Basketball has a 3 point problem...

[LandoComando]

NBA and College...not sure how to fix it but it's definitely hurting the game.

Bama put up almost 1.3 threes per minute. 77% of their shots were threes.

Maryland-Florida wasn't as bad but that was some ugly basketball. Florida had 17 turnovers and committed 22 fouls yet won easily.

 

[NittanyPirate]

Make a 4 point line.

 

[CanGeeB]

nothing new, there have been plenty of teams since they installed the 3 point shot that have run an up tempo 3 bomb offense..it works until it doesn't..having said that, the ncaa and nba have ruined the game by changing the rules to favor the offense, and coaches have designed their teams to take advantage of the rule changes...nobody plays defense, nobody runs the pick and roll, nobody has a center who sits in the low post, and every 7 footer wants to float around the perimeter..it's made the game unwatchable unless "your" team is playing or you have money on the game...hockey and football have been changing the rules to favor offense for the last 20 years, they should learn from basketball that it's not the end all be all....

 

[Safety Blitz]

Basketball added the 3-point line to open up the game and reduce the muggings in the area under the basket. Over time, the distance of the line has been adjusted to make the shot more difficult, but the size, skill and athleticism of the players has advanced beyond those line adjustments.
If the goal is to move the game back a bit closer to how it was played two and three decades ago, I would suggest shrinking the circumference of the rim by and inch or so. It would only take a small adjustment to reduce shooting percentages and change the way the game is played.

 

[Aardvark86]

Basketball added the 3-point line to open up the game and reduce the muggings in the area under the basket. Over time, the distance of the line has been adjusted to make the shot more difficult, but the size, skill and athleticism of the players has advanced beyond those line adjustments.
If the goal is to move the game back a bit closer to how it was played two and three decades ago, I would suggest shrinking the circumference of the rim by and inch or so. It would only take a small adjustment to reduce shooting percentages and change the way the game is played.

This. I’ve largely lost interest in hoops, oddly enough, because the players are so good that the game has actually become boring.

My wife asks me why I like to watch sports, and I tell her because it’s one of the few things in life where you don’t know what’s going to happen. In hoops, they’ll make the shot.

 

[Vic Vaselino]

Peach baskets. We need to go back to peach baskets.

 

[bcspsu]

This. I’ve largely lost interest in hoops, oddly enough, because the players are so good that the game has actually become boring.

My wife asks me why I like to watch sports, and I tell her because it’s one of the few things in life where you don’t know what’s going to happen. In hoops, they’ll make the shot.

It's become a pretty uninteresting sport, at least for me. A player could have an open shot underneath the basket, and he'd still pass to a player behind the arc to take a three point shot. I also think that football has become less interesting because everybody now runs an offense that has the qb in the shotgun on every play; there's just no variety in how teams play like in the good ole days.

 

[Aardvark86]

It's become a pretty uninteresting sport, at least for me. A player could have an open shot underneath the basket, and he'd still pass to a player behind the arc to take a three point shot. I also think that football has become less interesting because everybody now runs an offense that has the qb in the hotgun on every play; there's just no variety in how teams play like in the good ole days.

Say what you will about hockey but the introduction of a frictionless playing surface adds a certain unpredictability.

 

[LandoComando]

It's become a pretty uninteresting sport, at least for me. A player could have an open shot underneath the basket, and he'd still pass to a player behind the arc to take a three point shot. I also think that football has become less interesting because everybody now runs an offense that has the qb in the hotgun on every play; there's just no variety in how teams play like in the good ole days.

Football doesn't bother me as much because you can still do a variety of things from the shotgun. I just wish teams were willing to go under center on 3rd & short.

 

[bcspsu]

Say what you will about hockey but the introduction of a frictionless playing surface adds a certain unpredictability.

Last night, I watched the NCAA Hockey Tournament games (i'm a huge hockey fan who grew up watching and playing the sport) and didn't watch one second of the basketball games, and I'll do the same tonight. I've just grown tired of the way basketball at both the college and pro level has devolved into nothing more than a three point shooting contest, and I'm somebody who loved the NBA in the 80s and also used to go with my brother to see the first and second round Tournament games almost every year from the mid 90s into the late 2010s at a Midwestern or Northeastern site like Philly, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus and Indy.

 

[Parkland Fan]

Last night, I watched the NCAA Hockey Tournament games (i'm a huge hockey fan who grew up watching and playing the sport) and didn't watch one second of the basketball games, and I'll do the same tonight. I've just grown tired of the way basketball at both the college and pro level has devolved into nothing more than a three point shooting contest, and I'm somebody who loved the NBA in the 80s and also used to go with my brother to see the first and second round Tournament games almost every year from the mid 90s into the late 2010s at a Midwestern or Northeastern site like Philly, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus and Indy.

It's amazing how few 12 foot jump shots are taken. If a team can make 60% of those, it is better than making 30% of the 3-point shots. It seems that the 3-point shot is defended better than the 12 foot ones.

 

[Woodpecker]

 

[bdgan]

nothing new, there have been plenty of teams since they installed the 3 point shot that have run an up tempo 3 bomb offense..it works until it doesn't..having said that, the ncaa and nba have ruined the game by changing the rules to favor the offense, and coaches have designed their teams to take advantage of the rule changes...nobody plays defense, nobody runs the pick and roll, nobody has a center who sits in the low post, and every 7 footer wants to float around the perimeter..it's made the game unwatchable unless "your" team is playing or you have money on the game...hockey and football have been changing the rules to favor offense for the last 20 years, they should learn from basketball that it's not the end all be all....

The 3 pt shot was intended to level the playing field so it wouldn't be dominated by big men. I think it has worked to an extent but we now have big men mostly in the NBA who can shoot from the perimeter. Old players like Tiny Archibald and Calvin Murphy couldn't compete in the NBA today because they aren't big enough to get a hand in the face of 6'10" guys who can shoot.

I don't understand the lack of defense today. It's amazing how many defenders are lazy and play under screens.

 

[Parkland Fan]

Thanks Woodpecker. And beat Lafayette!

 

[Safety Blitz]

I love great defense. Just watched Ole Miss-Mich State. Absolutely great game for anyone who appreciates defensive fundamentals.
Unfortunately, the analytics have taken the game in the opposite direction. The goals now are to push the pace, maximize possessions, and average over a point per possession. Do that and you can win with average defense
That means layups and 3-point shots. Layups are the highest percentage shot in the game and the shot most likely to produce free throws. Shoot 35% or better on 3s and you’re above a point per possession.
Today’s top recruits can run the floor and shoot behind the arc. The best can also attack the rim.
And today’s top-ranked teams can rotate 8 or 9 such players.

 

[OzLion]

The last time I followed the NBA closely the Wizards were still the Bullets and the SuperSonics were still a thing, so I can't comment on the pro game. I can make some observations on the college game, though:

The 3-pointer accomplished a few positive things. It made comebacks more possible (a 6- point deficit is a two possession game), allowed more upsets (a team with hot shooting could beat a taller more athletic team a la Vermont over Syracuse), and it did spread out the floor, so to speak.

My explanation for the missing defense and fundamentals in today's game is the lack of 'team building' due to frequent coaching moves, one-and-done, and transfers. [that, btw, is Calapari's gift, his ability to form a cohesive unit out of rentals]. Could you imagine John Chaney trying to teach his system today.


A few things that might make NCAA hoops more watchable: 1) fewer coaches time outs with only 1 in the last minute 2) limit number of reviews, 3) allow 'continuation'.

 

[Safety Blitz]

I don’t mind the timeouts, but maybe with fewer commercials so they don’t last 3+ minutes.
Amen on the reviews, especially to reset the clock by fractions of a second. If the person running the clock is good enough for the first 38 minutes, it should remain the same for the final 2 minutes.
Continuation = 🤮
The NBA could help its product by eliminating that rule.

 

[LandoComando]

Duke's actually fun to watch--they play the game the right way for the most part
Bama has no answer at all

 

[heckmans]

NBA and College...not sure how to fix it but it's definitely hurting the game.

Bama put up almost 1.3 threes per minute. 77% of their shots were threes.

Maryland-Florida wasn't as bad but that was some ugly basketball. Florida had 17 turnovers and committed 22 fouls yet won easily.

Analytics has ruined basketball and heavily degraded baseball

 

[LandoComando]

Analytics has ruined basketball and heavily degraded baseball

Agreed...I think it's done even more damage to baseball. I used to love MLB. Can't tell you the last time I watched a full game. I still manage to get through basketball

 

[Jerry]

Last night, I watched the NCAA Hockey Tournament games (i'm a huge hockey fan who grew up watching and playing the sport) and didn't watch one second of the basketball games, and I'll do the same tonight. I've just grown tired of the way basketball at both the college and pro level has devolved into nothing more than a three point shooting contest, and I'm somebody who loved the NBA in the 80s and also used to go with my brother to see the first and second round Tournament games almost every year from the mid 90s into the late 2010s at a Midwestern or Northeastern site like Philly, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus and Indy.T

For me, the 1980s were the Golden Age of basketball at both the pro and college levels.

In the NBA the Showtime Lakers, the Bird-led Celtics, the Bad Boy Pistons, the Bulls and Jordan shaping into the all-time team they would come to be...even those 1982-83 76ers who won it all with one of the great lineups in NBA history. Just amazing classic basketball.

On the collegiate level, the Big East dominated with a tough, physical play emphasizing Defense. In fact, everybody actually played D in those days...some better than others...and none better than the great Big East teams, especially Georgetown.

I have to agree that the 3-point shot was a turning point...significantly changed the college game. That and the one-and-done brand of free agency that rules the roost now. It's just not nearly as interesting to me as it was a few decades ago.

Last night was a case in point. I caught much of the 2nd half of the Texas Tech-Florida game and with three minutes to go, Tech looked in the driver's seat for an upset with, as I recall, a 9-point lead...or at least 7. And then they folded, with 3-pointers and foul shots the deciding factors. That one Florida kid, my gosh, he was unconscious from the 3-point line, but the Tech D just wasn't tight enough on the perimeter. D isn't that important anymore, and then when you need some, it's not there.

 

[19333lion]

I completely stopped following basketball years ago because of the three-point shot. It has made the center position obsolete and taken away the beauty of driving to the basket. I don't miss basketball one bit.

 

[heckmans]

Agreed...I think it's done even more damage to baseball. I used to love MLB. Can't tell you the last time I watched a full game. I still manage to get through basketball

Analytics:
Basketball: ISOs and 100 3s
Baseball: HRs and 100 SOs.

Both are barely watchable 🤮🤮

 

[Big 0]

I started watching pro and college BB in the late 60’s when I started playing organized BB in grade school. It was a different game back then. I followed the sport until the late 80’s when it became uninteresting to me, especially the pros. When college went to the joke of one and done, I totally lost interest. I could care less about pro and college BB now and I used to be a huge fan.