Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving’s underappreciated shooting

New Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has long been regarded as one of the best ball handlers in the NBA, but his shooting has become a bit underrated.

Brooklyn Nets supporters were surely thrilled when Kyrie Irving signed in free agency this summer, but not everyone’s a fan of the enigmatic 27-year-old.

Whether it’s due to his “flat-earth” comments, chemistry issues that arose in Boston or his tough postseason exit, Irving definitely has his doubters.

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There might be disagreement on what level of star he is, but Irving’s elite abilities on a basketball court need to be appreciated.

To be fair, the 6-foot-3 guard’s ball handling skills have received plenty of praise, as Irving is widely recognized as having one of the best handles in the league (and maybe all time).

What seems to have gone a bit underappreciated, however, is Irving’s 3-point shooting ability. This might come as a surprise when one considers arguably the defining play of his career was a 3-pointer, but it certainly seems to be the case.

There are two main reasons his shooting is currently underappreciated. First, people are understandably focused on Irving’s poor shooting in Boston’s five-game defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks.

He shot only 31.0 percent from long range in the postseason as a whole and a dismal 22.7 percent against Milwaukee.

Second, whether it is due to the focus on his ball handling or another reason, his incredible shooting statistics haven’t reached the “main stream” of basketball conversation.

Regardless of how one slices it, Irving has been an elite 3-point shooter on a variety of attempts for years now. He might not be Stephen Curry, but he’s closer than he’s been given credit for.

(All below statistics filter out players that didn’t play at least 40 games in given season)

3-Point Shooting: Overall

In 2018-19, 65 players attempted at least five 3-pointers per game. Irving had the 10th best 3-point percentage at 40.1 percent.

For reference, fellow Net Joe Harris had the best percentage at 47.4 percent and James Harden led the league in attempts per game at 13.2.

In 2017-18, 60 players averaged at least five 3-point attempts and Irving was again 10th in percentage at 40.8 percent. In 2016-17, 48 players averaged five or more attempts and Irving was 13th at 40.1 percent.

Here’s some fun trivia. Name the the three players that have averaged at least five 3-point attempts per game and and shot at least 40 percent in EACH of the last three seasons.

The answer? Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving.

3-Point Shooting: Off Dribble

It’s not as if Irving’s solid 3-point percentages have been driven by easy attempts, as roughly half have come on difficult off-the-dribble shots.

In 2018-19, 22 players attempted at least three off-the-dribble 3-pointers per game. Irving came in 11th at a solid 35.5 percent.

For reference, James Harden averaged the most attempts at 12.1, with Kemba Walker a distant second at 6.0. Stephen Curry was first in percentage at 41.5 percent (Khris Middleton second at 39.0 percent).

In 2017-18, 14 players averaged at least three off-the-dribble 3-pointers and Irving was third in percentage at a blistering 40.8 percent.

In 2016-17, 10 players averaged at least three attempts and Irving was eighth at 35.3 percent. Taking everything into account, it seems safe to say Irving is a top-10 off-the-dribble 3-point shooter in the NBA.

3-Point Shooting: Catch & Shoot

When players like Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and eventually Kevin Durant have the ball, Irving is also fully capable as a spot-up shooter.

In 2018-19, 97 players averaged at least three catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts. Irving was 9th in percentage at 45.4 percent.

For reference, Stephen Curry averaged the most attempts at 6.7, and Joe Harris had the best percentage at 48.1 percent.

In 2017-18, 106 players averaged at least 2.8 attempts per game and Irving was 41st at 39.9 percent. In 2016-17, 128 players average 2.4 or more attempts and Irving was first in the NBA at 46.8 percent.

Conclusion

The numbers speak for themselves. Yes, Kyrie Irving might not be perfect. He might not even be able to be the best player on a championship team. It shouldn’t be forgotten, however, that he’s a great player and one of the better shooters in the NBA.