Surprising Kings Stat Shows Efficient Offensive Strategy

The Sacramento Kings have been generating great looks from beyond the arc.

Oct 28, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown instructs guard Kevin Huerter (9) during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

After starting the season 0-2, the Sacramento Kings have won two games in a row, and the offense is improving every game.

Adding a piece like DeMar DeRozan is going to take time, and after a preseason where the Kings focused on their flow offense, it looks like the pieces are coming together.

One of the aspects that is working so well for the Kings is that they aren’t forcing shots from beyond the arc. Of their 34.8 three-point attempts, 28 are catch-and-shoot threes.

Love the breakdown of the Kings 3PAs so far this season

Catch and Shoot 3PAs: 28.0 (t-8th most)
Pull-Up 3PAs: 6.8 (4th fewest)

They aren't forcing anything on the perimeter

— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) October 30, 2024

That leaves only 6.8 of their three-point attempts as pull-up threes. That works in their favor as the Kings are shooting 35.7 percent on their catch-and-shoot looks compared to 29.6 percent on their pull-up attempts.

Sacramento’s three-point attempts were a hot topic after they shot just 29 times from deep in the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves with many fans clamoring for more, but the way the offense is set up, the number may fluctuate from game to game.

The Kings are taking what the defense gives them. If that leads them to take 44 threes like they did against the Los Angeles Lakers, great! If it makes more sense to take 31 like Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz, great!

What is more important than the total number of attempts is the quality of looks, and the early season numbers show that the Kings are doing a great job of generating those quality looks from deep.

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