Brooklyn Nets: 3 stats that explain Landry Shamet’s hot streak

Early in the season, the Brooklyn Nets trading the first-round pick that eventually became Detroit Pistons rookie Saddiq Bey in exchange for shooting guard Landry Shamet looked like one of the worst moves of the year, as Shamet started off the year unable to hit the broad side of a barn from 3-point range.

The Nets kept Shamet after the James Harden trade, and he has since responded to their faith in him by shouldering more of the scoring load as Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving have all missed some time due to injuries. Finally, Shamet is looking like the player he was with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Shamet and the Nets might have lost to the Miami Heat after losing Durant in the middle of the game, but the Wichita State product had his best game of the second, scoring a career-high 30 points while making seven 3-pointers.

This was not just a one-game flash in the pan, as Shamet has made some huge improvements since the start of the season. These three stats encapsulate the strides he has made in the last few weeks.

These 3 stats explain Brooklyn Nets wing Landry Shamet’s rise.

Landry Shamet stat No. 1: Increased defensive effort

Over the last 15 games Shamet has played in, he has posted a defensive rating of 107.9, asserting himself as a key factor in Brooklyn’s turnaround on that end of the floor. Considering there were stretches this year where his defensive rating was in excess of 123 points, this is an improvement.

As poorly as he was shooting, it was only a matter of time before he started connecting from long-range again. His defense was never a strong suit, but Shamet is starting to make strides in that area.

Landry Shamet is playing better defense for the Brooklyn Nets.

Shamet doesn’t have to be the second coming of Bobby Jones or Dennis Rodman. Just remain active on the defensive end, try to deflect passes, and keep working to cause turnovers. If he keeps doing that, Shamet should be able to help sustain Brooklyn’s sudden competence on the defensive end.

After Jacque Vaughn completely rewrote the script on defense, Shamet has been giving more consistent effort on the perimeter, as a 6-5 guard with long arms is going to be able to cause some difficulties for opposing guards. Shamet is not just a spot-up shooter, and this stretch is proving that statement true.

Landry Shamet stat No. 2: Playing on the wing more

Even though Shamet has been seeing some time at the point guard due to the team’s injuries, the Nets move around so much on the offensive end that they play a very position-less form of basketball that features anyone potentially bringing the ball up. When Shamet isn’t running point, the Nets have put him out on the wing more, and the effect has been devastating.

The Nets are averaging an insane 127.6 points per game this season when Shamet is on the wing. Per Cleaning the Glass (subscription required), Brooklyn’s efficient field goal percentage with Shamet at the wing is 62.5%, which is in the 99th percentile across the entire NBA for wing players.

Landry Shamet looks better at small forward for the Brooklyn Nets.

Shamet’s speed on the edge allows him to blow by slower wings and get some separation if he wants to create his own shot. On a Nets team that is essentially playing a 6-4 Bruce Brown at power forward, they are clearly willing to put Shamet over at the wing if it means they’ll get an offensive advantage out of it.

Shamet’s ability to get open on the wing is making him a much more lethal offensive player when compared to the feckless display that he authored in the early parts of the season. Steve Nash needs to realize that Shamet is thriving there and keep him on the wing so as to not upset the apple cart.

Landry Shamet stat No. 3: Improved perimeter shooting

At the end of the day, Shamet is on this team to shoot. If he’s not shooting well, his value goes into the toilet. Before the Harden trade, he looked like a waste of a roster spot because of his inefficiency. Over the last few weeks, Shamet has been putting up numbers that simply take your breath away.

In the month of April, Shamet is averaging 17.0 points per game while making 50.5% of his shots and an absurd 51% from the 3-point line. This is not just Shamet becoming a solid shooter. It’s a sign that he is evolving into a quality fourth or fifth scoring option on this team.

Landry Shamet is becoming an important piece for the Brooklyn Nets.

Shamet’s role as the main bench scorer is more important than ever this year, as he is getting even more minutes than he usually does due to the huge backlog of injuries that gave resurfaced lately for Brooklyn. What once looked like a nightmare scenario has started to evolve into a serendipitous discovery of one of the game’s best shooters.

The fact that Shamet was so putrid during the early stages of his Nets career, yet is still making over 40% of his 3-pointers in April is astonishing. The Nets will need role players outside of their trio of Hall of Famers to step up, and Shamet is making his case to be the main scoring option when KD, Kyrie, and Harden are inactive.

Did Lakers’ Dennis Schröder actually take shot at Brooklyn Nets?

Dennis Schröder seemed to steal Brooklyn's "Scary Hours" mantra that James Harden helped create upon his trade to the Brooklyn Nets.