The New Orleans Pelicans last season averaged 32.6 3-point attempts, which were about 20 more than the Philadelphia 76ers took during the 2003-04 campaign.
Willie Green was a rookie on that 76ers team. Those 76ers attempted 12.1 3-pointers and 28.1 shots from the midrange — numbers that were normal for those 2-point happy times.
In the almost two decades Green has been part of the NBA as a player and coach, 3-pointers have gone from bad shots to some of the best shots. Seemingly no NBA team can take enough of them. Green is trying to push the Pelicans to shoot 40 3s per game this year.
“Growing up, coaches would always say, ‘Don’t let them off the hook’ just because you’re wide open from 3,” Green said. “That’s not letting them off the hook. I’m wide open. I work on that shot, and I have to be able to make it.”
The Pelicans have ranked 24th, 29th and 24th in 3-point attempts in Green’s first three seasons in charge of the team. They want to climb in that category this year.
The team’s first preseason game Monday was a good start. The Pelicans shot 12 of 40 from behind the arc.
“The message has been pretty clear,” Zion Williamson said. “Get up at least 40 per game. That means we have to play with pace. And just play basketball. In the grand scheme of things, it’s definitely going to be a positive for us.”
Since taking over in 2021, Green has often seemed most focused on the defensive side of the ball. The Pelicans have shown great improvement in his tenure there. They have ranked sixth in points allowed per 100 possessions in each of the past two years.
Their challenge this season is to become a more dynamic offensive team without backsliding on defense too much.
“I’m growing, especially with (associate head coach) James Borrego being on me,” Green said. “I’m growing offensively like, ‘Those are good shots for us.’ Throughout the course of the season, we are a high 3-point percentage shooting team. We want to take more if we can.”
Brandon Ingram is one player in particular the Pelicans are challenging to increase his 3-point output. Ingram took 6.2 3s per game in his first season in New Orleans in 2019-20, but he has not ventured behind the arc as much since Green became the coach.
Ingram did not play in the Pelicans’ first preseason game against the Orlando Magic. Green said he will not play Sunday against the Miami Heat, either.
It’s unclear why Ingram is not playing; he is not injured, Green has said.
“He won’t play until the last game of preseason,” Green said. “Something he’s talked about with us as a staff. He’s fine. But he’s still working through some kinks there. Expect him to be ready for the last preseason game.”
The Pelicans have the personnel to be a team that makes a jump in 3-point attempts this season. CJ McCollum was one of the most productive outside shooters in the league a year ago. Trey Murphy, who has been a 39.2% 3-point shooter on almost six attempts per game in his career, has range out to 30 feet. Second-year guard Jordan Hawkins is an electric movement shooter.
It's on Green to use his roster in the right way if the Pelicans are serious about getting up significantly more 3s this season.
“For myself on the sideline, if they miss a couple, I have to be OK with that,” Green said. “Because over the course of a season, it’s proven we are a pretty good 3-point percentage team.”