Shaun Livingston is a different type of point guard than we are used to seeing in the NBA nowadays. He is 6 foot-7, excels on defense and doesn't shot the ball from the perimeter very much. With the NBA moving towards score-first point guards Livingston's game is very interesting to watch. The 30 year old point guard is entering his second season with the Golden State Warriors after helping them win a championship last year but this season they are hoping he can extend his range to the three-point line, according to Diamond Leung of Inside Bay Area.
Livingston came into the NBA as a hyped point guard who was supposed to be the next big thing. A gruesome knee injury deprived him of that but Livingston has had a resurgence the past two seasons as a solid role player. Even at his best Livingston was never a three-point shooter, as he has never attempted more than 16 in a season, but he has reportedly worked on it this offseason and interim head coach Luke Walton wants him to shoot more.
In his first season with the Warriors Livingston attempted just two three pointers and missed them both but Walton believes he can get wide open threes if he just stands at the three-point line due to the other great shooters on the team. The reason Walton wants him to shoot threes is because it will help space the floor and the Warriors want more shooting off the bench. Livingston is one of those players who lives to cut into the paint and that could sometimes lead to too much congestion.
In the Warriors first preseason game Livingston did not attempt a three pointer but Walton said he also didn't pass any up and that "he needs to retrain his mind almost." If Livingston is able to knock down threes this year it will add another dimension to this team as the bench isn't exactly known for lighting it up from three.
In his first season with the Warriors Livingston averaged 5.9 points and 3.3 assists in 18.8 minutes per game while shooting fifty percent from the field and providing excellent defense. Livingston excels on offense by using his size to shoot over smaller defenders in the mid-range but adding a three point shot could help him diversify his repertoire.
