Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may have another way to make life difficult for NBA

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already scores plenty. Perhaps the next step is simply figuring out where some of those points come from.

As Ivan White of NBA on SI noted, Gilgeous-Alexander actually became more accurate from beyond the arc last season while shooting fewer threes.

The two-time NBA MVP connected on 38.6 percent from deep, the second-best mark of his career, but attempted just 4.4 threes per game. A year earlier, he attempted a career-high 5.7 while making 37.5 percent.

So yes, there’s an argument that Gilgeous-Alexander should let it fly a little more often.

White pointed out that his 3-point attempt rate of 22.6 percent was unusually low for a scorer of his caliber, ranking last among the NBA’s top eight scorers. His 4.4 attempts per game also ranked just fourth on the Thunder.

Of course, Oklahoma City probably shouldn’t spend too much time trying to fix something that isn’t broken.

Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of basketball’s most difficult covers precisely because he gets where he wants, plays at his own pace and doesn’t necessarily follow the modern NBA formula of firing away from deep.

Still, defenses adjust. Playoff defenses especially. If Gilgeous-Alexander can take another three or two without sacrificing everything that makes him so effective inside the arc, well, that’s just one more thing for opposing coaches to worry about. As if they needed another.