Cavaliers Post Lowest Three-Point Percentage In Nearly Five Years

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Logan Potosky | Last updated Dec 30, 2023 1:37 PM ET

In their first 31 games, the Cleveland Cavaliers were shooting 35.4% from three-point range, which ranked 23rd in the NBA.

Last night, however, they recorded a historically low-percentage performance from behind the arc against the Milwaukee Bucks.

In their 119-111 defeat, Cleveland shot just 6-for-43 (14.0%) from three-point territory. The Wine and Gold’s six triples were their fewest in a game since March 17, when they made four in a victory over the Washington Wizards.

A bulk of Cleveland’s three-point attempts came from Max Strus, who shot 2-for-11 (18.2%), and Donovan Mitchell, who shot 2-for-10 (20%) from behind the arc after missing the team’s previous four games due to an illness.

But the Cavaliers’ 14.0% mark from deep was their lowest in a game since March 30, 2019, when they shot just 3-for-23 (13.0%) from three-point range in a 24-point road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Cleveland’s three-point percentage last night was also its lowest in a home game since February 23, 2014, when the team shot 2-for-18 (11.1%) in a 13-point loss to the Wizards.

Despite the Wine and Gold’s poor performance from behind the three-point line last night, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was pleased with the opportunities they were getting from deep.

“You can’t tell these guys who put the time in and who are capable to not take open shots. The Law of Averages is going to pan out, these guys shoot their percentages for a reason. And tonight just wasn’t our night from behind the three-point line. But they were assisted, and they were open. So that means we’re sharing the game, we’re doing all the right things to create for one another.”

The Cavaliers will look to bounce back from deep against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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