Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Nesmith on Shooting Struggles: 'I definitely could've helped my team if I did shoot the ball the way that I usually do, so that's something that I've got to take to heart'
Aaron Nesmith's second NBA season didn't go as he envisioned. He averaged 3.8 points and 11 minutes of playing time. At the root of that was him shooting 27 percent from beyond the arc, a ten percent decline from his rookie season.
Him only taking 2.2 three-point attempts per game, working within the confines of limited, inconsistent court time and touches, doesn't help, but it's up to him to pave a better path forward.
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On the heels of the Celtics' season ending, discussing what he needs to improve on to get more playing time, Nesmith stated, "just become a better overall basketball player and get my shot back to where it needs to be. That's pretty much the two main things."
But what exactly happened to the player widely considered the best shooter in the 2020 NBA Draft who dealt with the inconsistencies mentioned earlier but still shot 37 percent from beyond the arc; granted, it was on 2.3 three-point attempts per game.
"Right after preseason ended, I'm not quite sure what happened this year. (I) kind of need to take a mental break and take a step away and get back to doing what I do at a high level. And I think a lot of it is not physical; it's mental. So, just being able to take a break from basketball for ten days or two weeks, and (then) get right back into it will be very beneficial for me heading into next season and everything that I have to do."
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Despite this season's struggles, Nesmith says he's never lost confidence in his shot.
"I'm still very confident in my shot. I'm a phenomenal shooter. And I know that, the team knows that, coaching staff knows that; it just wasn't there this season. In practice, it's there; in workouts, it's there; it's just as soon as the game starts, it's just (the) mental of pressing and putting a lot more pressure on each shot that I take because I haven't been making them, instead of just shooting the ball the way I shoot it every single day. So, that's why I say, just needing to take that mental break and get back to doing what I do at a high level during the games."
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The former late lottery pick is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract, valued at $3.8 million for the 2022-23 campaign. But despite not being a member of Boston's playoff rotation, Nesmith says he doesn't feel a sense of desperation. But the fact he wasn't able to help a Celtics team in need of more shooting and second-unit production is something he takes to heart.
Further Reading
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Celtics Rightfully Hold Their Heads High but Know There's Much Work Needed in Pursuit of Banner 18
Ime Udoka Shares His Message to the Celtics After Finals Run Ends in Defeat
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Reflect on Personal and Team Growth Through Celtics' Playoff Run
The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals
