Shooting from beyond the arc has become an art form in the NBA, a key factor that can turn the tide of any game. To appreciate just how crucial three-point shots are, consider this: In the 2021-2022 season, teams combined for an average of 34.6 three-point attempts per game. That's a staggering number compared to the early 2000s, when teams averaged around 14.7 attempts per game. Clearly, the importance of three-point shooting has skyrocketed, becoming an essential element in modern basketball strategy.
The Golden State Warriors, synonymous with three-point prowess, owe much of their success to this long-range weapon. Stephen Curry, widely regarded as the best shooter in NBA history, holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a single season with 402, set during the 2015-2016 season. Curry has not only revolutionized the game but also inspired an entire generation of shooters. His efficiency is another talking point; in that record-setting season, he made 45.4% of his three-point attempts. That's an unthinkable number when you realize that even hitting 40% is considered elite in the NBA.
It’s not just individual players who make headlines; teams have their records too. The Houston Rockets broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single game with 27 against the Phoenix Suns in 2019. This game showcased their system under Coach Mike D’Antoni, which famously encouraged launching threes at a dizzying pace. To put that in perspective, 27 made threes translate to 81 points—more than an entire game’s worth of scoring for some of the earlier eras of basketball.
Why the sudden explosion in three-point attempts? Analytics has a lot to do with it. Teams have realized that the expected value of a three-point shot outweighs that of a mid-range jumper. It’s simple math: hitting 33.3% of your threes yields the same points per shot as hitting 50% of your twos. The Boston Celtics, for example, saw their three-point attempts jump from 28.5 per game in the 2017-18 season to 37.8 in the 2020-21 season, guided by analytics-driven strategies and data.
During the height of the "Splash Brothers" era, Klay Thompson delivered a performance for the ages on October 29, 2018. He scored 52 points against the Chicago Bulls, making 14 of his 24 three-point attempts, setting the record for most threes made in a single game. What’s even crazier? He did it in just 27 minutes of playtime. Thompson's shooting display exemplifies how one great shooter can single-handedly sway the momentum of a game.
The evolution of the three-point shot can’t be discussed without mentioning the pioneers who transformed the game. Larry Bird, with his 649 career three-pointers, seemed like a long-range savant in the '80s, but players today like Damian Lillard, who has made over 2,200 threes and counting, have taken the art to a whole new level. Bird's era was more about precision and occasional three-pointers; today’s NBA is about volume and efficiency from beyond the arc. This shift has added more excitement and has completely modernized the way basketball is played.
What's fascinating is how even big men have adapted to this new focus on spacing and shooting. Players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porziņģis stretch defenses with their ability to shoot from long range, making them invaluable assets in today’s NBA. Towns had a career-high 41.2% from three in the 2017-2018 season, a remarkable feat for a player standing at 6'11". This trend breaks the traditional archetype of a center who stays near the rim, redefining roles and expectations.
In playoff scenarios, the necessity of the three-pointer amplifies. Reggie Miller’s eight points in nine seconds against the New York Knicks in 1995 remains one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. This astonishing burst of scoring, centered around clutch three-pointers, showed how the three-point shot could be a dagger in high-stakes moments. Miller’s legacy isn’t merely about volume but also about hitting timely shots under immense pressure.
Buddy Hield's rapid ascent in the three-point shooting ranks can't be overlooked either. Known for his exceptional shooting touch, Hield made 278 threes in the 2020-2021 season, a noteworthy number that places him among the elite shooters of the modern era. And let’s not forget that he accomplished this feat in just his fifth season in the league, highlighting the younger generation’s inclination towards long-distance shooting.
There's also a geographical twist to all this. The team arenas often play a role in the shooting dynamics too. The altitude of the Denver Nuggets' Ball Arena, for example, can affect how the ball travels, making it a challenging place for visiting shooters. Conversely, venues like the Chase Center, home of the Warriors, seem almost tailor-made for high-percentage shooting, where Curry and Thompson regularly dazzle crowds with their remarkable accuracy.
Overall, the rise of the three-point shot has transformed the NBA landscape, making games more thrilling and offensively dynamic. The league’s all-time record for most three-pointers made belongs to Stephen Curry, a player who has mastered the craft to an extent few could have imagined. His career total of over 3,000 made threes and counting is a milestone that may stand the test of time. Possibly, in years to come, we will see future talents breaking these records, perhaps aided by even more advanced training techniques and analytics.
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