In recent seasons, scores in league matches have reached impressive numbers, individually and collectively; understand the phenomenon
Last month, in the space of a week, the NBA had two players who broke the 70-point barrier: Luka Doncicof Dallas MavericksIt is Joel Embiidof Philadelphia 76ers. The feat has never been recorded before, but how can this increase in scoring in the league be explained?
On January 26, Doncic scored an incredible 73 points, becoming only the 15th player to break the mark. This was the highest score since the 81 recorded by Kobe Bryantin 2006. The established limit seemed unbeatable a few years ago, but now it appears that it is just a matter of time for someone to overcome it.
Most Points in a Game this season:
73 — Luka Doncic
70 — Joel Embiid
64 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
62 — Karl Anthony-Towns
62 — Devin Booker
60 — Stephen Curry (Last Night)SIX 60-Point Games this season! pic.twitter.com/cXMlVn7v20
— Hoop Muse (@HoopMuse) February 4, 2024
Not even Michael Jordan reached 70 points. However, only in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, the NBA featured Embiid (70), Luka (73), DonovanMitchell (71) and Damian Lillard (71) entering the Top 10 biggest scores of history. Furthermore, Devin Booker scored 70 in 2017 – in his second season in the league.
Each year the records of Kobe and Wilt Chamberlain they seem more threatened, and that’s due to an overall increase in the pace of the NBA. Among the ten best attacks in NBA history, eight are from 2023/24.
The increased use of the three-ball is one of the factors that contributed to this explosion. For many years, the pitch called mid-range It was the most popular in the league and was the favorite of historic players like Jordan and Kobe during the 1990s to 2010s.
However, a problem with this pitch was highlighted. He was easily challenged, as the play had low efficiency when compared to a layup. Therefore, it didn’t reward as much as a shot from the perimeter.
Stephen Curry and his highest scores of the season
60 Points (6 free throws made)
45 Points (3 free throws made)Imagine if he had the league’s friendly whistle, just imagine… pic.twitter.com/uNToAwUVOd
— Son of Stephen Curry (@criadocurry) February 4, 2024
Analysts realized the point and questioned: why would these players who have a great mid-range Don’t you take a step back for one more point? This is how players like Stephen Curry It is James Hardenwhich popularize a new way of thinking about basketball.
Whoever had the greatest gravity on the court always looked for infiltration or space in the middle distance, which created congestion in the bottle. With the emergence of teams that prioritized triple-ball, especially Golden State Warriors from Curry, the others were forced to space out their defense more. The league has become dominated by the most efficient ways to score.
The positions were also adapted for this new model. Forwards and pivots find themselves playing other roles, needing greater mobility using more of the court. They are the big mans with great pitch, in addition to the centers, which had to develop over a long distance. Embiid, Nikola Jokic It is Karl-Anthony Towns are examples.
Teams began surrounding their best players with lethal shooters. So, if a double happened, someone would kick free from three. The possibilities that this space generates are endless, all it takes is creativity from the coach and the team’s first choice.
Another position that was forced to change was point guard: if the team’s best player has the ball, why pass it? Reggie Miller he attempted an average of 4.7 shots from the perimeter, while Curry attempts more than 10 per game these days.
The need for the best player to control his actions generates players like Jokic and Embiid, who shoot like shooting guards, dominate the paint as pivots and distribute the ball as playmakers. And how does a team manage to score such a versatile player? Simple, don’t score, try to reduce the impact of your teammates. In an attempt to stop them from fouls, they will convert 90% of their free throws.
MY GOD, NIKOLA JOKIC
LEFT DEANDRE AYTON COMPLETELY LOSTpic.twitter.com/cuj7gSwbFE
— NBA da bad (@NBAdabad) February 5, 2024
Many think that defenses have gotten worse compared to recent decades. Quite the contrary, they have evolved a lot, just not enough to stop the attacks. The last titles were won by teams that managed to reduce the impact of the best opposing players and still surpass them in offensive power. The best example of this was the series between Milwaukee Bucks It is Brooklyn Netsin 2021.
In addition to the rule changes that made it easier to get large numbers of fouls, they allowed for more possessions per game. The natural evolution of the game with increasingly complete athletes helped these record breaks.
Source: sportbuzz
My name is Adam Jackson and I am an author. I have been writing about Basketball games for over a decade now and am excited to share my knowledge with you all. Additionally, I am also interested in other sports and enjoy discussing them with others. Contact me if you want to discuss any Basketball-related topics!