SAN ANTONIO — It is a tale of two halves of a season from the three-point line for Spurs' Keldon Johnson.
Just look at how he started the season.
He shot 3-22 from Oct. 20-Nov. 7, 2021 to now being among the best three-point shooters in the league at 41% connecting on 119 three-pointers so far this season.
And for the Spurs forward, it came down to the simple things to correct his shot.
"Just simplifying things and being consistent," Johnson said. "Don't change it up just because I'm not hitting."
Part of correcting his deep shot was the self-realization he was off-target to start the season.
Teams would sag on him defensively and dare him to shoot the long ball as shot after shot, he would misfire.
But that did not shake his focus or confidence
"Like I said at the beginning of the season, I wasn't shooting the ball well," he said. "I just stayed with it."
It's been a dramatic turn for Johnson as he's one of the team's most lethal deep threats.
In Jan. 2002, he shot 41% in 14 games. In just 10 games in Feb. 2021, he connected on 2.5 threes per game and went 6-8 from deep against the Hawks on Feb. 11.
According to Cleaning The Glass, he currently ranks in the 92nd percentile in the NBA at his position in three-point percentage.
Confidence, a strong work ethic to get better, and some gym time with team shooting coach, Chip Engelland, certainly has been a boon for Johnson.
"I kept my mechanics the same. Staying in the gym with Chip," Johnson said.
One area of his improved game that goes well beyond stats is his teammates.
Johnson credits the players around him for helping him become a marksman from the three-point line.
"My teammates believed in me and told me to keep shooting," said Johnson.
Circling back to stats, it is clear his teammates are trusting him with the long ball.
For example, 96% of his three-point makes are assisted according to Cleaning The Glass. This ranks him in the 46th percentile among forwards in this category. This is the highest ranking in his NBA career.
"I think when u got your teammates behind you, and they're supporting you 100 percent, your confidence just goes to another level," Johnson said.
Twitter: @KENS5, @JeffGSpursZone