http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2015/story/_/id/12993098/nba-35-year-war-3-pointer Long, but good read on how the 3 point shot has changed the NBA. Few things I didn't know, like Larry Bird never practiced shooting 3's other than before the 3 point contest.
I haven't read it, but I think they're cherrypicking a bit because the two threepointiest teams are in the finals. if dantoni or the rockets have success, it will mean more to me. both of these finals teams are defense-first, and cle generates them off penetration almost exclusively. gs just happens to employ perhaps the greatest shooter of all time and another guy who might be the second-best overall shooter in the game. this isn't really a case for: everyone should be shooting a ton of threes. in fact, I think the green light for brewer and smith and ariza ended up helping kill the rockets later as much as it saved them earlier. threes are great when they're open and you have good shooters. otherwise, you're a gimmick.
Yeah I think the three point rise and emphasis on guard play is directly related to the unskilled big men that we see in the NBA these days.
yeah, the media--ironically, especially the supposedly stat-oriented media--have a very loose grasp of correlation and causation. the idea that the post is dead because no matter who you put down there, it's inefficient doesn't make sense to me. yes, the allowance of the zone means you can't just clear a side and toss the ball in the post, but I think you're being fairly uncreative if that's the only way you think a dominant big can help you offensively. did anyone just see mozgov have major impact on the game simply by being huge, smart, and capable of catching and finishing? think about how much easier your three looks get when you have one of those dudes. I remember how the floor opened up for the lakers in 2008 when Bynum emerged and started drawing third defenders on the pick and roll (pre-gasol trade). I also think people are ignoring that teams like Memphis and lac have been good for years without employing a stretch four or even playing all shooters on the perimeter. indy, too, before the injuries. there's not just one way to win, but I feel pretty confident that playing strictly for the three probably isn't going to be one of the many. edit: I did get around to reading it. same old stuff, just in long form. anyway, I hardly believe that this year or this year's finals or spoelstra's heat are some sort of vindication of dantoni. we saw what dantoni looks like when he doesn't have very specific personnel. to me, that was the dantoni lesson, btw: play to your strengths. that's what I thought he was doing in phx at first--they had a bunch of smalls, one mobile big, and no depth, so he put his best five out there and played a unique style. then I saw him try over and over to replicate this with ill-fitting parts and realized he was just a gimmick artist.
I think D'Antoni pushed the value of the three pointer, but it was probably indirectly. He did it (like you said) out of necessity so he looked like a genius when people realized it's usefulness. I think Golden State having two of the best shooters in the world, one of whom might be the best ever, is actually bad for the game. Now you have laymen thinking that the three is so important when really it's not. When those guys were taking shots early in the game without a screen or without some ball movement their threes looked like bright orange bricks. It wasn't until the started screening and running the ball through Bogut that the three was freed up for them. I can't wait for either Towns or Okafor to revitalize the big man. All it takes is one great post player and the rest of the league is shell shocked. We had 3 years or so of Bynum just absolutely dominating and he wasn't even the best post player we've seen. If the league had 15 Pau Gasol's or just one Shaq or Hakeem, this discussion wouldn't really be happening.
A well-respected and knowledgeable coach like Popovich says that you need 3pters to win, but ESPN "analysts" say that 3pt shooting isn't a recipe for success. Then, everyone I talk to (in real life lol) has been saying that the Warriors will not win because they rely too much on 3pt shooting. Basically, they've been regurgitating what they hear on TV. "Warriors can't beat the Grizzlies because they're too small." "Warriors won't go all the way because they shoot too manyt 3s." "King James will beat the Warriors." etc etc. Anyway, naturally, nobody wants to see people jack up shots. It's cool when you're on fire, but what I really enjoy about Curry is his off-ball movement. He's taking what Reggie Miller did and pushing it to the extreme. I want other players to learn that you can create opportunities off the ball. You don't just have to stand around and wait. Also, imagine if Bird actually practiced the 3pt shot. O.O His shooting touch is insane. I remember him saying that he hasn't touched the basketball since he retired. He then said that if you let him warm up and get a few shots up, he would still be one of the best shooters and can easily make 90% of his free throws. Then, there was that article about how during a Pacers practice, the ball bounced its way to Bird. He rolled up his sleeves, picked it up, and sank shot after shot after shot. He walked away like it was nothing.
