What to Like: Dwyane Wade’s offensive production early on
It’s no secret that Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest two-guards to ever play the game.
The 12-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion is bound for Springfield, Mass. and the Basketball Hall of Fame someday, but before he takes his place among the game’s greatest, he’s putting on quite the show back near his hometown.
Two things revolved around Wade’s summer: 1) The fact that he actually bolted from Miami after years of teases in free agency and 2) He, Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler are horrendous 3-point shooters.
Wade is debunking the latter by the day and it doesn’t make an ounce of sense.
Take a look at Wade’s shot chart through the first six games this season:
Oh, here's Wade's chart for the year.
— Michael Whitlow (@couldbelikemike) November 6, 2016
What? pic.twitter.com/tQMADDHQkn
Inside the arc — where Wade has made his millions over a tremendous career — he’s shooting about 41 percent on the season so far (24-for-59).
Beyond the 3-point line, Wade is shooting 47.6 percent (10-for-21) from 3-point range. Sure, that’s 38 less attempts than inside the arc, but being that Wade was 7-for-44 all season with Miami last year from deep, that feels significant in the early going.
Especially if Wade is hitting shots like this one against the New York Knicks this past Friday night with former Bull Joakim Noah right in his grill and the game clock winding down.
Is Wade’s hot shooting from deep sustainable this season? That’s debatable, but probably not.
The most 3-point attempts Wade has made in one season during his career was 88 back in 2008-09; arguably the best season of his career. He also shot 31.7 percent from deep, which is his percentage in one season for his career.
Since the 2011-12 season a couple years later (his first age-30 season) to the present day, Wade has made 87 total 3-pointers in 321 attempts. That’s 27.1 percent.
So, while Wade’s shooting from long range has been needed and a rather pleasant sight for the Bulls in the first six games, it’s very likely that his numbers will come back to Earth soon.