Has the 3pt shot ruined the game?

[OhioGreen]

Started watching the C's when I was 7(1957)! Yeah, I'm old as the hills! Just thinking about those days before the 3 pointer, and how it was a better pure game, with more complete players--not better athletes, but players with better all around games.

It's why bigs with inside games are dinosaurs today--decreased value to the 2 pt basket, and young bigs want that glory of making the 3, and so that's what they practice.  Foul shots--no glory there--so now horrible FT shooting, generally.

Maybe a tweak to the rules, and only have the 3pt shot in the final 2/3 minutes of the game.  You could still have the crazy comebacks, but the whole game wouldn't be focused on the 3!

Just a thought!

[Celtics18]

I like the three point shot.  Of course, I started playing and watching the game in 1980 right when the shot was instituted into the NBA.G

My least favorite rule is the defensive three second rule.  Now that the zone has regained popularity in the NBA, I say let teams play it for real without the center having to worry about getting out of the lane. Good passing and shooting teams can beat zones.  This, more than anything else, would be a move to emphasize skills as much as athleticism.     

As to the horrible foul shooting, I doubt that free throw percentages are down in general compared to the '50s, '60s, or '70s. 

[greenpride32]

With strength training and PED's today's players are just too big now.  The 3 point shot at least spaces the floor better.  5 on 5 inside the arc would be really tight.  The first thing most people notice when they watch a classic replay game from the 70's or 80's is the short shorts.  But for me it's how lean and skinny the players look compared today (same is true for baseball; but not as noticeable in hockey or football because of pads).

[PosImpos]

No, it hasn't.

My dad complains a lot about the numbers of 3s players take, but I've watched games from the early 80s and the thing that strikes me is how congested it is inside.  I keep wanting somebody to hang out on the perimeter and punish the D with a long jumper.


Basketball is most enjoyable to watch when there's balance, I think.  Inside-out basketball is still the best way to play.  That's why players who can score consistently in the post are still so valuable despite the way the game has changed.

All you have to do is watch this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of any particular game to see how detrimental it is for a team to lack an inside presence.

[Q_FBE]

You gotta have the three point shot to be able to spread the floor and try to force the defenders to come out and run them off the line like the Celtics do. The athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger than 30 or 40 years ago even if their fundamentals are not nearly as good. It is tough enough to score as it is but there is an opportunity for the midrangers like KG and Tim Duncan to keep playing until their early 40s.

[Donoghus]

I think its been the best & worst thing to happen to the college game in the last quarter century.  (Personally, I'll take the NBA everyday of the week over NCAA).

I don't think its ruined the NBA at all.  I think when the line was in closer, it was bad for the game but that was remedied. I think its a shot that is much better utilized at the pro level than college where its over-relied on.

[Sketch5]

I think like what every one else has been saying is that the 3 point line helps open the floor. The problem is every one shoots it because of when they pulled it in years back, all the bigs decided they could shoot 3's too. In 5 to 10 years you'll see that start to disappear, hopefully, I like my bigs to be 15 feet and in at most times.

The other problem is you can't drive to the lane anymore because of the offensive charge rule. It use to be no line and if the player was out of controle, and the defensive player was set. No the offensive player only had ONE step to change direction or stop. At full speed no way that can happen, and it time an actualy NBA player takes over as comissioner to change some of these rules, cause Stern really dosen't know much of what it take to play the game, he's really ruined that, but thats for an other thread!

 So if you can't drive to the hoop what are you going to do? Shoot the three ball because you don't want to foul out.

[freshinthehouse]

I don't think its ruined the NBA at all.  I think when the line was in closer, it was bad for the game but that was remedied. I think its a shot that is much better utilized at the pro level than college where its over-relied on.

TP.  The 3 has really hurt the college game.  Way too many offenses rely on it far too much.  That, and the fact that interior defense pretty much means taking a charge, has really hurt the college game.

[Spilling Green Dye]

Trivia Question:  Who was the first NBA player to make a 3 point shot?  (No cheating and looking it up).

Hint:  He ended up being a coach for the Celtics

On topic, I agree about the 3pointer.  However, players are bigger now, and I think if everything were just 2 pointers then the paint would be more crammed than ever, and there would be more fouls.  More fouls = slower game, which I'm not a fan of.  

It certainly would be interesting to see though, and I think there is some merit to the thought.

[OhioGreen]

No, it hasn't.

My dad complains a lot about the numbers of 3s players take, but I've watched games from the early 80s and the thing that strikes me is how congested it is inside.  I keep wanting somebody to hang out on the perimeter and punish the D with a long jumper.


Basketball is most enjoyable to watch when there's balance, I think.  Inside-out basketball is still the best way to play.  That's why players who can score consistently in the post are still so valuable despite the way the game has changed.

All you have to do is watch this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of any particular game to see how detrimental it is for a team to lack an inside presence.

If you were a young big kid, and thought the inside post game was so valuable to NBA teams wouldn't you try like heck to become the next Kevin McHale.(assuming you thought you had the talent to be drafted by the NBA).  Just don't see many bigs in college that lean towards that post game!  They just want to be able shoot the 3 and make the highlight dunks.

Maybe moving the 3 pt line back to make it a more risky shot might help.(It's really a joke in college!)

Would just like to see a little more balanced game than dunking and 3 pt shooting.  Guys like MP and Ryan Gomes had really nice games 'til they fell in love with their 3 pt shooting. RA had a much more diverse game earlier in his career--ditto PP. Now age has pretty much made their usefulness outside shooting.

Again, just thoughts, although I remain both a pro and college fan!  Always has been my favorite sport.

[Donoghus]

I don't think its ruined the NBA at all.  I think when the line was in closer, it was bad for the game but that was remedied. I think its a shot that is much better utilized at the pro level than college where its over-relied on.

TP.  The 3 has really hurt the college game.  Way too many offenses rely on it far too much.  That, and the fact that interior defense pretty much means taking a charge, has really hurt the college game.

Yeah, it really has been a double-edged sword for the NBA.  

Its a shot that way over-relied on and can be dreadful to watch if you're more on an NBA type.  It can be very ugly basketball at times.

Conversely, especially during March Madness, it creates a heckuva lot of drama and excitement. It energizes those games.

[Donoghus]

Trivia Question:  Who was the first NBA player to make a 3 point shot?  (No cheating and looking it up).

Hint:  He ended up being a coach for the Celtics

On topic, I agree about the 3pointer.  However, players are bigger now, and I think if everything were just 2 pointers then the paint would be more crammed than ever, and there would be more fouls.  More fouls = slower game, which I'm not a fan of.  

It certainly would be interesting to see though, and I think there is some merit to the thought.

Chris Ford.

[OhioGreen]

Trivia Question:  Who was the first NBA player to make a 3 point shot?  (No cheating and looking it up).

Hint:  He ended up being a coach for the Celtics

On topic, I agree about the 3pointer.  However, players are bigger now, and I think if everything were just 2 pointers then the paint would be more crammed than ever, and there would be more fouls.  More fouls = slower game, which I'm not a fan of. 

It certainly would be interesting to see though, and I think there is some merit to the thought.

Believe it was Chris Ford!

[Celtics4ever]

It is too easy of a shot in college and too close any good shooter can hit over 50 percent of them.

[PosImpos]

The other problem is you can't drive to the lane anymore because of the offensive charge rule. It use to be no line and if the player was out of controle, and the defensive player was set. No the offensive player only had ONE step to change direction or stop. At full speed no way that can happen, and it time an actualy NBA player takes over as comissioner to change some of these rules, cause Stern really dosen't know much of what it take to play the game, he's really ruined that, but thats for an other thread!

Eh, if the offensive charge rule were any less strict, guys like LeBron, Wade, and Kobe would just barrel into the lane and get fouled on every play.  Watching LeBron is painful enough as it is now, since he does that fairly often to get to the line.  If anything, I think officials don't call offensive fouls nearly enough, particularly on stars.