Doug Christie’s greatest achievement is cracking a code that no other coach has been able to

Sacramento Kings interim head coach Doug Christie is in an enviable position. Many are rightfully outraged at how the Kings treated Mike Brown, and thus Christie has found himself in the crossfire for merely accepting the temporary tag.

The Kings have taken on new life under Christie, however, with a single performance in specific shooting emerging as his greatest accomplishment: 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 accumulated 24,355 points. He is on pace to eclipse 25,000 by the end of the 2024-25 regular season.

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

DeRozan, long considered the last of a dying breed, has reached that point total while placing minimal emphasis on three-point shooting. His bread and butter has been his mid-range game, with a similar knack for finishing 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 2024-2025, DeRozan averaged 20.6 points, 0.6 three-point field goals made and 2.1 threes attempted on .489/.300/.859 shooting. That 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 in recent weeks, with DeRozan’s average rising from 1.9 attempts in catch-and-shoot scenarios to 3.3.

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

Sacramento has won six of its last seven games, including meetings with the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. In that time, DeRozan has returned to the level that made him a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection — 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.

DeRozan’s transformation may be the biggest credit to what Christie has accomplished early in his reign. DeRozan was Sacramento’s marquee acquisition during the 2024 offseason, but the fit was questionable both on paper and on the field.

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.