Why Are So Many People Averaging So Many Points?
If this trend continues, I will likely write a full article exploring this seeming era change. As of right now, five players are averaging at least 30 points per game and the top ten scorers in the league are all scoring at least 25.
Conversely, last year only Stephen Curry passed a daily 30 threshold, and only six players scored at least 25 per game. Two years ago, no one averaged at least 30 and only three players averaged at least 25. So what is going on? To put it briefly, there are two feasible answers.
Either it is a small sample size and I should just calm down, or maybe the league is simply playing faster. I cannot (/will not take the trouble to at the moment) currently back this assertion with data, but it seems that teams are realizing once again that the faster you play, the more possessions you will get and the more open looks you will get, especially from three.
Some of the hardest shots to guard in basketball are transition looks at the rim and from three. Aside from actual basketball alien- Anthony Davis and Demar Derozan, the remaining eight top ten scorers are all plus producers from three who have carte blanch to run and shoot whenever they’re open.
Analytics are very trendy these days, and it apparently seems analytically (and logically in my opinion) sound nowadays to give your best weapon the ball in as many and in as many downhill possessions as possible. Yet not everything makes sense, and that leads into today’s last surprise takeaway.