PORTLAND Warriors swingman Kelenna Azubuike has always considered the 3-point shot a part of his arsenal. He's never been known as a shooter, and he doesn't take very many. But he knows he could stroke it from deep.
But something happened to his 3-point shot. After making 43 percent of his 79 3-point attempts as a rookie, Azubuike fell to 36.4 percent last season. It seems he's found his stroke again. He missed 30 of his first 44 this season. But since then, he's knocked them down at an alarming rate. In December and the first part of January, Azubuike was 23-for-43 (52.3 percent), bringing his season average to 42 percent.
"They're just going in more," Azubuike said. "I feel like I'm a good shooter. Just keep shooting. You gotta keep your confidence."
He was 1-for-2 on Saturday, making him 15-for-29 (55.2 percent) over his last 10 games. Only guards Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson have a better percentage on the team.
Azubuike shot 37.1 percent from 3-point range in his three seasons at Kentucky. But he really became efficient from deep while in the NBA Development League. He made 42.1 percent of his 3-point attempts during his 53-game stint with the Fort Worth Flyers. He was shooting 48.5 percent for the season before being called up by the Warirors in January of 2007.
At 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Azubuike is regarded as a bruising slasher. The Warriors had been known to take advantage of his penetration and post-up ability. But his 3-point shot gives his game, and the Warriors an added dimension. If he maintains such a reliability from deep, he can help spread the floor in addition to his rebounding, defense and penetration.
"When you're hitting the 3-point shot, people have got to respect it," Azubuike said. "It opens up everything."
The rookie watch
Forward Anthony Randolph got his first career start on Saturday. Warriors coach Don Nelson went with Randolph instead of swingman Corey Maggette who rejoined the team after attending the funeral of his friend or rookie forward Rob Kurz.
Randolph picked up two rebounds and three fouls in eight minutes, forcing Nelson to bench him for the rest of the half. Kurz started the second half and Randolph never returned.
Off glass
Portland guard Brandon Roy returned to the starting lineup. He had missed the previous four games with a hamstring injury. ... Maggette's hamstrings must be feeling fine. He jumped over the head of Portland rookie guard Jared Bayless early in the second quarter. Bayless drove to the basket and was falling down as Maggette went for the block. Maggette wound up leapfrogging Bayless and avoiding contact. Forward Jamareo Davidson made his Warriors debut. Davidson, in day six of his 10-day contract, played the final 1:50 of the third quarter and started the fourth. He missed his only shot in five minutes of action. ... Point guard Marcus Williams (flu) was not with the team.
Marcus Thompson II
