Tatum took 4.6 3-pointers per game, and Hanlen believes that number should be closer to 8.
There were times Tatum was noticeably less comfortable beyond the arc, opting to dribble inside into a more challenging, midrange offering. Hanlen said that was partly because when Tatum was at full speed, or moving near the 3-point line at awkward angles, he was not always able to instantly re-center for sidestep, step-back or off-the-dribble 3-pointers. So they are working on all of those things now.
“We’ve been doing a lot where he’s just not allowed to shoot midrange shots,” Hanlen said. “So it forces him to do it, and he’s starting to kind of realize when he settles for the jump shot and when he should get downhill. He’s seen it on film and now we’re forcing him to do it by taking away the midrange, and then it’s just about making the right decision. Sometimes the midrange is the best shot, sometimes the three is the best shot, and sometimes the rim. It’s about putting it all together.”