All articles tagged with #three pointers
Olivia Miles set a new WNBA rookie record by hitting eight three-pointers in the Minnesota Lynx's 87-84 win over the Golden State Valkyries, finishing with 28 points and seven assists. She surpassed Caitlin Clark and Crystal Robinson for the rookie 3-point record, and the Lynx improved to 8-2 this season. Coach Cheryl Reeve lauded Miles's maturity and playmaking as a key driver for Minnesota's title-contending form.
The Knicks erupted from long range, knocking down 25 3-pointers—tying the NBA playoff record—and rolled past Philadelphia 144-114 to sweep the series 4-0, earning a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals behind Deuce McBride’s seven 3s (25 points), plus 22 from Jalen Brunson and 17 from Karl-Anthony Towns, while Embiid led Philly with 24 in a season-ending defeat.
The Detroit Pistons built a 2-0 series cushion by smothering the Cavaliers on the perimeter and raining in threes, led by Cade Cunningham's 25 points and 10 assists and Tobias Harris's 21 points. Detroit shot 14 of 28 from deep, with Duncan Robinson adding 17 on five 3-pointers, while Cleveland shot just 22% from long range and struggled to find consistent scoring beyond Donovan Mitchell's 31. James Harden shot 3-for-13 for 10 points as the Cavs couldn’t defend the arc; the series moves to Cleveland for Game 3 with Detroit in control.
Luka Doncic powered the Lakers to a 105-104 comeback win over the Magic, scoring 33 points to extend an unprecedented run as the first player in NBA history to score at least 30 points in nine straight wins. Across that stretch he totaled 250 points, 50 assists, 50 rebounds and 25 made 3-pointers over seven games, and he set Lakers single-season marks with seven 30-point triple-doubles and a team record for made 3s. The nine-game winning streak helped Los Angeles climb to third in the West, but Doncic nursed a potential one-game suspension on his 16th technical foul, which the team plans to appeal.
Missouri (No. 10) clashes with Miami (No. 7) in the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis, with betting analysis centering on Trent Pierce and Miami's vulnerable 3-point defense; the top bet is Pierce Over 1.5 threes, complemented by a same-game parlay featuring Stone, Donaldson, and Washington hitting threes and a Missouri team-total over, all set against Miami’s edge in turnover margin and rebounding.
UConn remains undefeated through 34 games and is favored to win the national title, but experts flag a few potential threats in March Madness. The Huskies’ defense and paint protection keep them ahead, yet their willingness to concede 3-pointers can be exploited by hot outside shooting. In the Fort Worth 1 region, Vanderbilt, Texas and UCLA stand out as plausible upset candidates thanks to high-volume 3-point attack and relentless pressure, with Ohio State and Tennessee also capable of disrupting UConn's rhythm. Even if one of these teams pushes them, UConn’s scoring margin, assists and defensive metrics keep them as the team to beat.
Louisville couldn’t match Miami's size or outside shooting, going 6-for-24 from three and committing 13 turnovers that Miami converted into 21 points, as the Hurricanes pulled away for a 78-73 win that ends Louisville’s ACC Tournament run. Ryan Conwell led Louisville with 22 points and nine rebounds, J’Vonne Hadley added 19, and Khani Rooths scored 11 in nine minutes, while Reneau led Miami with 24 points in a game decided by a late turnover that sealed the outcome.
Wisconsin nailed 18 of 34 from three, including a first-half burst of 12 threes, to beat No. 15 Purdue 97-93 at Mackey Arena on Senior Day and hurt the Boilermakers’ bid for a top-four Big Ten seed. Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer became the program’s career leader in 3-pointers with six makes, while Braden Smith (20) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (16) provided scoring. John Blackwell led Wisconsin with 25 points and Nick Boyd added 23 as Aleksas Bieliauskas contributed 4 of 5 from deep; Wisconsin improved to 7-43 all-time in Mackey Arena and played without Nolan Winter. The result underscored Purdue’s defensive issues and Wisconsin’s hot shooting as postseason play approaches.
No. 9 Nebraska shot only 38.8% and went 5-for-24 from three as UCLA started strong and pulled away to a 72-52 win on Senior Night in Los Angeles. Sam Hoiberg led NU with 12 points, with Rienk Mast and Cale Jacobsen adding 11 each. UCLA shot 46% and hit 10 threes, improving to 17-1 at home. A late Husker push cut the lead to 57-47 with 6:49 left, but a crucial foul and a Bilodeau 3-pointer helped UCLA restore the margin. Nebraska finishes Big Ten play with a 7-3 road mark and will host Iowa on Sunday for Senior Day.
With a six-man rotation, Minnesota edged UCLA 78-73 as Bobby Durkin scored 23 points on seven 3-pointers and Langston Reynolds added 21, while the Gophers tallied 24 assists on 29 makes in an efficient, unselfish night; UCLA's Tyler Bilodeau had 32, and Minnesota's defense showed some leaks but the offense stayed hot from deep (over 52% from three) despite 10 incoming transfers and six season-ending injuries.
Tyrese Maxey became the Sixers’ all-time leader in made three-pointers, drilling five first-quarter triples to eclipse Allen Iverson and cap a 124-117 win over the Miami Heat, as Embiid returned from an injury scare and Philadelphia withstood a late rally to secure a key playoff-positioning victory.
Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 200 made 3-pointers, accomplishing the feat in 58 games, while leading rookies with 201 threes this season and helping Charlotte push toward a play-in spot.
LeBron James is in a February shooting slump, hitting just 21.1% from three on 4.8 attempts per game (about 28% of his shots) and posting a team-low 109.0 offensive rating with a -2.1 net rating, yet the Lakers are 5-3 with him active; some observers suggest LeBron should seek more scoring opportunities elsewhere or adjust his shot selection to avoid derailing the season, especially as his 2025-26 three-point percentage sits at 30.3% on 4.6 attempts, well below last season’s 37.6% and his catch-and-shoot efficiency (42.0% in 2024-25). With 26 games left and a likely summer roster reshaping, balancing LeBron’s offense could determine the Lakers’ playoff chances after back-to-back early exits with Doncic’s era.
San Antonio surrounded Victor Wembanyama with shooters and ball handlers, hitting 18 threes to Detroit's seven as the Spurs beat the Pistons 114-103. Devin Vassell (28) and Julian Champagnie (17) carried the offense while Cade Cunningham struggled (5-for-26), highlighting Detroit's lack of reliable shooting and playmaking around him in a playoff-like, bounce-back game for a top opponent.
Michigan jumped out to a 15-0 run and never trailed Purdue, routing the Boilermakers 91-80 behind a 13-for-23 night from three (56.5%), a strong front-court effort from Lendeborg, Johnson and Mara, and 17 points/7 assists from Elliot Cadeau, while Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with 27 points and 11 rebounds as Michigan’s perimeter shooting dictated the game.