Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis
are already one of the best big men in the league with the variety
of skills they offer on the basketball court. Both bigs are
considered top 5 in the position by being the best of the best
defensively along with a deep offensive bag. However, if there was
one hole in their games that both needed to fill up, it is their
three-point shooting. 

Both Adebayo and Davis have
demonstrated their shooting forms and technical abilities,
suggesting they could excel as 3-point shooters. However, neither
has historically attempted threes as often as their talent might
allow. Now, entering the 2024-25 season, both stars are increasing
their 3-point volume as seen in the preseason, and this shift could
be the key to elevating their teams to new heights.

Bam Adebayo’s ability to impact
a game is undeniable. He is one of the best defenders in the
league, being known for his defensive versatility and ability to
guard all five positions. Adebayo brings value to the Heat with his
offensive playmaking from the center position, and over the years
he has been the main engine of Miami’s offense. But what he’s
rarely done is consistently shoot from deep. In the 2023-24 NBA
season, Adebayo averaged just 0.6 3-point attempts per game,
preferring to stick to his mid-range game and finish
inside.

However, Adebayo’s shooting took
a noticeable step forward during the 2024 Olympics, where he
averaged 1.5 attempts per game from beyond the arc for Team USA.
His confidence seemed to soar after the tournament, and that
momentum has carried into the 2024-25 preseason, where he’s now
taking 3.3 3-point attempts per game.

This increase in volume shows
that Adebayo is ready to fully integrate the 3-point shot into his
game, something he’s always been capable of given his shooting
form. With his smooth mechanics and growing confidence, Adebayo’s
expanded range could be the key to unlocking the Miami Heat’s full
offensive potential.

BAM-ing it from downtown 🎯

Bam Adebayo has significantly upped his 3-point attempts from last
season to this preseason 😲

2023-24 season ➡️ 0.6
2024 Paris Olympics ➡️ 1.5
2024-25 Preseason ➡️ 3.3

Stretch Bam incoming? 👀 (h/t @statmuse)
pic.twitter.com/OxX6yP8v72

— BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews)
October 17, 2024

Similar to Adebayo, Anthony
Davis has always had the ability to shoot from deep but hasn’t
consistently utilized it. Davis proved his 3-point prowess
throughout the younger years of his career—but most notably during
the 2019-20 season when he helped lead the Lakers to a championship
by shooting 33% from beyond the arc. However, injuries and shifting
roles have seen Davis shy away from shooting threes in recent
seasons.

In the 2023-24 campaign, Davis
averaged just 1.4 3-point attempts per game, a sharp drop from the
3.5 attempts he averaged during that 2020 title run. Like Adebayo,
Davis has the form and touch to be a consistent 3-point threat but
hasn’t taken as many shots from deep as he’s capable of.

For the Lakers, a healthy and
confident Anthony Davis shooting more threes could be a
game-changer. His ability to stretch the floor would open up the
lane for LeBron James and the Lakers’ slashing guards, creating a
more dynamic and less predictable offense. If Davis can regain his
3-point shooting form from his championship run, the Lakers will be
far more difficult to defend.

4 THREES FOR AD IN THE FIRST QUARTER
😱pic.twitter.com/8PxKpnr4ZQ

— BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews)
October 18, 2024

Why Does Adebayo and Davis Increasing Their 3-Point
Attempts Matter?

1. Floor Spacing and Offensive
   Flexibility
   Both Adebayo and Davis shooting more threes
   could radically improve their respective teams’ floor spacing. For
   Miami, Adebayo’s ability to pull opposing big men out to the
   perimeter will open up driving lanes for Jimmy Butler and Tyler
   Herro, giving the Heat more room to operate. For the Lakers, Davis
   stretching the defense would allow LeBron to work in a more open
   paint, while also freeing up shooters like Austin Reaves and Rui
   Hachimura.
2. Deeper Pick-and-Pop
   Potential
   Adebayo and Davis could both become elite
   pick-and-pop players. Their ability to shoot from mid-range has
   already made them dangerous in these situations, but adding 3-point
   range would make them even more difficult to guard. Forcing
   defenders to decide between contesting their shot or stopping a
   drive could lead to easy points for their teams.
3. Defensive Dilemmas for
   Opponents
   With both big men capable of hitting threes,
   opposing defenses will be forced to make tough choices. Typically,
   teams like to sag off big men who are stationed at the perimeter,
   allowing them to pack the paint. However, if Adebayo and Davis can
   hit threes at a consistent rate, defenses will be stretched thin,
   making it harder to defend both the perimeter and the paint
   effectively.

It’s important to note that
neither Adebayo nor Davis are bad three point shooters. Both have
had excellent shooting forms since early in their careers, but for
various reasons—be it team strategy or personal preference—they
haven’t leaned heavily into their perimeter game and added it to
their shot diets. Adebayo’s shooting mechanics are smooth, and
Davis has long been recognized for his soft touch from
deep.

The difference now is volume and
confidence. Both players have shown they can make threes, and now,
with their respective teams needing more floor spacing and
offensive versatility, the time is right for them to fully embrace
their perimeter games.

While the increased 3-point
attempts from Adebayo and Davis are promising, consistency here
will be the major factor. Both players will need to prove that they
can not only take more threes but also hit them at an efficient
rate throughout the long NBA season. Shooting in the preseason or
during international competition is one thing; doing so under the
pressure of regular-season games and in the playoffs is
another.

There’s also the question of how
this shift in offensive focus will affect their defensive roles.
Both Adebayo and Davis are the anchors of their teams’ defenses,
often patrolling the paint and protecting the rim. If they spend
more time on the perimeter, it could pull them away from their
defensive responsibilities, potentially impacting their teams on
that end of the floor. They could also potentially exert more
energy on offense when taking these types of shots, and could
affect their games on the other end of the floor.

If Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis
can fully integrate the 3-point shot into their games, the Miami
Heat and Los Angeles Lakers could be looking at major improvements
in their offensive efficiency and flexibility. For Miami, Adebayo’s
ability to space the floor and create more room for Butler and
Herro could make them a more dangerous and unpredictable team. For
the Lakers, Davis hitting threes at a consistent rate would allow
LeBron and the rest of the roster to play more freely and
dynamically.

Both players have always had the
skill to shoot from deep, but this season may finally be the year
where they embrace it fully. And if they do, the Heat and Lakers
could be poised for deep playoff runs, with their star big men
leading the charge in this new era of positionless
basketball.