If you ever thought Kristaps Porzingis would be mentioned in the same sentence as Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard, this is the post for you.
The game of basketball has evolved beyond the three-point line. We've seen a plethora of talented shooters through the years. Reggie Miller and Ray Allen are two of the greatest of all-time, but during their tenure, the NBA prominently played in the paint.
Since then, Stephen Curry came along with his three-point shooting antics, then Damian Lillard stepped into the scene. The two of them have the ability to consistently pull up from near half-court and are still able to shoot from that distance efficiently.
However, it seems there's another name that's capable of playing the same way, as Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle claims Kristaps Porzingis is capable of shooting from 40 feet out, per Brad Townsend.
Carlisle: "KP's a threat anywhere from 40 feet in. I think he's proving that."
40 feet? Dame and Steph Curry range? A couple of Porzingis' treys tonight were in that vicinity.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) March 14, 2021
It took a while for the league to pick up the idea of big men shooting from the perimeter. Dirk Nowitzki was one of the first seven-footers to consistently shoot from beyond the three-point line. His style became common for European players, but now, it seems everyone on the court is capable of shooting three-pointers.
Kristaps Porzingis is a freak athlete, as Kevin Durant called him a “unicorn” during his rookie season. A guy his size pulling up from 40 feet out just doesn't seem fair. How does someone guard that? Teams have a hard enough time defending Curry and Lillard as it is.
With the game completely changed, Porzingis may lead the way for centers and power forwards to start casting from half-court. It's yet to be seen at a consistent rate, however, Carlisle seems confident in the Latvian player is more than capable of being a perennial three-point shooter.
We'll see if Kristaps Porzingis shows off his shooting range on Monday night, as the Dallas Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
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