NBA 2018-19: 5 Early Impressions from Preseason

#4 Everybody is trying to shoot three-pointers

Andre Drummond has been working on his three-point shot

It's not a secret that the league is becoming much more centered around three-point shooting. In today's game, a power forward with a long-range shot becomes a default, and teams are looking for a "Stretch-5", a big man with range. Therefore, it's not a surprise many more centers are starting to work on their shooting.

Aside from players like Embiid, Towns and the Gasol brothers, who are known for their shooting abilities, there is a significant movement of NBA big-men who are taking more shots from the three-point line. Atlanta's new center, Alex Len, attempted at least one three-pointer in each of his three preseason games with the Hawks. He made three of those, half of the amount he made in his first 335 games in his NBA career.

Another example is Andre Drummond. Drummond made 30 three-point attempts in his six-year career, but 16 of those were heaves. In the preseason, however, he took six shots from downtown, from an average distance of about 25 feet, which is quite standard.

Players allow themselves to take riskier shots in preseason, but it is also a preview of what the NBA's future will look like.