NBA: The Evolution Of Three-Point Shooting

The three-point line has been around for many years but in today’s NBA it is being used more than ever

On November 1, 1946, the first NBA game was played. This game featured the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers. Never mind the fact that the Knickerbockers won 68-66 or that there was no 24 second shot clock. We’re here to talk about the three-point shot, a shot that was not featured in this contest, a current staple in today’s game that was implemented decades after the inaugural NBA season.

Thirty-three years after the first NBA game was played, the three-point line was finally introduced to the NBA in 1979-80. Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics became the first player in NBA history to make a three-point shot on October 12, 1979. In this game featured his teammate Larry Bird, arguably the greatest three-point shooter of the 1980’s.

The league leader in three-point shots made in its first year being used was Brian Taylor. He made 90 threes, averaging a whopping 1.2 threes made per game.  In 2015-16, there were 86 players who made over 90 three-pointers.

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In 1986 the NBA added a new event to All-Star Weekend. You guessed it, the Three Point Contest. The contests first winner was Larry Bird. The NBA’s inception of the three-point contest helped take the shots popularity to new heights.

After 1985-86, the number of threes made per game by the top team in this category increased each season until 1989-90.

In the 1994-95 season, John Starks of the New York Knicks became the first player to make 200+ threes (217). The very next season, Orlando Magic’s Dennis Scott shattered that record with 267. Three other players also made 200+ three pointers that season. Dennis Scott’s record would be broken 10 years later by Ray Allen.

Allen finished the 2005-06 season with 269 three pointers made.

Ray Allen would continue to hold this record for six seasons only to have it broken multiple times by Stephen Curry and once by Klay Thompson. Curry is the current record holder for most three pointers made in a game (13) and in a season (402).

We hear all the time about how the players modernized the NBA, turning it into a jump shooting league. The coaches never get any credit. The coaches are the ones who create a system for the players to follow.

Believe it or not, Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni plays a huge part in the way teams play offensively. D’Antoni’s 2005-06 Phoenix Suns became the first team in NBA history to average double-digit three-pointers made in a season. Not only that, his current team leads the NBA in total threes made and three-pointers made per game. D’Antoni is an offensive mastermind.

Nowadays, teams are taking and making more threes than ever. The league average for three-pointers per game was 0.8 during the NBA’s first year of having the three-point shot. You would think teams would go trigger happy but that wasn’t the case.

Now in 2016-17, the league average for three’s made per game is nine. In 1998-99, the Houston Rockets led the NBA in three-pointers made per game with 6.7. These days that would be good for last place. Just ask the Chicago Bulls who are only making six three-pointers a night.

Three-point records are being broken left and right this season. Already mentioned was Steph Curry’s 13 three-pointers made which he accomplished on November 7th against the New Orleans Pelicans.

On November 23rd, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team in a regular season to make at least 20 three-pointers in back-to-back games. On November 25th, the Houston Rockets became the first team to attempt 50 three-pointers in a game. The Cavaliers also set the record for consecutive games with 10+ threes (9 games). They continued this streak for a total of 16 straight games.

The most recent three-point record set was by the Houston Rockets who made 24 threes against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 16th. The Pelicans gave up multiple three-point records this season. Houston also set the record for threes attempted in a half (31) and broke their own record for attempts (61) on this night. It’s safe to say that the Cavaliers and Rockets are two of the best three-point shooting teams in the league.

Even the big men of our game are stepping out to the three-point line way more than we’ve ever seen. Marc Gasol, DeMarcus Cousins, Joel Embiid and Brook Lopez have all extended their game to the three-point line, just to name a few. Is DeAndre Jordan next?

Kidding.

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This is a jump shooting league now and whoever doesn’t like it will have to deal with it. It’s exciting to watch. Some people want more, like the addition of a four-point line. The shooting craze is getting outrageous. It seems like the three-pointer becomes an even bigger part of the NBA every year.