Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Tyler Ulis in 2017-18

3. Shoot 33 percent from 3-point range

Everyone remembers Tyler Ulis’ game-winning 3-pointer against the Boston Celtics, but most people forget that was one of only 21 3-pointers he made on the season. Heading into his sophomore season, this is one area of his game that needs improvement.

Though Ulis is more of a facilitating, pass-first point guard, 3-point shooting and floor-spacing are at a premium these days. If he ever wants to push his ceiling beyond that of “energetic backup floor general,” he’ll need to add long range efficiency to his game, especially as an undersized player.

As a rookie, Ulis converted just 26.6 percent of his 79 attempts from downtown. He doesn’t have a bad release, and that number should continue to rise with more confidence and reps, but it’s a bit worrying he converted only 25 percent of his 3.5 attempts per game after the All-Star break.

While 33 percent is not a great conversion rate from downtown by any means, it’s a reasonable goal for a second-year player who’s not known for his shooting stroke. It represents a nearly seven percent increase and gives hope that he at least has the makings of a respectable 3-point shot for the future.