DeMarcus Cousins probably won’t shoot 44.8 percent from three-point range for the duration of this season. The Sacramento Kings superstar made just 11 of his 69 three-point attempts over his first five years in the league, good for a paltry conversion rate of 15.9 percent – right in line with what you’d expect from a 6’11, 270-pound behemoth who rose to prominence due to dominating on the interior, and less than the 13 treys he’s connected on during the first few weeks of 2015-16.
Plus, it’s not like his long-range tries are of the easiest variety, either. Cousins’ triples may not be heavily contested, but they all come from above the break – where the Kings, like all teams in the league, shoot far worse than they do from the hallowed short corners. Teams will be wise to leave him alone in secondary transition as Rajon Rondo begins to initiate offense, too.
But some seemingly inevitable regression also may not matter. As long as Cousins continues launching three-pointers consistently – his current mark of 4.1 attempts per game is likely too big, by the way – and makes an acceptable share of them, an entirely new avenue of playmaking will remain open to Sacramento’s ultra-skilled big man.
After Cousins connects on a long-ball, defenses are understandably wary of another splash and react accordingly. Most centers, though, don’t have the foot speed to get a hand in Cousins’ face as he begins to shoot and slide in front of him if he puts the ball on the deck.
In the Kings’ recent wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors, Boogie leveraged his shooting prowess into easy drives and scores – the latter of which came when his team needed a bucket most.
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This is the evolution of one of basketball’s most talented players. And considering the ease and comfort with which he’s become a legitimate and effortless three-point threat, it’s frightening to consider Cousins eventually reaping the all-encompassing benefits of that new reality.
