Danielle Robinson and Lynx Assistant GM Clare Duwelius Discuss The Importance Of 3-Point Shooting

The following is excerpted from John Focke’s conversation with Lynx point guard Danielle Robinson and Assistant GM Clare Duwelius. You can listen to the entire interview, where the three discuss 3-point shooting, Robinson’s trade to Minnesota and more. You can listen to the full podcast here. This transcription has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Duwelius: When you can scorch the nets from deep, it obviously hurts a little bit more than the two point shot. I think generally, we’re gravitating more towards inside outside play and obviously if teams can knock down outside shots, it makes it a lot harder to guard both sides inside and out.

Focke: And Danielle, as you’re getting surrounded by shooters, spreading the floor, we talked about your ability to hit that. But how much does it open up the floor for you to just go right through and get to the basket?

Robinson: It opens up a lot. I’ve been watching some film with coach. You see so much, especially with Maya Moore, how they don’t leave her. You’re like ‘wow.’ They don’t leave her at all, so it defeinitely opens up the floor when you have 3-point shooters around you. It’s nice. It’s easier to get to the lane and when those bigs collapse, it’s going to be an easy dump off. Definitely glad to have the shooters that we have around me.

Focke: I’m sure you love the 3-point revolution of the games we’re watching now, but is there maybe a tipping point where there’s too much 3-point shooting? Where teams come down, not necessarily running to get 3-point shots, but throwing it up because that’s the easier shot? Is there a tipping point where things will trend back the other way?

Duwelius: I’m sure it probably will. Sometimes it will get easy to settle for a shot and instead of working a way around and sometimes there’s defenses that will say, ‘we’re going to play the averages and surely they’re not going to be on fire all night long,’ so when those kind of opponents do that, you kind of have to recalibrate and take a better shot – take our time.

Focke: How do you defend that 3-point line and still protect the paint? How do you find that balance?

Robinson: It’s all about trusting in each other and trusting the scouts. Whatever the coaches give us that night, whatever it is, let them jack it until they start missing or whatever it is. If someone hits a couple, let them drive inside. You also have to have some wit about you as far as knowing personel and what they like to do. Certain spots on the floor, people like, so if it’s not their hot spot, you’re willing to give that up. It’s all about knowing the scout and knowing how they’re playing that night as well.