Joe Harris has emerged this season as one of the best three-point marksmen in the NBA. It is fantastic development for Brooklyn in the midst of their surprising season that is surging toward a playoff appearance.

Harris is now drilling 47 percent from deep, good for the 3rd best mark in the league. Harris already was a good shooter, as he entered the season as a career 40 percent sniper from beyond the arc. However, in the 2018-19 season, Harris has morphed into elite status for the time being.

To date, Harris is sporting a 64.1 percent true shooting, 7th best on the season. His eFG percent is at a tidy 62. In late December, Harris, and The BBall Index, noted how he had been focusing on watching film of J.J. Redick and Kyle Korver, learning to move without the ball. Here are Joe Harris’ grades this season side by side with Redick and then Korver (among all guards).

Two things probably jump out at you here. First, Harris’ grades are strikingly similar to Redick’s in nearly every category. Second, all three players have at least an A- grade in both perimeter shooting and off-ball movement. Let’s look at how Harris has gotten to the level of perhaps the two best off ball shooters in the league for the last decade.

Off Ball Movement

Harris studied these two for their off ball movement and it is really showing. While he received an A- grade in the off-ball category last year, Harris is at an A for this season. That may not seem like a large jump, but consider that he has moved from the 86th percentile last year to the 99.9th percentile this year among all players. Say that out loud: The 99.9th percentile.

The Nets established very early on that this was going to be a large part of their game plan.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

We look at that shot now and just think to ourselves “yea, he’s open, that’s a pretty good look.” No, Steph Curry has ruined us all. We now think that a millimeter of space is enough room for any shooter to reasonably fire away. Tim Hardaway Jr. does a reasonable job fighting over that screen to at least be in Harris’ personal bubble at the time of his release, even if the contest is a bit behind the play.

Kenny Atkinson is making sure Brooklyn springs Mr. Harris free.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Three minutes into a game with D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert on the floor, the Nets run a double screen to open up that three.

Off ball movement is not solely running around screens, as we all know. This is subtle, boring, and the opposite of flashy, but color me a sucker for a three point shooter floating with a driver to make any kick out pass on a direct line for a catch and shoot opportunity.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Furthermore, moving to the right as a right handed shooter is no bother for this man.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Another important development is attacking when catching the ball while already moving downhill.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Clutch

Harris has come up big in high leverage situations on multiple occasions this season, but nothing really highlights this fact greater than a home game against Charlotte in December. All these videos were used in the game recap published here at The BBall Index, but they’re important plays to revisit.

First, to end the half, Harris hits a catch and shoot three moving to his right over a very good contest.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Then, down three in the 4th quarter with 74 seconds remaining, Harris did a Ray Allen Game 6 impressions (yea, I said it), with his heels raised above the out of bounds line to drain a sideline three that tied the game.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Finally, with 42 seconds remaining, again down by three, Harris splashes another catch and shoot three moving to his right over a good contest, with a second defender, Kemba Walker, right there in his personal bubble.

powered by Advanced iFrame free. Get the Pro version on CodeCanyon.

Brooklyn would go on to win that game by two in overtime.

By The Numbers

As stated above, Harris’ shooting numbers this year are 47 percent from three, 62 percent eFG, and 64.2 percent true shooting. He is shooting 52.7 percent on two point shots overall, including 61.5 percent at the rim and an otherworldly 57.1 percent from 16 feet out to the three-point line.

Harris is hitting catch and shoot threes at a 49.2 percent clip, the 3rd best mark in the league among players that have played at least 20 games and take at least two catch and shoot threes per game. Overall on catch and shoot shots he is sporting an eFG percent of 74.3, again the 3rd best mark in the league. He is shooting an unconscionable 52 percent on corner threes.

Harris is bombing away, as 52.1 percent of his shots are coming from behind the line. That, coupled with the 27.9 percent of his shots he is taking at the rim, equate to 80 percent of his total shots coming at the rim or from distance. For a team that wants to be Rockets east, Brooklyn couldn’t ask for a better shot profile from the NBA’s version of the American Sniper (hey, he’s white with a beard).

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.