Increased NBA scoring rates: what's behind this trend?
In the world of basketball, the NBA has witnessed a significant shift in recent years, with an increasing number of players achieving the seemingly unattainable 70-point milestone in a single game. This trend, which has captivated fans and redefined the sport's scoring landscape, can be attributed to a combination of factors.
One of the key reasons for this surge is the greater emphasis on pace and offensive volume. Modern NBA offenses feature faster pace and more possessions per game, creating more scoring opportunities for elite players. This, coupled with the increased reliance on star players for scoring, allows teams to design offenses around their superstar players who take a high usage rate of shots, enabling them to accumulate large point totals.
Another significant factor is the rise of three-point shooting. The number of three-point attempts has increased, and players are taking many more shots from distance. This trend, combined with rule changes favoring offense, such as less hand-checking and more freedom for shooters, has contributed to higher scoring outputs.
Since 2017, players like James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Stephen Curry have capitalised on these changes, putting up multiple explosive scoring games due to their unique skill sets in scoring and shooting efficiency. Harden, in particular, was lethal in this regard, averaging 36.1 points per game in the 2018-2019 season while playing 36.8 minutes per game. He was able to force open shots over defenders who knew how to defend him, and even the best defenders in the league couldn't stop him.
This trend is not limited to established stars. Five new players have scored 70 points in a single game since 2017. Luka Doncic, currently top-5 in MVP voting, is averaging four more points per game than Oscar Robertson did in the 1962 season, despite playing less than 35 minutes a night.
The introduction of the three-point shot in the 1979-80 season has also played a role in making scoring easier with little extra effort. While the three-point line was added in the 1979-80 season, all the points in the Wilt Chamberlain era were scored close to the basket by big men who could push toward the rim. In contrast, current players like Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama are known for their ability to score from deep as well as close to the basket.
It's worth noting that the three-point line was added in the NBA in 1979. Before this, players like Michael Jordan had to score mostly inside the three-point line. Jordan's career three-point percentage of 32.7% would rank him 155th in today's league. This statistic underscores the impact of the three-point shot on scoring in the NBA.
The trend of easier scoring will continue as long as players defend the way they do. Centers like Al Horford, Brook Lopez, and Naz Reid have better three-point percentages than Michael Jordan, highlighting the defensive challenges faced by today's players.
While Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a single game in 2006, against the Toronto Raptors, which was the next-highest number of points scored in a game by a single player after Chamberlain's record, the increase in 70-point games in recent years suggests that this trend is here to stay. As the NBA continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how this trend shapes the sport in the future.
The editorial of the sports news outlet discussed the rise of 70-point games in the NBA, a trend that can be linked to the increased emphasis on pace and offensive volume, as well as the rise of three-point shooting. Notable players like James Harden and Luka Doncic have capitalized on these changes, akin to the impact of the introduction of the three-point shot in the 1979-80 season, which has shifted the scoring landscape of the sport. This trend, however, presents defensive challenges for players, as evidenced by the improved three-point percentages of centers like Al Horford, Brook Lopez, and Naz Reid compared to Michael Jordan's career percentage.
