One thing about Utah Jazz small forward Joe Ingles: He doesn’t like talking about himself.
So, for as much as he likes to rib others, and for his biting sense of humor, Ingles can be self-effacing in a lot of ways.
That’s why he was so sheepish on Tuesday when talking about his franchise- record 3-point shooting with the Jazz. But, when you make more 3s than anyone else has in a single season in Utah, you tend to get the spotlight, whether you like it or not.
“I’ve been fortunate to make a few shots,” Ingles said. “It’s been a progression.”
Fortune aside, Ingles’ development as a shooter is one of Utah’s more dynamic stories of the past few seasons.
He came into the league as an average shooter, making 35 percent of his 3-point attempts in limited reps in 2014-2015. He’s turned that into being one of the best shooters in the league.
This season, Ingles leads the NBA, making 45 percent of his 3s. He’s shooting a career-best 46 percent from the field. He’s making a career-high 81 percent of his free throws.
For Ingles, it’s all come from repetition. Day after day in the offseason and during the season, he gets to the gym early and gets shots up. He’s shortened the release time on his shooting form. He’s figured out how to get shots off in tight windows, something he struggled with his first two seasons in the league.
It’s crescendoed into Ingles becoming one of the most feared shooters in the NBA. His presence creates spacing within Utah’s offense. And it’s opened up his game off the dribble.
“It’s something he’s worked hard on for a period of years,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “He hasn’t been content. He’s been aggressive shooting the ball. He knows our team needs him to shoot the ball, and it’s opened up a lot of opportunities for him.”
Making a visit
The NBA’s All-Star Game vetting board made a visit to Vivint Smart Home Arena on Tuesday, taking in the game, touring the arena and examining the sights.
The Jazz have made a bid to host the All-Star Game. Salt Lake City has hosted the game once before.
“I’m not thinking about it,” Snyder said. “But I have so much confidence in the people that are. If it’s meant to be, it will be.”
Futility
The Jazz scored 15 points in the second quarter on Tuesday night against the Hawks. That’s one point off their season low that came against the Denver Nuggets back in December.
Follow @Tjonessltrib