The NBA Scoring Boom: How Big is It and Has It Gone Too Far?

TLDRScoring in the NBA has significantly increased, with teams and players setting new records. However, the high-scoring trend may have negative implications, such as blowout games and inflated statistics. The NBA's rules, improved player skills, and analytics have contributed to this scoring boom. Potential solutions include expanding the league, adjusting rules, or pushing back the three-point line.

Key insights

Scoring in the NBA is on pace for its highest season since 1970, with a 15.5% increase in average team points per game compared to a decade ago.

Players like Joel Embiid and Luca Dončić are averaging over 30 points per game, compared to just one player in 2014.

In the last two seasons alone, there have been four instances of players scoring over 70 points in a game.

The current scoring boom may lead to future comparisons with an asterisk, similar to how we view scoring from the 1960s and 1970s.

While regular season scoring has increased, playoff scoring has remained consistent, suggesting different dynamics and strategies during postseason games.

Q&A

Why has scoring increased in the NBA?

—Scoring has increased due to a combination of factors, including improved player skills, global talent pool, rule changes favoring offenses, and the influence of analytics.

Are blowout games more common now?

—Yes, there have been over 50 games this season where a team has won by 30 or more points, indicating potential imbalances in scoring and competitiveness.

Will the scoring boom affect the historical comparison of players?

—The scoring boom may lead to a reevaluation of statistics and records, similar to how we view scoring numbers from different eras with different contexts and rule sets.

Are there any changes planned to address the high-scoring trend?

—The NBA has indicated its intention to make changes to give defenses more opportunities to affect the game and potentially reduce scoring.

What are some potential solutions to curb the high-scoring trend?

—Possible solutions include expanding the league, adjusting rules to favor defense, or altering the three-point line to make it more challenging.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Scoring in the NBA has seen a significant increase.

02:00Improved player skills and a global talent pool contribute to the scoring boom.

04:30Analytics and rule changes have also influenced the high-scoring trend.

06:45The NBA may consider changes to balance scoring and make the game more competitive.

07:30Potential solutions include expanding the league, adjusting rules, or pushing back the three-point line.

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