Thursday, November 12, 2015

OK, Maybe The Three-Point Revolution Has Gone Too Far

If this is Stephen Curry’s world and we’re all just living in it, then surely the NBA’s reigning MVP must shoulder some of the blame for the antics seen in what appears to be a youth basketball game. 







We’ll say it: The three-point revolution has officially gone too far. This hardwood revolution -- typified by the increased number of and popularity of shots from deep -- has turned kids today into paint-shunning, midrange-scoffing gunners, overeager to replicate their trigger-happy idols. Between Curry’s countless highlights from beyond the arc and Daryl Morey’s well-known affinity for upping his franchise’s hurls from downtown, the youth of 2015 may just be overly exposed to the three-point shot. And this video is proof. Somewhere, Byron Scott is begging for mercy.


While it’s easiest to point the finger at Curry, the NBA's dazzling star with an effortless jumper, the reality is that the percentage of three-pointers NBA teams attempt has been inching higher and higher for years now. Beginning at 3.1 percent of a team’s total field goal attempts in 1979-1980, it didn’t reach double digits until 1992-1993. But then it began to take off. From 2000-2001 to 2013-2014, that three-point usage rate climbed from 17.0 to 25.9, a 52 percent (!) hike.


Moreover, and more important, many of the league's recent champions have relied heavily on the three-point shot. The 2010-2011 title-winning Dallas Mavericks shot 41.1 percent from deep in the Finals, knocking in 51 triples in their six games; the next year, the Miami Heat bested that number, shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc in its five-game series; when the San Antonio Spurs nabbed the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2014, it came after they had led the league in threes throughout the regular season, shooting at a 39.7 percent clip over 82 games, before they upped that mark in the playoffs; and, of course, the Golden State Warriors' entire championship run last year was predicated on their prowess from downtown.





While backcourt play has led to some of the most memorable moments in recent seasons, this video is proof that sometimes, sometimes, it really is best to just go back to the fundamentals. We miss layups.


 


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