To 3, or not to 3?

This is what I get for tweeting analysis during Los Angeles Lakers games.

In October, Lakers head coach Byron Scott lit himself on fire by suggesting that the Los Angeles Lakers would abstain from over relying on threes in the 2014-2015 season. The following became something of a staple of the criticism of Scott:

Seven of the past eight NBA champions led all playoff teams in 3-point attempts and makes.

— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) October 17, 2014

Unfortunately, this stat stuck around way too long. Long enough for me to hear it on an ESPN broadcast in December. The following was my reaction and analysis to why Holmes’ tweet is a bad one to be using as seriously as it is:

Wow. Still on the #Lakers and threes I see … smh #LALvsSA

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

Thank you JVG … of course you just might have more makes and attempts in the playoffs when you advance … #LALvsSA

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

When @BaxterHolmes mentioned 7 of last 8 NBA champs led all playoff teams in total 3s, too many ate that up instead of calling him out …

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

I don't even mean to defend Byron Scott … that's just a TERRIBLE stat to use to criticize his philosophy … #Lakers

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

*Mind you, 16 teams make the playoffs:

The #Spurs made/attempted most 3s of all 2014 playoff teams. But per game? They were 10th in attempts. 5th in makes.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2013 #Heat: 9th in 3s attempted in playoffs per game. 6th in 3s made in playoffs per game.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2012 #Heat in playoffs: 4th in 3s attempted per game, 4th in 3s made per game

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2011 #Mavericks: 3rd in 3s attempted per game in playoffs, 1st in makes per game (We have a winner!!!)

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2010 #Lakers: 4th in 3s made/attempted in playoffs per game

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2009 #Lakers: 10th in 3s attempted per game in playoffs, 6th in 3s made per game in playoffs

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2008 #Celtics: 10th in 3s attempted per game in playoffs, 8th in 3s made per game in playoffs

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

2007 #Spurs: 7th in 3s attempted per game in playoffs, 3rd in 3s made per game in playoffs

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

You like 3-point efficiency? That's cool. 2014 #Spurs led all playoff teams there. Same with 2007 #Spurs. That's it for last 8 champs though

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

So yeah, respect to @BaxterHolmes … but I'm nominating that 7 of 8 champs made most playoff 3s as the most misleading NBA stat of the year!

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

The goal: don't suck at shooting 3s. But don't go into the playoffs thinking the team that wins the title is the one jacking the most 3s

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 13, 2014

Now, Knicks president Phil Jackson is taking heat for this:

NBA analysts give me some diagnostics on how 3pt oriented teams are faring this playoffs…seriously, how's it goink?

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) May 10, 2015

Why am getting cranky stuff? Seriously, bball, it's about penetration. Those cranky the Heat/Spurs got it..Heat via s/roll, Spurs all ways.

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) May 10, 2015

Now, obviously this wasn’t a good time for Phil to flash the RINGZZZ and come at playoff teams. FYI, here are the playoff teams as of May 12 listed in order of most threes attempted. Observe how the top four still have a pulse:

Rockets are on the brink, but still. (PC: NBA.com/Stats)

But Ian Begley … don’t even bring that weak sauce in here!

Not here to say if Phil is right or wrong but 7 of last 8 NBA champs led playoff teams in 3-point attempts & makes – http://t.co/Vpdc4au068

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 12, 2015

Those 2013-2014 Knicks relied on the three, leading the league in makes an attempts on their way to a division title. But in the playoffs, the threes stopped falling (going from 37.6 percent in regular season to 34.3 percent in postseason), one factor leading to a second-round upset.

Like I mentioned in December – shooting threes is fine. You need shooters. But you need to be able to do other things well on offense as well, such as control the ball and get to the free throw line. And that doesn’t include the fact that offense is not as significant to team success as defense. The Knicks (and Lakers) won’t go anywhere unless they rise from the bottom-three in the NBA on defense.

But please, if you’re going to use stats to suggest a team change its strategy, avoid ones that basically say, “play more games than 14 other teams!”

Master Troll Phil is continuing to get reciprocated this year (PC: Balloverall)