard-nosed mentality they strive for with the flowing nature of the modern game.
