Who are the top 10 NBA shooters through the first month of the season?
The 2023-24 NBA season may only be a month old, but there are several trends that appear to have sticking power. For example, the Boston Celtics appear to be the class of the Eastern Conference and the Minnesota Timberwolves appear to be as real as their record may indicate. The Denver Nuggets are still a handful in the Western Conference and the Oklahoma City Thunder have the look of a playoff team.
One of the NBA's most recent trends that could offer some interesting insight revolves around 3-point shooting. As the NBA has become more of a shooting league, there are several players who are having extremely efficient seasons from beyond the arc. And, in turn, they've emerged as highly valuable assets for their respective teams.
A month into the season, we'll explore the 10 best 3-point shooters in the league through the first month of the season. Before we get to the list, there were a few qualifiers. For one, a player had to have played in at least six games so far this season (roughly half of the season) and had to have attempted four 3-pointers per game.
10. Lonnie Walker IV, Brooklyn Nets - 5.5 3PA, 45.8 percent
After what ended up being a pretty solid season with the Los Angeles Lakers, which included one particular outstanding performance in the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4, it was somewhat odd that he ended up leaving in free agency. Nevertheless, in the end, both sides believed it was in the best interest to part ways.
That led Walker to sign a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets. So far, it's worked out swimmingly for both Walker and the Nets. Through the first month of the season, Walker is averaging a career-high 16 points per game on 46 percent shooting from 3-point range. The fact that he's been the best 3-point shooter on a team that has both Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges is pretty impressive.
9. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers - 8.2 3PA, 46.2 percent
In what has been a highly competitive Eastern Conference through the first month of the season, the Indiana Pacers have been one of the biggest surprises. And the continued rise and progression of Tyrese Haliburton is a big reason why the Pacers have been a real factor in the conference thus far. Haliburton has helped lead the Pacers to an early 8-6 record and the best offense in the NBA. Haliburton has completely changed the way Pacers basketball is played, and likely for the better.
As you would expect, Haliburton is putting up career highs across the board so far. He's averaging 25 points, 12 assists, and four rebounds per game on 52 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent shooting from 3-point range. What's perhaps the most impressive part of Haliburton's shooting efficiency numbers is that he's been this efficient from deep while attempting more than eight 3's per game.
Haliburton is quickly becoming one of the most efficient scorers in the game. Soon enough, he's going to be considered one of the best players in the league.
8. Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat - 4.6 3PA, 46.9 percent
The Miami Heat may be looking for a new starting point guard at some point before the NBA Trade Deadline but what Kyle Lowry is doing from behind the 3-point line is somewhat impressive. With Father time bearing down on him as a 37-year-old, Lowry has still been able to be effective in spurts so far this season. And while he may not be a primary reason for the Heat's 10-5 start to the season, he's certainly played his role perfectly.
Lowry is averaging nine points and five assists per game on a scorching 47 percent shooting from 3-point range. He may not be the player he once was but it's clear that he has gotten off to a hot start from deep. It would be unfair to expect Lowry to continue being this efficient from deep but it may be the only shot of him keep his spot as the team's starting point guard.
If Lowry finishes the season as a 40 percent shooter from deep, that should be good enough to continue making a strong impact for Miami. They don't need him to be special. At this point in his career, they just need Lowry to be effective in one area of the game. So far this season, that's been from behind the arc.
7. Matt Ryan, New Orleans Pelicans - 5.2 3PA, 47.1 percent
With all the injuries that the New Orleans Pelicans have had to overcome to their depth over the first month of the season, Matt Ryan has emerged as a valued contributor to the team. Before his calf injury, which will likely keep him out another week, Ryan was averaging nine points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 47 percent shooting from 3-point range. That makes him the 8th best 3-point shooter, considering volume, to start the season.
With how well he's played through the first month of the season, you can't help but wonder if he's carved out a permanent role in the rotation. Once the Pelicans get healthy, assuming they do, it'll be interesting to see how head coach Willie Green, who may be on the hot seat, handles the rotation.
Ryan doesn't have much experience in the NBA and entering this season had only appeared in 35 games in the past two seasons, spending time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, he may be making himself a lot of money if he continues to play at this level.
6. Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns - 5.1 3PA, 48.6 percent
As part of the Damian Lillard blockbuster multi-trade, Grayson Allen found himself relocating from Milwaukee to Phoenix. After two productive seasons with the Bucks, Allen was going to find himself in a great new spot, playing next to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Through the first month of the season, that has very much paid off for Allen. He's feasting playing off of KD and has looked like one of the best 3-point shooters in the league.
Shooting nearly 49 percent from deep, Allen has emerged as a key contirbutor for the Suns. Starting every game this season, Allen has carried some of the load left by Bradley Beal, who has only played in three games this season. Allen is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists on 49 percent shooting from the field.
For a Suns team that is trying to find their footing among their early-season inconsistency, Allen has emerged as one of their most consistent contributors. If the Suns are going to be successful in the postseason, Allen will have to keep this same energy deep into the year.
5. Malik Beasley, Milwaukee Bucks - 5.8 3PA, 46.9 percent
Falling out of the rotation with the Los Angeles Lakers toward the end of the last season, it was understandable for Malik Beasley to explore other options during free agency. In the end, Beasley decided to sign a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. This was a deal that could be viewed as beneficial for both sides and has been playing out that way.
Through the first month of the season, Beasley has started every game for the Bucks and is averaging 11 points and four rebounds on a career-high 47 percent shooting from 3-point range. He's clearly benefited by playing off of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and from a fresh start. The true test for Beasley comes over the course of the next few months. Beasley's talent has never been questioned. It's his inconsistency that has plagued him over the course of his career.
For now, Beasley is the ninth-best 3-point shooter in the league. Considering he's only shot over 40 percent from deep twice over the course of his seven-year career, he's certainly a player to keep an eye on over the course of the remainder of the year.
4. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks - 6.7 3PA, 47.9 percent
It shouldn't come as a big surprise to see Jalen Brunson on this list, especially considering just how valuable and effective he was for the New York Knicks last season. During his first season in New York, he helped lead them to the Eastern Conference semifinals before they bowed out against the eventual East champions Miami Heat. But his presence was certainly felt as he helped alter the culture in the Big Apple.
The challenge for Brunson was to do it again. As you would expect, Brunson has seen a drop in overall shooting efficiency this season. Interestingly enough, he's been better from the perimeter. Brunson is averaging 24 points, five assists, and three rebounds per game on 48 percent shooting from 3-point range.
It'll be interesting to see if this level of efficiency is sustainable for Brunson. Considering his volume, and how much the Knicks' offense relies on him, a bit of a drop in 3-point efficiency wouldn't be all that surprising. The fact that he's a top-10 3-point shooter in the league through the first month of the season is quite impressive.
3. RJ Barrett, New York Knicks - 5.4 3PA, 49 percent
If the New York Knicks were going to take a step forward this season, the belief was that they were going to need the best version of RJ Barrett that they could get. And so far this season, when Barrett has been available, that's certainly been the case. Barrett is averaging 21 points, four rebounds, and three assists per game on career-high shooting efficiencies (45 percent from the field and 49 percent from 3-point range).
Even though the Knicks have not gotten the results that they would've liked so far this season, Brunson and Barrett give this team hope and promise as they attempt to make a move up the Eastern Conference standings.
It's actually quite impressive that the Knicks have two of their players in the top 10 of 3-point shooters in the league. But, then again, perhaps that shouldn't be all that surprising considering the Knicks are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league. If the Knicks are going to keep pace with the top of the East standings, this trend with Brunson and Barrett is going to have to continue. Especially if New York doesn't make another move for another difference-maker.
2. Isaiah Joe, Oklahoma City Thunder, 5.7 3PA, 51.8 percent
Isaiah Joe may not be a name that the average NBA fan knows. Even less so considering that he plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. But right now, OKC is sitting as the second seed in the Western Conference and Joe is a part of the team's early-season success. In his role off the bench, Joe has emerged as one of the most efficient 3-point shooters this season. In his fourth season in the NBA, Joe is having his best campaign thus far.
Joe is averaging 11 points on a sizzling 52 percent shooting from 3-point range. He's been one of the team's most consistent backups on the wing and has essentially been OKC's sixth man through the first month of the season. It'll be interesting to see if Joe can continue to play at this efficiency rate and whether the Thunder can continue to play this well as a unit.
While there was an expectation that the Thunder were going to take a step forward as a team this season, I'm not sure anyone could've envisioned this. And Joe outplaying his pre-season expectations, especially from 3-point range, almost perfectly epitomizes what we've seen for the Thunder so far this season.
1. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns - 4.5 3PA, 52.2 percent
Somehow, at the age of 35, Kevin Durant is doing outrageous things. Some of which he's doing for the first time in his career. Through the first month of the season, KD is averaging 31 points, seven rebounds, and six assists per game on 54 percent shooting from the field and a league-best 52 percent shooting from 3-point range. For as great of a scorer as Durant is, being the best 3-point shooter in the league is somewhat of a cheat code.
With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal missing a significant number of games through the first few weeks of the season, it's been Durant that has had to carry much of the load for the Phoenix Suns. Durant has been one of the main reasons why the Suns aren't further down the standings in the Western Conference.
The Suns entered the season with the weight of a championship on their shoulders. They have the talent to achieve special things this season. It's not their talent that is questioned. It's their durability. But even if they do have to battle injuries all throughout the season, as long as Durant is playing at this level, they're going to have a shot regardless.