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How Three Pointers

Have Reshaped NBA

By Hongbing Luo

SHORT HISTORY OF THE THREE POINTER

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In June 1979, the NBA adopted the three-point line for a one-year trial for the 1979-80 season[1]

Magnitude

The arc radius of three point line is 23 feet 9 inches. The purpose to have this line was to increase the difficulty to score

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The Houston Rockets have recently become one of the most competitive teams in the NBA. Their success owes much to their big-data-driven decision. They discovered that three pointers are much more effective than long two point shots.

Why This Intrigues Me?

As a basketball fan, I noticed in recent years, teams have switched their tactics towards shooting more three pointers

Is three pointer really the most efficient way?

Though some teams succeeded by adopting more-three-pointers strategy. Some clearly did not. I'd like to find out which factor contributes more to the overall winning

The overall transition is very interesting

Even though I am not a big fan of the trend, the transition is interesting. I'd explore more on both team and player level

Some indicators
  • Salaries of players (Big men vs. outside shooter)

  • News coverage on outside shooting

​       etc.

WHAT PEOPLE THINK

'[Bullets coach] Dick [Motta] never liked it. He said, 'Grevey, that’s a gimmick from the ABA and the coaches weren’t consulted about this. ... We’re not going to be influenced by this shot, nor are you. Get that ball down low to Elvin Hayes.' ”

FORMER WASHINGTON BULLETS SHOOTER KEVIN GREVEY

"It took decades for the NBA to realize it should be taking more of the shots that are literally worth one more point."

The Wall Street Journal

"

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" The game has changed. "

Former Celtics Forward Larry Bird

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