Please Start Shooting 3s Doug
Doug McDermott did not attempt a shot in the second half after going 4/5 from the field in the first half.
— Jeff Mangurten (@JeffGurt) December 30, 2016
This should not be happening.
Here’s a selection of players taking more 3-pointers per game than Doug McDermott (there are 145 to choose from): Joel Embiid, Meyers Leonard, Marc Gasol, Karl-Anthony Towns, DeMarcus Cousins, and Marreese Speights.
Why? He might be struggling from deep so far this season, but Doug has proven that he’s capable of shooting an elite percentage over the course of a season. Why is Doug so hesitant? Why are his teammates setting screens for him that lead to shots 2 feet inside the arc? Why are set plays being run to set up Carter-Williams 3s? There’s no reason for Doug to not be taking at least six attempts from deep per game, and even that seems low to me.
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Even if he’s not shooting the ball, having Doug on the floor helps the offense breathe. The Wade-Felicio pick-and-roll that was finding success at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the fourth fell apart as soon as Doug went to the bench. A spread pick-and-roll doesn’t work with Carter-Williams, sorry.
But we’ve already talked about the price you pay defensively when McDermott plays, so if he’s on the court solely to wave his arms in the corner or fake a drive off a closeout that no one on either side really takes seriously, why is he out there at all? Doug’s 3-point shooting is an offensive weapon that the Bulls desperately need. They should start using it, and not just as a decoy.