{"id":694833,"date":"2026-04-02T23:12:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T23:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/694833\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T23:12:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T23:12:16","slug":"raptors-key-weakness-comes-into-sharp-focus-based-on-alarming-statistic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/694833\/","title":{"rendered":"Raptors’ key weakness comes into sharp focus based on alarming statistic"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s no secret at all: the Toronto Raptors are far from being a dangerous three-point shooting team. Everyone knows where and how they excel. Scoring on the fast break (where they lead the league in that category<\/a>) and finding opportune moments to score inside the paint (where they rank fifth in that area<\/a> at 53.3 PITP). <\/p>\n

But from beyond the arc, it’s a totally different story. <\/p>\n

The Raptors rank 23rd in three-point field goal percentage<\/a> at 35.0 percent and rank 25th in three-point field goal attempts<\/a> at 32.6 per game. There are some capable shooters in the Raptors’ ranks like Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram, and in the case of BI, I don’t know if I would necessarily label him a ‘sniper’ by any means. Elsewhere, guys like Ja’Kobe Walter and Sandro Mamukelashvili have shown promise off the bench and in even in starting roles, but the need for more stout shooting remains a glaring concern to tackle. <\/p>\n

And to only amplify the weight of this obvious weakness for Toronto, I recently came across a startling statistic that features two important Raptors players, which emphasizes just how much hitting the three-ball is a work-in-progress within this current construct. <\/p>\n

As per Basketball University on X, they released a graphic listing the players with the lowest wide open three-point percentage from the 2025-26 season, revealing RJ Barrett and Jamal Shead in that mix. The data compiled comes from NBA.com and is measured based on a minimum of 150 wide open three-point field goal attempts. <\/p>\n

RJ Barrett and Jamal Shead highlighted for poor performance on open threes<\/p>\n

2025-26 Lowest Wide Open 3P%\u2026<\/p>\n

What stands out? https:\/\/t.co\/coa1B3O1Q5<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/AplMb5GHzo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Basketball University (@UofBasketball) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

That is not the company you want to see any of your roster members in, especially when it’s a stat like wide open jump shots. Now, when you’re getting so many uncontested shots up, you have to wonder if the opposing defenders are simply leaving these guys open for a reason. And I’ll say this much, for Jamal Shead at least, I’ve seen that on countless occasions. <\/p>\n

Jamal Shead’s offensive limitations has been a prominent storyline in Raptors Nation for quite a while now, until this recent stretch where he’s had some solid outings in contrast. Ironically enough, Shead was 3-for-3 from deep in the Raptors’ last game out against the Kings. Nevertheless, I don’t know if Shead’s jumpshot in its present form is to be trusted at all. We’ve tackled here on Raptors Rapture before how Shead developing into a sound shooter <\/a>could be his ticket to a long NBA career, but that is simply not the case right now. To me, his elite passing skills have largely been offset by the lack of an offensive impact. <\/p>\n

Regarding RJ Barrett, he looked to be trending in the right direction as a three-point threat back in October, but it has leveled back out to a mediocre clip since then. Barrett is up there as one of Toronto’s best slashers, playing gritty to get inside and drawing fouls, but missing all these open looks is a very worrying trend. Given his polarizing skillset, you’re going to need a guy like Barrett to hit a couple threes for you, especially when he’s in a lineup with guys like Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl. <\/p>\n

Yet, Barrett has largely come up short in that regard. And mind you, this is a player who averages about 5.0 attempts<\/a> from beyond the arc every single game. There’s just no reasonable excuse to not hit those wide open looks, so whether it’s a mental hurdle, a shot mechanic issue, or clunky offensive sets \u2014 something needs to change moving forward.<\/p>\n

The playoffs are only going to illuminate this issue, and knowing the Raptors have two key rotation pieces that are struggling to hit the open three-ball \u2014 it paints a pretty grim picture of what could turn out in the postseason. <\/p>\n