Houston Rockets: 3 goals for Eric Gordon in 2018-19
2. Shoot 40 percent or better from 3-point range
Although Gordon managed to produce his highest scoring average since the 2011-12 regular season, the former 3-Point Contest champion struggled to find his touch from beyond the arc throughout the majority of the 2017-18 campaign.
Despite shooting a scorching 47.7 percent from downtown in the month of March, Gordon shot just 35.9 percent from long range last season, his lowest clip since the 2012-13 regular season. The man who many consider to be a knockdown shooter actually generated the bulk of his points via driving and scoring around the rim.
While shooting 35 percent from 3-point range might be a marquee feat for a modern-day center, aiming to shoot 40 percent or better from behind the line could prove to pay major dividends for Gordon and the Rockets’ offense next season.
Opposing teams will continue to place the majority of their defensive attention on both Paul and Harden, and as a result, it will provide shooters like Gordon with clean looks more often than not. This is particularly true within critical moments of games, where the dynamic duo will likely seek to get into the teeth of defenses, and kick it out to their shooters on drive-and-kicks should they face double-teams in the paint.
If Gordon is able to hit those type of shots, then he could put himself in prime position to have the best offensive season of his career, giving Houston a significant chance to vault atop of the Western Conference standings once again.