Michael Jordan's 3-point shooting...

[bwink23]

SUCKY, or underrated??

Career 32.7% 3-point shooter on less than 2 attempts per game....NOT EASY to do.

Career 33.2% 3-point shooter in the playoffs.

Career 36.8% 3-point shooter in the NBA Finals (35 games)

Jordan was the Chicago leader in 3-point FG's made during their first 3-peat....he shot over 38%FG from 3 in 3 consecutive playoff seasons.

From 1985-1993....Jordan had 132 games where he took at least 3 attempts from the 3-point line in a game....he was a combined 36.9%FG shooter in those 132 games.

Jordan has 2 seasons from the regular 3-point line where he took around 3 attempts per game on average...he was 35.2% and 37.6% during those 2 seasons.

From the 22-foot 3-point line...he shot 42.7% and 37.4% past his prime. He shot a little over 3 attempts per game during those years as well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2CyJdCq-zU

[Tenchi Ryu]

Not really all that compared to all his other superb talents. He could drop the 3 occasionally, even Steve Kerr mentioned that he'd only shoot 2-3 a game unless he was feeling hot behind the line. 3-pointers are one of the weaker elements of his game, always has been.

Don't really need to be a superb 3 point shooter when you are superb offensively at just about everything else.

[bwink23]

Not really all that compared to all his other superb talents. He could drop the 3 occasionally, even Steve Kerr mentioned that he'd only shoot 2-3 a game unless he was feeling hot behind the line.

Don't really need to be a superb 3 point shooter when you are superb offensively at just about everything else.

I agree that Jordan was far from a prolific 3-point shooter, but he wasn't someone you could just leave at the line to shoot uncontested either.

[32Dayz]

Jodan was exactly like current Wade is.

They both can shoot the 3 but they aren't overly accurate with it but sometimes get hot in a game from there and can knock a bunch in.

Still neither of them will be left open out there so opposing defenders respect their range.

[bwink23]

BumP

[Smoke117]

Who cares?...waits for gengiskhan to create a long essay on this very subject.

[eliteballer]

SUCKY, or underrated??

Career 32.7% 3-point shooter on less than 2 attempts per game....NOT EASY to do.

Career 33.2% 3-point shooter in the playoffs.

Career 36.8% 3-point shooter in the NBA Finals (35 games)

Jordan was the Chicago leader in 3-point FG's made during their first 3-peat....he shot over 38%FG from 3 in 3 consecutive playoff seasons.

From 1985-1993....Jordan had 132 games where he took at least 3 attempts from the 3-point line in a game....he was a combined 36.9%FG shooter in those 132 games.

Jordan has 2 seasons from the regular 3-point line where he took around 3 attempts per game on average...he was 35.2% and 37.6% during those 2 seasons.

From the 22-foot 3-point line...he shot 42.7% and 37.4% past his prime. He shot a little over 3 attempts per game during those years as well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2CyJdCq-zU

liar liar....you're inflating his career numbers with the short line.

Career with the regular line...29%

[bwink23]

liar liar....you're inflating his career numbers with the short line.

Career with the regular line...29%

Check his numbers from 85-93. When he takes 3 3's a game, he's 37%....Check his 3-point shooting in his prime in the playoffs.

Jordan even had a year shooting 52.6%FG from the floor while shooting 37.6% from 3 on 3 attempts a game....Kobe has never come close to sniffing that....

You can check Jordan's 3-point shooting in the NBA Finals at the regular line as well while your at it....

[eliteballer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYsC...eature=related

[bwink23]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYsC...eature=related

Kobe wouldn't even attempt the 3-point contest...he did try this though and failed miserably:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrjRvZTyD-g

[bwink23]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYsC...eature=related

Jordan in his first 3 NBA Finals from the NORMAL line:

24/57 = 42.1%FG from 3.


How did Kobe do??

[CavaliersFTW]

Kobe wouldn't even attempt the 3-point contest...he did try this though and failed miserably:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrjRvZTyD-g

Kobe didn't understand what the point of the passing challenge was

[bwink23]

Kobe didn't understand what the point of the passing challenge was

It was a very uncomfortable motion for him....

[ShaqAttack3234]

He only took a significant amount of 3s with the regular line in 2 seasons, and he shot a solid percentage both year while making 1 per game, those seasons were '90 when he shot 38% on 3s, and was among the leaders in makes and attempts, and a little outside the top 20 in percentage, and '93 when he shot 35%. Other years don't really tell you much because when you barely take any, your percentage is affected too much by bailout shots at the end of the clock and shots at the end of quarters because they make up a larger percentage of your attempts. Once he added the 3 in '90, I'm sure he always had the ability to shoot them at a solid rate when he was in his prime and had his legs.

But as Jordan explained, he didn't like shooting a lot of them and hanging out around the line because he felt that he was more involved in the game and could make more happen when he was more aggressive. And one area where Jordan has virtually no peers among high scoring guards is basketball IQ and shot selection, he was always efficient with his movement, both without the ball and making quick, aggressive decisions with the ball. Another guy who I'd put up there is Oscar Robertson as far as shot selection and basketball IQ.

Now if Jordan really focused on 3s, and particularly grew up in an era when they were part of the game, I'm sure he could have excelled at them because he had the talent and shooting ability(a phenomenal shooter out to at least 20 feet). Many of the 80's guys who entered the league when 3s weren't a big part of the game and grew up when they weren't even in the NBA(only in the ABA during the 70's), proved they were capable of making them as their career went on at one point or another whether it was Nique, Magic, Drexler or MJ.

Even Bird didn't start making or attempting many untul '85 or '86. He shot under 30% in 4 of his first 5 seasons, which is why I say percentages are too deceptive when you don't take many. Though Bird did shoot 40% and make 0.7 per game in his rookie season before the next 4 seasons when be barely took any.

[Micku]

He was a bit underrated. He never really take a lot of 3s in his prime. He barely average 1 attempt a game, which isn't enough to really judge his 3pt point shooting because that could indicate it's a bailout three or something like that.

When Jordan started to focus on his 3pt shot a bit, and started to attempt more, it showed. He started to take more 3pt shots in 1989-90, which he shot 37.6% on 2.8 attempts, which isn't bad at all. This was also the same year when he tried out for the 3pt contest. Which he didn't win obviously, but you still have to respect his percentage in game because he shot pretty well. It even expanded on the playoffs. He actually have three straight playoff seasons where he shot above 38% from the 3pt land from 91-93 when he attempted more than 2 3pts a game I believe.

With that said, it wasn't his game much and he always preferred to move and drive to the paint because he didn't want to stand around at the 3pt point line because he felt that it takes away other parts of his game if he stands around at the 3pt line. In his prime, when he jumped really high and got his shot off, he could probably have a respectable percentage. Not the greatest 3pt shooter ever, but still respectable enough to guard him.

Regardless, you don't leave him open.