Former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen was asked if today's players are better than in his era while watching his son play in the NBA summer league. Pippen's reply was "Yes. The game is less physical, but the shooting from three point range is much better". I had issues with Scottie Pippen's reply. For a few seasons I have been calling the increase of three point shooting a "brickfest" as opposed to a "basketball epiphany". I decided to actually check the truthfulness of Pippen's comment. Here are the results.
In the 1999-2000 season the average number of three point shots taken per NBA team was 13.7 shot attempts per game. In the 2021 - 2022 season the number of three point attempts per game had increased to 34.6 each contest. This is an average increase of 20.9 three point attempts per game per team.
With this information gathered, I then checked the team shooting percentages to see how much they had improved over 22 NBA seasons. In the 2000 season the NBA team three point shooting percentage was 35.3 percent. In the 2022 season the average three point shooting percentage was 34.2 percent. Therefore, after 22 seasons the NBA three point shooting percentages actually went down, not up as Scottie Pippen and countless "basketball gurus" had erroneously claimed.
Let's recap the facts. NBA teams are shooting 20.9 more three point shots per game despite their lower shooting percentages. Consequently, the number of made shots and misses have both increased significantly In 2000 each team averaged 8.9 three point misses per game, and 4.8 made three point shots. Currently, NBA teams miss 13.76 shots, and make 7.1. For the record, attempting and missing difficult shots more often is a recipe for failure. In fact, Albert Einstein once said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result". The NBA coaches should listen to Einstein.
When Steph Curry began shooting, and making three pointers at a high volume the NBA took notice. When Klay Thompson began to do the same thing, and the "Splash Brothers" started winning championships EVERYONE began to imitate their style of play. Unfortunately, these imitators do not put in the necessary work required to be as good as the Splash Brothers, and it shows.
In order to become a great shooter a player must practice good form and put up hundreds of shots each day. George "Iceman" Gervin confessed that he took over 600 shots per day in order to develop his deadly shooting stroke. The Iceman was also a NBA scoring champion on multiple occasions and he is one of the few shooting guards to have a career 50% field goal percentage. Becoming an excellent shooter does not just happen.
Steph Curry performs a pregame routine where he shoots until he MAKES 200-300 shots. Furrhermore, during the summer Curry shoots until he makes 500 shots each workout. Steph Curry's shooting ability is no accident, it is a result of hard work and paying attention to detail. This is also the reason that he is the NBA's all-time leadwr for three point shots made, and a 40%+ shooter from beyond the arc.
In conclusion, Scottie Pippen was wrong. In addition, every coach that insists on players launching three pointers is wrong as well. Players that do not put in the work to become great shooters simply should not be given the "green light" to take them whenever they want. The "yellow light" and in many cases a "red light" would be more appropriate. As the great coach Dick Devenzio (Stuff Good Players Should Know) once said "Basketball, like life, is not "fair". The best shooters should shoot the most". Players that do not shoot over 40% from beyond the arc should be given the "yellow light. The shooters who make less than 35% from deep deserve to see the "red light". If not, then the NBA will continue to be a "brickfest".
** James Harden has missed 16 three point shots in a game on seven occasions during his career. When is enough enough? Click tbe link below and learn how a High IQ player (winner) would deal with the same situation and come out on top.
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