The three-ball has become arguably the staple of scoring in the NBA – so we figured we’d take some shots from downtown, too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down the three things fantasy managers need to know. Or, he’ll break down several three-point tips, analysis and more – it just depends on how open he is to De Profundo.
Today, I will discuss three teams doing three improbable things during the first week and a half of the NBA season.
The Chicago Bulls lead the race in Pace
The Bulls ran the fastest offense in the NBA through four games, a significant development under HC Billy Donovan.
Unlikely to the fullest.
Last year, the Bulls ranked 28th in the league (96.7) in Pace and were primarily in the middle of the pack during Donovan’s tenure.
So what has changed?
Not having to start an offense in the middle of DeMar DeRozan is the first thing that comes to mind. The Bulls gained more possessions through quicker decision-making and ball movement, as their passes per game increased from 286.7 per game last season to 314.6 per game so far this season, according to NBA Advanced Stats. While the subtraction of DeRozan would typically result in more volume for Zach LaVine, Coby White and Nikola Vučević, their shooting volume is consistent with last season. The difference is LaVine, White and company are attempting more 3s — a consistent theme we’ve seen this season across the NBA. The Bulls are averaging 44 3-point attempts per game, which is top three in the league.
From a fantasy perspective, Vučević and LaVine’s numbers are improving from a year ago, while White has established himself as a 19-4-4 player. Josh Giddey’s playmaking and facilitation is working well as he is on pace to have his best fantasy season yet. He currently sits at 122nd in per-game value in categorical formats.
The question is, will this fast-paced, 3-point-focused strategy be sustainable? We’ll see!
The Charlotte Hornets are a top-10 offense?!
It’s easy to attribute Charlotte’s early season success to the impact of LaMelo Ball. The Hornets are a completely different team when Ball is in the lineup. The last time LaMelo Ball played in more than 50 games was the 2021-2022 season and the Hornets finished eighth in Offensive Rating that year. When evaluating this season, however, a few areas stand out besides Ball’s phenomenal play — the Hornets’ newfound commitment to offensive rebounding and second-chance opportunities.
Looking back at last season, the Knicks had an amazing ability clean the glass despite being bottom-10 in true-shooting percentage in the NBA. Those extra opportunities on offense helped the Knicks finish the year seventh in Offensive Rating.
With a revamped offensive unit getting a big boost from the play of fantasy waiver wire gems Tre Mann and Nick Richards, we have yet to see what this offense can look like when fully healthy. Brandon Miller is still nursing a hip injury, Miles Bridges is not playing well, and there is still nothing on Mark Williams’ return from a foot injury.
And yet, this team is somehow top 10 in offensive rating.
Nick Richards is basically becoming the Isaiah Hartenstein of last season, pulling down 4.8 offensive rebounds per game. Interestingly, Richards and Mann average the second-most points per game in the league, at 6.0 and 5.8, respectively.
If the Hornets continue to work on the offensive glass and get their top guys healthy, Charlotte could be one of the most unlikely fantasy-friendly teams this season.
The Orlando Magic’s alter ego as a 3-point threat
If you can’t beat them, join them. Two weeks into the season, it seems Orlando has changed its offensive identity from a team that barely attempted 3s to one of the league’s best. Last season, the Magic ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point attempts and last in makes per game. It’s no surprise that their 3-point percentage was also bottom-10 in the league. The lack of 3-point shooting was a glaring weakness in their offense.
Fast forward to this season, the Magic are attempting the sixth most 3s (42.6) and are tied for seventh in 3s made (14.8) per game. Orlando brought in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to help with their spacing and 3-point shooting, but he has yet to get going, hitting just 11% of his four 3-point attempts per game. The most apparent improvements came from Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Between the trio, they are attempting six more 3s per game and hitting them at a higher rate than last season. Orlando’s defense remains their calling card but this increase in 3-point shooting will also boost the fantasy value of Suggs, Banchero and Wagner (assuming they keep knocking them down of course).
In a related aside, seven players in the NBA are attempting more than 10 3-pointers per game this season. According to Stathead, three is the most we’ve seen in an entire season in the modern era.
