Kawhi Leonard’s New Shooting Strategy
Inglewood, California – Kawhi Leonard, renowned for his defensive prowess and his hallmark mid-range fadeaway shot, is now branching out to become a more prolific 3-point shooter. During a challenging stretch in which the Los Angeles Clippers faced defeat in 19 of 22 games from November to mid-December, Leonard approached head coach Tyronn Lue with a bold plan: he intended to increase his attempts from beyond the arc to 12 per game.
Coach’s Curiosity and Leonard’s Confidence
Curious about this shift, Lue questioned,
“How?”
to which Leonard confidently replied,
“You’re going to see.”
Given the Clippers’ struggles at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, Leonard recognized a need for change.
“I thought that’s what we needed, for me to get more 3s up,”
he explained, emphasizing the importance of encouraging teammates to take their shots, regardless of the outcome.
Recent Performance and Shooting Accuracy
In a recent matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, Leonard showcased his commitment to this new strategy, making 3 of 7 attempts from 3-point territory and finishing the game with 24 points. His performance came after he missed three previous games due to a bruised left knee.
This season, Leonard has demonstrated impressive accuracy, shooting 40% from long distance, which aligns closely with his averages from recent years.
“It’s easy for me because I’m not worried about no outside opinion or my percentage,”
he stated, highlighting his focus on personal evolution as a player. Leonard believes that if his new approach doesn’t yield the desired results, he’ll continue to learn and adapt.
Embracing Risk and Team Success
At 34 years old and with two NBA Finals MVP awards under his belt, Leonard feels more liberated to take risks in his shooting during games, having honed his craft since early in his career. As the Clippers have experienced a resurgence, winning 14 of their last 17 games, Leonard’s strategy appears beneficial, despite him still adhering to a minutes restriction.
Coach Lue acknowledged the impact of Leonard’s increased 3-point attempts, noting,
“Shooting more 3s has allowed us to get to that 38-43 per game, which we’ve been trying to do.”
While Leonard has traditionally excelled with mid-range shots, his ability to draw fouls and penetrate to the basket has been a valuable asset as well.
