Doug Christie’s greatest feat is cracking code no other coach has been able to

Sacramento Kings interim head coach Doug Christie is in an unenvious position. Many are justifiably outraged over how the Kings treated Mike Brown, and Christie has thus found himself in the crossfire for simply accepting the interim tag.

The Kings have taken on a new life under Christie, however, with one achievement in specific steadily emerging as his greatest feat: Convincing DeMar DeRozan to embrace the three-point shot.

DeRozan is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. He boasts a career average of 21.9 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field, and has amassed a total of 24,355 points. He’s on pace to eclipse 25,000 by the end of the 2024-25 regular season.

Depending on if Stephen Curry achieves the same, and he likely will, DeRozan will become either the 26th or 27th player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points scored.

Long regarded as the last of a dying breed, DeRozan has reached that scoring mark while placing a minimal emphasis on three-point shooting. His bread and butter has been his midrange game, with a similar proficiency as a finisher at and above the rim.

Since Christie took over as interim head coach, however, DeRozan has finally embraced the three-point shot—and both he and the Kings have been unstoppable because of it.

DeMar DeRozan is finally shooting threes—and he’s on fire

Between his first 34 appearances in 2024-25, DeRozan was averaging 20.6 points, 0.6 three-point field goals made, and 2.1 threes attempted on .489/.300/.859 shooting. It was all in line with his career averages of 21.9 points, 0.5 conversions, and 1.6 attempts on .469/.298/.842 shooting.

Over the past seven games, however, DeRozan has attempted 4.4 three-point field goals per game, with Christie emphasizing an overlooked strength.

DeRozan is shooting 36.8 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2024-25. Christie has made that a key point of emphasis in recent weeks, with DeRozan’s average increasing from 1.9 attempts in catch-and-shoot scenarios to 3.3.

That’s opened the door for DeRozan to thrive as an individual, rediscover his All-Star form, and help the Kings produce their best stretch of the season.

Sacramento has won six of its past seven games, including encounters with the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, and Memphis Grizzlies. During that time, DeRozan has returned to the level that made him a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selectee—with a new twist.

The 35-year-old is averaging 25.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game during that time, posting a slash line of .455/.387/.892.

DeRozan’s transformation may be the greatest credit to what Christie has accomplished early in his Kings tenure. DeRozan was Sacramento’s marquee acquisition during the 2024 offseason, but the fit was debatable both on paper and on the court.

By embracing DeRozan’s underutilized strength as a catch-and-shoot specialist in three-point settings, Christie has opened up the floor and shown the Kings what’s possible with this roster.