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NBA: Toronto continues three-point shooting woes in loss to Sacramento

Xinhua, November 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Toronto Raptors continued their struggles from beyond the arc with a 7-for-30 (23.2 percent) performance in Sunday evening's 96-91 defeat to the Sacramento Kings. With the loss, Toronto falls to 4-2 on the season.

Going into the game, the Raptors shot a league-worst 27.0 percent (27-100) on three-pointers. After Sunday's game, the team fell to 26.2 percent (34-130) to remain dead last in this category.

It's a far cry from their record last season, when Toronto ranked fifth in three-pointers, converting at a 37.0 percent clip (708-1915). Toronto head coach Dwane Casey is confident that his team can turn it around soon.

"We are getting open looks, I think they will fall once we get into the season and we just have to keep taking them," said Casey following the loss. "You never forget how to shoot, they're shooters and (we plan to) make sure they continue to make three-point shots."

The core shooters from last year's squad have all returned, as all of the three-point shots attempted so far have come from returning players. Four of these players have accounted for over 80 percent of the team's total attempts.

Kyle Lowry (11-39), DeMarre Carroll (7-26), Terrence Ross (8-22) and Patrick Patterson (3-20) have combined to shoot 27.1 percent (29-107).

"(We've got to shoot the ball better," said Lowry after his 3-10 performance from beyond the arc. "Not a concern. We got to get in the gym and shoot even more. Our confidence is still there," he said.

As a lifetime 35.6 percent three-point shooter, Lowry is shooting 7.4 percent below his career rate so far this year. Meanwhile, Carroll is shooting 10.0 percent below his career average of 36.9 percent. Most astoundingly, Patterson is shooting 15.0 percent, 21.7 percent off his career mark of 36.7 percent.

The Raptors will need to rediscover their shooting stroke if they want to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for a second straight season. Their next game takes place on the road against Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Endit