NBA Standings: Cavaliers lead the way in defending 3-point line
Where Cavaliers stack up to the rest of the league
To track which teams contest perimeter shots, we can look at the percentage of “wide-open” 3-pointers a team gives up. NBA.com defines a shot as wide open if there is no defender within six feet. Here are the 10 teams in the league who allow the lowest percentage of wide-open 3-pointers:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Miami Heat
- Sacramento Kings
- Indiana Pacers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Dallas Mavericks
- Washington Wizards
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- LA Clippers
The Cavaliers are the best team in the NBA at restricting opponents’ wide-open 3-point attempts. They have elite rim protection with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley inside, which allows their perimeter defenders to stay home on shooters. Having Isaac Okoro is also key; he is in the grill of opposing guards and lightning-quick to get out to the line in rotation.
Some shrewd fans might question the Cavs’ ranking, remembering key losses this year when the Cavs’ opponents shot lights-out from deep. That is absolutely true, and goes back to the earlier point that teams don’t have much control on an opponent’s 3-point accuracy. The Cavs give up the lowest percentage of wide-open 3-pointers, but opponents shoot 39.1 percent when they do get a wide-open 3 (11th in the league) and 37 percent overall on 3-pointers (9th in the league).
In other words, the Cavs are limiting wide-open 3-pointers, funneling opposing players into the paint or contesting the shots that do go up. That’s the part of perimeter defense they can control, and they excel at it.
Are there any other takeaways from the rest of the “wide-open 3-point” standings?