Devonte’ Graham pushed the ball up court with 1:54 left in Dallas on Friday, as the Hornets clung to a one-point lead after forcing overtime with an improbable comeback. The Mavericks matched up with him in semi-transition as both the offense and defense were getting set.

Most NBA teams are often deliberate to a fault in these precious, late-game situations, but Graham and the Hornets are a little different. Graham surprised the defense with a quick, right-to-left crossover and drove to the rim, shielding his defender with his shoulder along the way and finishing with a left-handed layup. Graham quietly flexed as he headed back up court on defense, and the Hornets held on for the unlikely 123-120 win.

That play exemplified the aggression and relentlessness of Graham and the tough-minded Hornets. But it also illustrated the next stage of growth for a player who’s the likely front-runner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Graham has been a revelation. After spending most of his rookie season as the third-string point guard behind Kemba Walker and Tony Parker, he’s leading a competitive Charlotte team in both scoring and assists. His prolific 3-point shooting has given them a necessary, high-usage weapon that draws attention and opens up opportunities for others.

A 3-point shooter’s value is often measured in efficiency, but volume can be just as important. Graham has made the second-most 3s in the NBA this season (139). His shooting alleviates the offensive burden of others.

His shot volume stems from his impeccable footwork. He utilizes quick jump stops to get his feet underneath him as well as any player in the league. That allows him to get on balance and shot-ready in an instant.

On this play, he comes off of the screen with separation from his defender, but P.J. Washington’s pass is a bit errant, so Graham catches it just over his head. He then dips the ball into his waist-high shot pocket while hopping and loading up his hips so he can get elevation. For many players, Washington’s errant pass would have erased the advantage gained while coming off of the screen, but Graham’s efficient movements allowed him to get his shot off before Collin Sexton could adequately contest.

Graham’s elevation and compact mechanics make him perhaps the best shooter in the NBA on contested jumpers. He yields a staggering 1.54 points per possession on “guarded” jumpers, per Synergy Sports. His ability to maintain consistent shot mechanics while under duress is an essential component of his high-volume shooting because, at 6-foot-2, it’s easier for defenders to contest his shot.

Graham pounds his last dribble before pull-up jumpers, which significantly improves his accuracy because he doesn’t have to reach down and can go straight into his shot. This is especially helpful on pick-and-rolls, where he quickly rises up to punish teams when they go under screens.

As Graham’s jump shooting occupies more and more real estate on opposing scouting reports, teams are scheming to take that away and funnel him toward his most glaring weakness. He makes just 36.4 percent of his 2-point shots, which ties him for the worst mark of any NBA starter.

The dichotomy between his shooting and finishing is stark. His jumper is as technically sound as there is in the NBA at his age, but his craft around the basket is well behind his peers.

Graham has the requisite speed and ballhandling to get to the rim, but his shot selection and technique are inadequate for an NBA guard his size. This is an area where he can get significantly better by applying similar tools to what he uses on his jumper.

He’s fantastic at stopping his momentum and going straight up on his shot, but once he decides to drive to the rim, he’s a runaway train with no brakes. Sometimes his speed will allow him to win that battle, but more often than not, it leads to a blocked or flailing attempt at a desperate angle.

Many of Graham’s forays to the basket will require him to ward off significantly bigger defenders. That means cutting off their angles by getting into their body and initiating contact. He has a tendency to drive in a straight line instead, which is an easy defensive play for an NBA big man. He shoots just 41.4 percent around the basket, generating 0.89 PPP, which puts him in the 13th percentile league-wide.

Graham’s tendency to over-penetrate also turns otherwise comfortable, mid-range looks into wild floaters that are fraught with issues. He usually jumps off of one foot, which means that he’s less able to slow his forward momentum, leading him right into the waiting help defender. From there, he has to navigate the size discrepancy, which causes him to flip the ball up and quickly retract his shooting arm. This is a common tell that a shorter player is worried about getting his shot blocked.

He can address this issue by gaining his balance with the quick jump stops that he uses to get into his jumper. This was a specialty of Graham’s former teammate Parker, who was a master at finishing in the paint as an undersized guard.

Parker would be a wonderful resource for Graham to access if he’s available to help. At the very least, Graham would be well-served to study as much tape of him as he possibly can. On this play, Parker uses a jump stop to shed his defender and goes up on-balance with the floater.

Graham also would be wise to incorporate a pull-back dribble and a step-back jumper into his repertoire. Slower defenders are pressing up on him on the perimeter and are asked to stay attached to him when he penetrates. That gives him an advantage that he’s under-utilizing by keeping his foot on the gas pedal. If he can pull his dribble back instead of going full speed ahead into the teeth of the defense, the defender will fly by, and he’ll have more of the open, pull-up jumpers at which he excels.

There are two ways of looking at the massive discrepancy between Graham’s shooting and finishing. On one hand, there’s nowhere to go but up for him as a finisher. If he can become just adequate in this area, it will be a sufficient complement to his outside shooting.

The less-optimistic outlook is that he has a ways to go and is already 24 years old.

His technical prowess as a shooter indicates that he’s someone who knows how to build his game in the gym because no one is born shooting the way that he does. Now he needs to refocus those efforts toward other elements of his offensive game that need his attention.

If he does, Graham will become one of the best offensive guards in the NBA.

(Top photo of Devonte’ Graham: Glenn James / NBAE via Getty Images)