Silver says, NBA looking at impact of too many 3’s

[wmarkedwards]

So Adam Silver has recently said that the league is looking at how the game has been affected by teams increasing their volume of 3’s. Look no further than Boston C’s…

I have a crazy message board solution to this problem. Make any basket assisted from beyond half court worth an extra point. 3’s & 2’s become 4’s & 3’s. Max 3 free throws.

 

[WildcatUKx]

I think there's a lot the NBA can do to fix the issue. One thing I would like to see is the NBA shorten the season. To make the playoffs more competitive they should eliminate series and make the playoffs bigger, and make it just like the NCAA tournament, one loss and you're out.

 

[B.B.H.]

Allow more physical defense. That would help a great deal. The problem, in my opinion, isn’t the threes, but rather that a team can get as many threes as they want

 

[anonymous_2011]

Ban zone defenses again and move the 3pt line out a few feet.

 

[colonelcat78]

Allow more physical defense. That would help a great deal. The problem, in my opinion, isn’t the threes, but rather that a team can get as many threes as they want

Exactly. Bring back hand checking and allow for more physical play.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

They're going to have to do something.. it's damn near unwatchable, and I'm a fan. I root for Houston and and New York Knicks.. and I see almost no reason to even tune into the regular season, unless it's a compelling matchup.

 

[B.B.H.]

I’d also say the league should be very careful about treading into the waters of partisan politics. I had been NBA league pass viewer for three straight seasons and they really did themselves no favors on a few things. Then, they lost me as a viewer for about two years. Even now, I’m far more casual than I was

 

[Ron Mehico]

I mean it’s not rocket science - just look at the last dance documentary. Physical defense and different style of different teams made it more fun to watch. Just allow more physical defense and it should sort itself out.

 

[Lempface]

The game will never be the same, it can't until its popularity falls to the point contracts shrink drastically. Too many premadonnas and too fast paste with all the 3s. As far as I'm concerned, the league has got their come up ins from their off fence focused rule changes. I don't know about y'all but I can't mustard the desire to watch a single game anymore. The sport really went to hell in a ham basket.

 

[Bluesnky]

Forget physical defense. Start calling all the illegal screens.

 

[The_Answer1313]

As someone that doesn't watch a ton of NBA, what's the main difference here between college bball and NBA?

Isn't college bball doing the same thing? Moving more towards bombing from 3? The rate at 3 pointers in the college game has drastically gone up in the last five years.

Pope says we need to take 30-35 threes a game and we all go crazy here. Because it's a more attractive offense to watch compared to what we've had the past 10 years plus.

I guess the college game still has enough diversity to make it interesting whereas the NBA everyone is doing the same thing? I was just wondering.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Forget physical defense. Start calling all the illegal screens.

This and calling walks would solve it. Literally that easy. The crazy walks they let go as part of step backs always drive me crazy.

 

[Hoskins21]

Players refusing to play would be a good start.

 

[ThroughBlue]

Get rid of the gather step

 

[Mike-D]

Math says to shoot 3's, shoot near the rim, and abandon long 2's. Change the math.

 

[JonathanW]

One loss and done is a horrible idea for most sports. It lessens the odds of "the best team" winning the championship significantly.
Actually, the NCAA should really consider a best 2 of 3 for the F4, maybe even the E8.

I'm not sure how shortening the season would affect either way the # of 3's being shot. I don't think it would.

There are probably changes to defensive rules that might help, but not sure exactly what they would be. Would allowing more physical play reduce the 3's or increase them.

Making 2's worth 3, and 3's worth 4 would reduce the # of 3's, but traditionalists would oppose it.

Moving the 3pt line back 3-5' would reduce the 3's.

Or, change "and-1" to "and-2", so foul someone making a 2pt basket and they get 2 FTs (or 1 & 1). Could take it a step further and if foul someone missing a 2pt basket and they get a "2 & 1" at the line.

 

[JonathanW]

Math says to shoot 3's, shoot near the rim, and abandon long 2's. Change the math.

That's what the OP's idea of making them worth 3 & 4 pts does, change the math.

 

[Wonky]

This and calling walks would solve it. Literally that easy. The crazy walks they let go as part of step backs always drive me crazy.

Yep. When the NBA became the “And 1 street ball tour” is when I stopped watching. They haven’t called carrying in a decade and it makes a mockery of the sport. College is just as bad now.

 

[ala_kat2]

This and calling walks would solve it. Literally that easy. The crazy walks they let go as part of step backs always drive me crazy.

And the “carries” where a player cradles the ball from underneath while taking two steps before dribbling again. Long time ago, a player could not carry the basketball while dribbling, at least in high school and college.

 

[westerncat]

The game will never be the same, it can't until its popularity falls to the point contracts shrink drastically. Too many premadonnas and too fast paste with all the 3s. As far as I'm concerned, the league has got their come up ins from their off fence focused rule changes. I don't know about y'all but I can't mustard the desire to watch a single game anymore. The sport really went to hell in a ham basket.

I stopped watching the NBA years ago .

 

[trueblujr2]

One loss and done is a horrible idea for most sports. It lessens the odds of "the best team" winning the championship significantly.
Actually, the NCAA should really consider a best 2 of 3 for the F4, maybe even the E8.

I'm not sure how shortening the season would affect either way the # of 3's being shot. I don't think it would.

There are probably changes to defensive rules that might help, but not sure exactly what they would be. Would allowing more physical play reduce the 3's or increase them.

Making 2's worth 3, and 3's worth 4 would reduce the # of 3's, but traditionalists would oppose it.

Moving the 3pt line back 3-5' would reduce the 3's.

Or, change "and-1" to "and-2", so foul someone making a 2pt basket and they get 2 FTs (or 1 & 1). Could take it a step further and if foul someone missing a 2pt basket and they get a "2 & 1" at the line.

If you move the line back 3-5 feet the line would encroach the sidelines. Corner shots would become 2 point shots.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The problem is going to be, that the players likely PREFER this style of play, because they don't have to give up their body banging down low every night. They get to lengthen their careers. They can roam around the 3pt line, never touch a defender and jack up a 3 without barely having to jump off the court. So while we as viewers want to turn the game back into something more physical by pushing back the 3pt line, I foresee there being a good deal of push back from the NBA Players Association.

And the problem there, is that again, the NBA is still a player-driven league. Players have that much more of an impact on the win/loss column than even superstars like Patrick Mahomes or Micah Parsons do. The players and the PA know this. They know that they can get away with load management, because someone like Kawhi Leonard (when healthy and in his prime), can win games or lose games pretty much by himself. So if he wants to take a night off and not risk blowing his knee out, he's going to. And.. I sort of don't blame him, based on the fact that the payday won't be there for a guy with no knees.

So I think this is going to be a tough one to fix. I guess Adam Silver has the authority to just say "We're making these changes, and we want you to be more physical".. but not sure how well that will work in practice.

 

[Bluegrass79]

They just need to move the three-pointer out to 30 ft. See if they can hit them from there consistently

 

[know1]

Go Cats!!

 

[LineSkiCat14]

If you move the line back 3-5 feet the line would encroach the sidelines. Corner shots would become 2 point shots.

They just need to move the three-pointer out to 30 ft. See if they can hit them from there consistently

That seems to be the most likely fix. Move it back, eliminate the corner 3 and see how it goes for a year. That means the game will be played on a more logically narrow court. Corner defenders can sag off and move into the block/elbows/wing.

The question there, does that make the game better? I'm not so sure. Because now offense is just going to be that much harder to come by. When you eliminate the corner 3's and/or pull the entire line back, then the offense funnels into the paint. I guess thats what they did in the 70's 80's and 90s.. but the sport is stronger and faster, there's more length. I wonder if a game being played in the paint will actually work in 2025.. but they have to try.

 

[ukjenning44]

Get rid of the 3 point line

 

[SemperFiCat]

Have a mini arc under the goal and make inside that worth more. Stupid? Yeah, but thinking outside the box. The league is a mess. Pretty sure constant rule changes are just gonna make it worse and less basketbally.

 

[DraftCat]

Players in the 80's and 90's were more creative once getting into the lane. You had spin moves, step backs, pump fakes you name it.

Now it's 3 pointers, drive and dish or wide open dunk.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Here's another dumb, outside the box, idea; make a dunk worth 4 pts. Maybe tweak it so it's only 4 pts if all five players are across half court. Again, just spit balling.

 

[JonathanW]

If you move the line back 3-5 feet the line would encroach the sidelines. Corner shots would become 2 point shots.

So what.

 

[Allcats08]

I mean you can’t adjust the 3 pt shot lol. They just need to make the games more worth it. More worth of each game and you’ll see better and more physical defense. I say they need to add clauses in contracts, pay for play.

 

[bbncal02]

It’s just not a good product of watch anymore. One, no fun, great personalities. Old NBA had Jordan, Rodman (who was always fun), Ewing, Bird, Bogues, Barkley, etc. Guys that if you stepped to would get in your face and make you pay. Not in an overly mean do cruel way but just punk you.

Now you have just overly dirty players like Allen or Green that are just mean and try to hurt you. It’s b**** level stuff. The you have guys like LeBron, who while very very good, are just whiny and flop all the time. It’s just not fun to watch.

 

[SemperFiCat]

For the NBA eficianados, would the Elam Ending make any significant impact on the gameplay night in and night out?

 

[JonathanW]

Let's be creative. Have the floors digitized, and have random "bonus point" zones (size of a bathtub) pop up inside the 3pt line every 5 seconds, making shots from there worth 3, maybe occasionally 4 points.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Let's be creative. Have the floors digitized, and have random "bonus point" zones (size of a bathtub) pop up inside the 3pt line every 5 seconds, making shots from there worth 3, maybe occasionally 4 points.

Or have the three point line only appear in the last two minutes of the quarter, or last four minutes of the half.

 

[TucsonCat]

Like all things, times change. Players and young people just work harder than boomers used to. Jordan and Bird would rather golf and drink beer than shoot 3s in the summer. Make the rims smaller or balls bigger.

 

[gracetoyou]

Ban zone defenses again and move the 3pt line out a few feet.

I mean they've moved it back before. Why keep doing it? And why are 3's a problem to deal with? It's fun to watch!

Why the desire to make the game ugly??

 

[B.B.H.]

If you allow the physicality, guys are gonna spend more time in the weight room instead of just aerobics, yoga and working on threes. Literally one thing would change it dramatically.

 

[CastleRubric]

Let's be creative. Have the floors digitized, and have random "bonus point" zones (size of a bathtub) pop up inside the 3pt line every 5 seconds, making shots from there worth 3, maybe occasionally 4 points.

Including "fans get a sammich" shot zones or "$5,000 cash to player making this shot" zones -

Love it

 

[B.B.H.]

I mean they've moved it back before. Why keep doing it? And why are 3's a problem to deal with? It's fun to watch!

Why the desire to make the game ugly??

Something will be changed because the league is tanking in viewership