Lauri Markkanen – Stats: 17.4/9.8/2.2, .387/.212/.786, .433 eFG
Lauri Markkanen began the 2019 season with a bang, going for 35 points on 52 percent shooting and grabbing 17 boards against the Hornets. What has followed has been a cratering that is more reflective of what we saw from Markkanen in the preseason.when he averaged 11.3/8.3/2 and slashed 38.1/33.3/71.4 from the floor.
The deep-ball, in particular, has been a struggle for the third-year seven-footer. Markkanen entered the year shooting just over 36 percent from three-point range in his career but is making a little over 21 percent of his threes on a career-high 6.6 attempts this year.
After a dip in three-point efficiency from the first to the second game, Markkanen has improved his deep-ball efficiency. That is more due to lower volume than it is to actual makes, though. His three-point attempts, from the opener through the loss to the Cavs are seven, 10, four, six, and six. He hit just one of his attempts in each of the first three games and two in the last two.
He’s still been pivotal on the glass and his rebounding numbers are at career-high levels right now. Truly his scoring is the biggest red flag but we know he can shoot. He’s also entered the Cavs game ranked fourth in the NBA in forced turnovers.
Makkanen (16/8/3 against the Cavs) was pulled for Thaddeus Young down the stretch. Whether Boylen is justified in that or not, Markkanen needs to make that decision for him by playing better.