On any random college night, say about 2 a.m., you might have found Ty Lawson hoisting jump shots at the Dean Dome.
First of all, he was just bored. So why not work on his jumper? But then, there also was a bigger picture. When Lawson tested the NBA waters after his sophomore season at North Carolina, one of the knocks about his game was his jump shot, particularly from long range.
But those shots, a late-night routine he has repeated on occasion during his rookie season with the Nuggets, have turned Lawson from a questionable shooter to Denver’s most reliable 3-point shooter, at nearly 45 percent.
And it is a surprise.
“From the moment training camp started and I got a chance to work out with Ty, and playing against him, he was a much better shooter than I thought he was in college. Like, a much better shooter,” Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said. “He can hit that. You can’t just leave him open. He’s getting his opportunity to prove that to everybody now.”
Scouting reports this season had teams backing off Lawson in order to contain his speed and keep him out of the lane. His ability to knock down shots from behind the arc might eventually start to change things and again open up the lane.
Lawson’s improved shooting started with an alteration in form but was refined through repetition.
“I probably did five spots and had to make 40 or 50 before I could move to the next spot, so probably 70 shots from every spot,” Lawson said. “So I probably shot 350 a night. I started getting the ball higher, releasing higher.”
At North Carolina, he went from a 36 percent 3-point shooter in 2007-08 to a 47.2 percent 3-point shooter in 2008-09. He’s kept a high percentage in the NBA, where the 3-point line is 3 feet farther back.
“I think he’s done a great job of moving back that extra 4 feet,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “Sometimes it takes an extra year or two. But I think because he keeps his legs under him and kind of shoots it like a set shot, he’s kind of gotten it, picked it up pretty well. He kind of has that solid base, and he’s got strong legs.”
For a Nuggets team that lost a pretty good 3-point shooter in Linas Kleiza, Lawson’s shooting has been a pleasant surprise and has helped keep the Nuggets among the NBA’s best in that category.
Karl said he had no worries about Lawson’s ability to hit from long range when they drafted him.
“Our report on him was he was a very good shooter out of college,” Karl said. “(North Carolina coach) Roy Williams told me point-blank, I think he had two bad shooting nights or he would have led the ACC in 3-point shooting last year.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: Forward Carmelo Anthony (knee) remains questionable for tonight’s game. He went through light workouts Wednesday and Thursday. Nene (ankle), Chris Andersen (ankle) and Ty Lawson (ankle) are listed as game-time decisions. . . . Anthony continues to lead all Western Conference forwards in all-star voting after the fourth returns were announced Thursday. Nene is third among Western Conference centers.
Cavaliers: LeBron James is hosting a party at Denver nightclub Suite 200 tonight after the game. The Cavs don’t play again until Sunday at Portland. . . . Cleveland has won 13 of its last 15 games. . . . James was named Eastern Conference player of the month for December. . . . Forward Jamario Moon is out three weeks with an abdominal strain.
