Vogel: D’Antoni a ‘pioneer’
The Orlando Magic entered their game Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets averaging 29.2 shot attempts from 3-point range per game.
If the Magic continue at that pace, they would set a single-season franchise record for attempts per game from beyond the arc.
The Magic, of course, aren’t alone in embracing the 3-point shot. Entering Wednesday, NBA teams were averaging 28.6 3-point tries per game, according to Basketball Reference. If that number holds, it would be a league record.
Perhaps no single individual did more to popularize the 3-point shot than Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni.
D’Antoni coached the Phoenix Suns from the 2003-04 season through the 2007-08 season, and his Suns teams loved to shoot from long range. In the season before D’Antoni became their head coach, the Suns averaged 14.0 3-point attempts per game. During the 2005-06 season, his third as the Suns’ coach, they averaged 25.6 attempts per game.
“He’s definitely one of the pioneers of this style of play,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s no doubt about it. His Phoenix teams definitely carved a path for it to begin this way. They actually played with four 3-point shooters and a rolling big, and it’s progressed even further to where a lot of teams are playing five 3-point shooters. We all have the utmost respect for Coach Mike.”
Stan Van Gundy’s Magic teams embraced the 3-pointer also, surrounding center Dwight Howard with four capable longrange shooters.
But Van Gundy credits D’Antoni for changing the game.
“I would say that D’Antoni’s teams in Phoenix had much more impact on people with their pace and spreading the floor,” Van Gundy said recently. “And then I think it has just evolved.”
Before tipoff Wednesday, D’Antoni was asked about the proliferation of 3-point shooting.
He responded he never expected the 3-point shot to become so impactful.
Then he added something interesting: In retrospect, he feels that he didn’t push the boundaries enough during his time in Phoenix.
“I’m kind of disappointed in myself because I backed off of it and got scared,” D’Antoni said. “We should have been more aggressive in what we were doing.
Steve Nash could have taken more 3s, and we should have gone after personnel-wise more shooters. It was kind of like, ‘Is it too many 3s?’ We kept asking that question. We didn’t know it. Kind of now there’s no such thing as too many 3s. It’s just the type you take, and if you take good 3s, take as many as you want.”
Role model
Magic rookie Jonathan
Isaac on Wednesday missed his 23rd game this season because of a right ankle injury, and he’ll remain out indefinitely while he rehabilitates his ankle and recovers the conditioning he’s lost since he first sprained his ankle on Nov. 11.
But if Isaac ever needs inspiration, he only has to consult with teammate Aaron Gordon.
An X-ray in mid-November of Gordon’s rookie season revealed Gordon had a fractured bone in his left foot. The injury required surgery, and Gordon missed 31 consecutive games.
Gordon has given Isaac some advice.
Asked to describe that advice, Gordon responded: “Just be patient. Your body doesn’t lie, so you’ve got to listen to your body.”
“If his body says he’s not good to go, then he’s not good to go,” Gordon added. “I want him to have a long, healthy career. But at the same time, I know he wants to help us. He’s not going to help us if he’s not 100 percent. So just take your time. You have a long way to go [in your career].”
Heath’s honor
Lakeland Magic coach
Stan Heath on Wednesday was named the G League Coach of the Month for December. Lakeland posted a 7-3 record during the month.