funny … I just recently looked these up … pretty amazing The NBA’s Top 12 years for best league average FG% are ‘78-‘90 however, The NBA’s Top 10 years for eFG% are the last 10 years, in ascending order… literally, every yr got better, except ‘21 and ‘22 are flipped, all others get increasingly better each yr. further, which is arguably the best measure of shooting skills The NBA’s Top 6 years for FT% are the last 6 years, again in ascending order except ‘21 and ‘22 are reversed
Thanks. I am quite sure that today's heightened efficiency is directly related to the proliferation of the 3pt shot. What Isiah is complaining seems to be that we are seeing much higher volume of missed shots. More missed shots and better efficiency can be both true, as 33% from 3 is equivalent to 50% from 2. The FT% trend is a bit unexpected. I thought this stat would probably be the most constant throughout history because its execution is pretty much unchanged. My guess is that today's basketball training (at least the serious kind of training aiming at making the highest level) puts more emphasis on shooting because of the realization of the 3pt value. In the past, you want to get as close to the basket as you can to maximize the chances of making the shot. That's why low post scoring by big men were so important. Big men got fouled more and their FT shooting was typically worse than the outside shooters'. So, for Isiah's consolation, watching FT shooting should be more enjoyable today than in the old days.
Nice theory, but this isn’t true — wrt the “much higher”. Note that league ave eFG% was 54.7% last yr (also, the NBA record) vs 49.6% for the ‘80s best yr. So, on roughly same average of FGAs, the 80s have only about .5 less misses per game than the ‘20s do. Half a FG, lulz.
This is a really stupid take for a number of reasons. Old Heads clearly haven't thought this one out. They see something different than what they grew up with and think "Bad!" Saying the game is less aesthetically pleasing is a fair enough point. But it is also completely untrue to say the game was "better" (in terms of production) before, and people should play like they used to. Scoring today is at hyper-efficient levels that could NEVER be touched in the time of Isiah. Teams are not shooting 3s because they are "lazy" or "boring" or "uncreative." They are shooting them (and taking dunks/layups) because that is the most efficient way to score the basketball. No team or coach or front office is ever going to willingly trade highly productive scoring away because it results in POINTS and WINS. Trading that for Isiah's preferred style will result in a team that cannot keep pace with anyone else and lose as a result. Flair and style don't give you bonus points. A deep shot does. That has absolutely nothing to do with AAU coaching, lazy young players, or lack of organization. It only has to do with math and results - the absolute opposite of his point. Players today are absolutely more skilled than they ever were in the past, and that is unquestionable. Every player on the court is required to be able to shoot the ball today - that was not a skillset asked of everyone during Isiah's time, especially big men. Everyone is a more well-rounded player. Today's superstars are not only required to shoot, but required to pass and create offense at rates that no one in Isiah's time was doing. And that isn't even bringing up the conditioning and focus on the body that today's game includes. The game is the most efficient it has ever been and players are better than they have ever been.....and THATS the issue.... The NBA has been largely "solved." The rules in place have created a game that can be absolutely mastered. But making players play fundamentally worse basketball is not only not a solution, its stupid. The solution has to be fundamental changes in the game and rules. That will alter what it means to be productive and efficient, creating a potentially more pleasing game to watch. That likely has something to do with alterations to the 3 point line. Whether that is moving it, eliminating corner 3s, adding a 4 pointer, changing the point system.....idk, lots of ideas are out there and I don't really know what would work best. But that is the issue. Not talent or effort or skillset.
I recently read a really interesting post on another board, pointing out that the proportion of "long jumpers" hasn't even increased all that drastically since 20 years ago. Some, sure, but the main difference is that the long twos have been completely replaced by the more efficient three-point shot:
Having grown up watching mostly 1970s NBA, I absolutely would hate to see that return. Today’s NBA product has flaws but is better than the way back when.
First, let's not call anyone stupid, because when you do, it only makes you look like one most of the time (when you're quick to judge without much thought). While three pointers are more efficient overall, threes should always be taken instead of long-twos; but when threes are abused, like when every other shot is a missed three, then it's simply not effective and not entertaining, you can watch the video below for reference. Now, are players better or worse today? It's actually quite debatable in that different set of skills are more emphasized and valued between eras. If you haven't read my earlier post, please do. The players that defined the 80s & 90s (Jordan, Bird, Magic) had the skill levels that are considered to be unmatched by anyone since. The league has asked "who's the next Jordan?" for 20 years and still got none. If the league has yet to find a Jordan replacement, then how are players today more skilled? The thing is since the rule changes and the lack of Shaqs in the league anymore, teams no longer need to have bruisers on the team anymore. So if you compare 3rd tier players, today's teams are signing 3rd tier wings instead of brute centers. This is the biggest reason that gave way to the "players are more skilled today" myth. TV viewers watch the best players, they don't watch 3rd tier guys. (Except fights and protectors are actually more entertaining Let's not forget why the league and the media are talking about this now: because they feel the game's waning entertainment value are driving fans away. IMO that's precisely why they've been trying so hard to claim "players are better today" in order to keep up fan engagement, all the while they all maintain an undertone that the league has no one like Jordan, Magic and Bird anymore, whose artistry and rivalry can set the league on fire for a decade. And then one thing is quite conclusive: how the old-school guys were ultra-competitive and never take a day off (Kobe being the last American star like this, Giannis is old school cos he grew up poor in Greece) vs the new era where players take it easy until it matters (ie no defense all-star game). While everybody grew up training on shooting, they trade it off with lack of training on other aspects of bball fundamentals. That's why teams today have to look to Europe to find more fundamentally sound players, heck, Arvydas Sabonis and Toni Kukoc would be superstars today. For Americans, Duncan - Kobe - Steph are probably the last batch. For reference, MJ's 48" vertical is the highest ever in NBA, no one today is flying like Air Jordan. For reference, watch Bird's quick hands, slap passes, nutmeg, over the head passes, alley-oop three pointer, etc in conclusion no one today is doing what Bird was doing skill-wise, no one today is dream-shaking like Olajuwon, no one is physically dominant like Shaq, and absolutely no one is competitive like all those old heads before. If you can't even find anyone even close to the greatness of the old heads, isn't it daft to claim today's players are better? And even with better training, diet, international pool etc today, who's doing the kinds of things these 80s dudes were doing? And they used always go all out and compete, there's no off days. Video reference on competitiveness: Old school players were verbally more competitive, and they visibly play much more defense too:
There is no doubt that today's players are better shooters. It's not even close. The step back 3 would have been a bad shot in the 80s and 90's. Only agent zero would even attempt a shot more than 3 feet back from the 3 point line. There are almost 50 players with 3 point shooting percentage over 40 percent this season. Larry legend only shot over 40 percent in less than half of his seasons.
Ok Boomer. Old people never like new things. But he’s not wrong. It’s the crooked/fixed officiating that we saw come into the NBA in the late 1990’s drives any hardcore fan away. At least with WWE we occasionally get some nice T&A to watch.
This is spot on. In any competitive video game, when the game is "solved" it gets patched. A common goal is to make multiple strategies viable, to prevent boredom. The Silver era has emphasized scoring and 3pt shooting to bring in casual fans. But ultimately if the game has no depth, people check out. You can only watch a game of horse for so long.
How people feel is important. In every aspect of society. But especially in sport. And the people are telling the nba, the game is not as fun to watch. So you can either sit back and wait for it to magically change, or you can take action. Litmus test a change during the season. It's like a change at qb that is painfully obvious. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. The NFL made a mistake on kickoffs. They should change it back. Forget the courtroom. Forget the kickers, Make rules to force a kick return every time. The NBA made a mistake changing the basketballs. They fixed it almost immediately. Change doesn't always work. But you get to work on it right away when it's painfully obvious.
watched old clips of basketball in the 80s. made me go steph curry night night. plus their short shorts suxed. these talking faces and their commentaries should be replaced. bring in kevin hart and snupe for nba games.
The bad shooting teams, who are bad at threes are also bad long two's. The reason these teams still opt for 3's is because if the variance fall your way, it might help you get a win. Our current team is not good at 3's, and we definitely don't abuse the attempts. But even then, should still put up at least 30 3pt shots per game.
Big men can't shoot free throws is the biggest bulls*** Shaq spread. Webber and Malone learned to shoot free throws. Yao and Dream can knock them out. Less Hack-a-Omer Asik/Shaq/Howard and more foul hunting by LeFlop and Beard skews the numbers.
When teams score 120+ routinely... scoring 2 points in a possession loses its significance and meaning...
