The three-pointer. Popularized by the American Basketball Association in the late 1960’s, it was largely viewed as a gimmick to help market a league (also viewed as a gimmick) in competition with the already-established National Basketball Association, which later adopted it after the two leagues merged.
More teams globally and at all levels are now using it as it’s featured offensive weapon; the recent successes of the Golden State Warriors have done nothing to reverse this trend.
It has it’s place, especially if you can hit shots consistently from beyond it, but there are ramifications:
- It renders the low-post center mostly an afterthought. His two-pointers are deemed worthless and he can’t cover perimeter shooters on the defensive end. A good one is no longer needed to win a title. Perhaps we’ve seen the last of low-post dancers like Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin McHale. And that’s a shame.
- Teams without a plethora of accurate three-point shooters are nonetheless trying to emulate the team (Golden State) that does, without the defense and mostly without success.
- Three-on-one fast breaks where the lane fillers run to the corner for a baseline three-point attempt, instead of darting to the basket for a layup.
- Teams playing their third game in four nights – including travel – with dead legs shooting (and missing) threes anyway.
- In college, most shots that aren’t layups are three-point attempts, the line is so close in.
- In the schoolyard, youngsters who can’t make layups and have to strain to get these shots to reach the basket are not deterred.
- The mid-range shot is a dinosaur, apparently backed up by analytics.
- Evidently, the guy who founded the World Basketball League in 1987 – for players 6’5″ and under – was ahead of his time.
Exciting. Looks nice going through the hoop. Can erase a late three-point deficit with one shot. Can blow a game open or make a comeback in less time. More scoring. Fantasy Basketball category. Video games. Understood.
And it has completely changed the game. But let’s keep practicing those 12-footers anyway. The game will eventually change again.
