Detroit Pistons: 3 New Year’s resolutions for the team in 2019

3. Hit more 3-pointers

The Pistons rank fifth in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game with 33.9. Despite this high frequency, as 37.4 percent of their shots come from this range, they aren’t cashing in on them, with a percentage of 32.6 that ranks dead last in the NBA. They lack the long-range gunners that are seen on some of the other top teams. While the team gets second chance opportunities if it gets the rebound, it turns into a wasted possession when it can’t connect from deep.

Only two rotation players, Blake Griffin and Reggie Bullock, are shooting over 35 percent from 3-point range right now. While second-year shooting guard Luke Kennard should improve with more touches to get into a rhythm, he hasn’t gotten a consistent rotation spot thus far, and one player doesn’t make enough of a difference when it’s all said and done. One possible solution is for Detroit to add an additional shooter, but there is no guarantee that happens.

Another solution for the Pistons is just for some players to get healthy. Glenn Robinson III and Ish Smith have both missed some time this year, which restricts their ability to build chemistry. The team has done a decent job of generating open looks for its shooters, but those looks just aren’t falling right now. They’ll likely fall more as the year goes on, but, if these shots don’t start falling, this resolution will be a failure.