Why Bucks’ rookie AJ Green needs to attempt three more 3-pointers

The major focus for the Milwaukee Bucks in their last five games of the 2022-23 season is to secure the number one seed… not only in the Eastern Conference but also in the league. But I have another focus, albeit, not as important, for the Bucks in the last five games of the season: Get AJ Green three more 3-point shot attempts.

Green, an undrafted rookie, has 97 3-point attempts this season. Three more attempts would give Green 100 for the season and give the Bucks 13 players this season with 100 or more 3-point attempts. That would tie an NBA record and break the Bucks’ team record for most players with 100 or more 3-point attempts in a season.

Bucks players with 100+ 3-point attempts this season

Among the 12 players this season with 100 or more threes attempted is one player no longer with the team, Jordan Nwora (he had 102 3-point attempts). The other Bucks with 100 or more 3-point attempts this season (through games of March 30): Jrue Holiday (393), Grayson Allen (364), Brook Lopez (353), Pat Connaughton (321), Jevon Carter (318), Bobby Portis (232), Joe Ingles (185), Giannis Antetokounmpo (170), Khris Middleton (153), MarJon Beauchamp (126), and Wesley Matthews (112). Green is next with his 97 attempts.

Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder established a new record when 13 of their players attempted 100 or more threes in the season, per Stathead. Already this season, the Thunder have matched that record with 13 players attempting 100+ threes. If Green can get three more 3-point attempts, the Bucks would become the third team in league history to have 13 players with 100+ threes attempted.

In addition to the two seasons by OKC with 13 players, there have been seven times where a team had 12 players with 100+ 3-point attempts. The Bucks have now done it twice. Here are the teams that have had 12 or more players attempt 100 or more threes in a campaign:

13- Oklahoma City (2021-22), Oklahoma City (2022-23)

12- Dallas (2018-19), Milwaukee (2019-20), Houston (2020-21), Oklahoma City (2020-21), Indiana (2021-22), Brooklyn (2022-23) and Milwaukee (2022-23).

The 12 Bucks players part of that 2019-20 season where had 100+ threes attempted were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, Sterling Brown, Pat Connaughton, Donte DiVincenzo, George Hill, Ersan Ilyasova, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez, Brook Lopez, Wesley Matthews and Khris Middleton.

AJ Green has been solid for Milwaukee this season, and we’ll see if he gets three more attempts from the 3-point line and tie the team record.