3-point shooting was one of the Raptors’ biggest issues last season. They finished the regular season twenty-first in 3-point percentage with 35.4% and twenty-sixth in 3-point attempts per game. They didn’t do much to address this issue in the offseason other than trading for Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard has only played two games so far this season, in which he shot 4-for-14 from behind the arc, hitting way below his usual efficiency level. His absence has amplified the Raptors’ 3-point woes. The team currently averages the fourth-worst 3-point percentage in the NBA at 31.5%. Only the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards have had less success from behind the arc so far this season.
The problem is the simple lack of reliable 3-point shooters on the roster. With Leonard out, the Raptors were left with three proven 3-point shooters: Jamison Battle, who shot 40% in both of his first seasons but in a limited role; Ja’Kobe Walter, who emerged as the Raptors’ most efficient volume shooter last season; and Immanuel Quickley, a 37% shooter for his career.
Battle has delivered in extended minutes, shooting 42.1% on 4.2 attempts over the first nine games of the season. Walter and Quickley are both shooting 33.3% so far. Even with the emergence of Alijah Martin as a potentially valuable bench contributor, that’s just not enough shooting. Walter, especially, hit kind of a slump over the last three games, going 2-for-16 from behind the arc.
The Raptors simply cannot afford a lengthy shooting slump from Walter, especially while Leonard is sidelined and a string of tough games is coming up.
The Raptors’ will be tested with a big four-game stretch soon
Leonard’s return will help the Raptors’ 3-point woes. Even coming off an injury, it seems safe to expect his shots to fall more efficiently than they did to start the season, and his presence will open up easier shots for his teammates.
But that may still be ways away. Leonard is back with the team after previously getting some treatment away from Toronto. However, Darko Rajakovic also shared during Sunday’s practice availability that Leonard hadn’t progressed to on-court activity quite yet. It could be a while until Leonard is ready to go and play significant minutes.
So, the Raptors need Walter to snap out of this three-game slump and knock down more 3-pointers. The Raptors survived two of Walter’s bad shooting games, but those wins came against the LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks. Their schedule is about to get a lot tougher with four games against the Eastern Conference’s elite. The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics currently sit atop the standings, and the New York Knicks are still the defending champions and one of the teams to beat despite their slow start. Bad shooting from Walter, among others, could make for an ugly four-game stretch.
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