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LA Clippers: What every player needs to do in the playoffs

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on April 10, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on April 10, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – FEBRUARY 27: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers looks on in a NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 27, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – FEBRUARY 27: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers looks on in a NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 27, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Danilo Gallinari: Keep on shooting, and shoot more

Speaking of Danilo Gallinari, how about the season he’s having? The 30-year-old forward is having a career year with the LA Clippers, which is especially notable considering everything he went through last season.

Gallinari appeared in 68 games during the regular season (the third-most in his career), scored 19.8 points per game (career-high), grabbed 6.1 rebounds per game (career-high), dished out 2.6 assists per game (career-high) and shot 43.3 percent from three-point range (the second-most in his career). Because of that, there’s been plenty of reasonable discussion as to whether or not Gallinari deserves All-NBA honors this season (for the record, I think he does).

As one of the league’s most efficient shooters this season, my only gripe with Gallinari is that he doesn’t shoot enough — and that’s a complaint that seems to be shared by other writers as well.

Let’s look at it this way. Gallinari is playing 30 minutes per game this season, and he attempts 13 shots, on average, in that same span of time. 5.5 of those 13 shots come from three-point range. And while those figures are still good, there’s certainly room for him to take more shots.

Take Kevin Durant for example, one of the stars the Clippers will be seeing in the first round of the playoffs. He’s taking 17.7 shots per game this season, five of which come from three-point range, and averaging 26.0 points per game. Based on how the percentages stack up, it’s not outrageous to suggest Gallinari could be averaging a similar number of points if he was taking that many more shots — especially if they were coming from deep.

Gallinari doesn’t need to go out there on Saturday and jack up 15 shots from range. But he does need to consider being a little more selfish heading into the matchup.

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