<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The decline in offense is well known. But how did the league get here? While my SI.com colleagues are looking at some of the changes in techniques and attitudes that have allowed defense the upper hand, I'll be taking a more scientific approach by breaking down the numbers. The data should provide an explanation for the causes of the 17-point drop, as well as offer some insights into some solutions.</div> http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...tats/index.html
What's the point in dissecting the demise of the offense? Who really gives a damn? The offense and defense is fine the way it is.
It does show some interesting numbers to dispell those "Good Old Days" idiots. Mainly, 3 point shooting percentage has actually improved, while 2 point shooting percentage has dropped, basically offsetting each other. The main difference is that there are fewer possessions because defenses are better now and it is harder to get a shot off. It doesn't need to be fixed, the game is great.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chungster:</div><div class="quote_post">What's the point in dissecting the demise of the offense? Who really gives a damn? The offense and defense is fine the way it is.</div> While you may like offenses the way they are, many older fans who remember a faster-paced, more exciting style of play do not. It's a topic of interest to anyone who wants to understand what factors are contributing to lower scores, and what options exist for reversing the trend.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunshineRain:</div><div class="quote_post">It does show some interesting numbers to dispell those "Good Old Days" idiots. Mainly, 3 point shooting percentage has actually improved, while 2 point shooting percentage has dropped, basically offsetting each other.</div> They don't quite offset eachother, actually. Points per possession has gone down quite a bit. Even assuming the pace is the same (same number of possessions, on average), 4.1 less ppg are scored today than 20 years ago. Which means offenses are much less efficient. 2-point field goal % has gone down dramatically, and because there are more outside shots there are less free-throws and offensive rebounds. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The main difference is that there are fewer possessions because defenses are better now and it is harder to get a shot off. It doesn't need to be fixed, the game is great.</div> Defenses are indeed better, but is that the whole story? Why are teams less inclined to run fastbreaks? Why do teams use up so much of the shot clock, compared to before? I think there are others reasons that need to be considered. Players, on average, are much younger and less experienced. Their basketball fundementals and instincts aren't as good. This forces coaches to slow down the pace of the game in order to get good shots, and reduce turnovers. Another possibile factor is that the lower offensive rebounding % indicate defenses are running down court and setting up much faster, preventing fast breaks or quick offensive plays.
As time evolves, so does the game. I hate columnists who keep referring to "the good old days were the NBA was more fast paced and entertaining". I don't really care about that stuff, it's all good as logn as they are playing NBA Basketball. The offense is worse due to the increase defence so they cancel each other out. I like the way things are now with teams being evenly spread with some teams using a run and gun offense and some using a half court system whereas back then almost everything was run and gun. I'm fine with the way the NBA is now, got no complaints.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Defenses are indeed better, but is that the whole story? Why are teams less inclined to run fastbreaks? Why do teams use up so much of the shot clock, compared to before? </div> I somewhat agree with this. I don't like the young rookies and younger players who don't know the basics of the game yet are drafted for thier "incredible upside" or thier above-average dribbling skills. I know at my shcool or at the playground around my block, half of the kids are all based on dribblign hype and I hate that. They can't shoot, only a couple can pass or have any fundamentals and everyone thinks they can make the team cause they nail one in every 10 shots in, dribble it around an opponents back or don't play D. I hate that mentality and I certainly hope the NBA does not get polluted in the long term with this kind of mentality. However, I still do not mind the NBA's current style as it offers versatility with every single team as each carries a different arsenal and style in their pockets (i.e- Sonics are a 3 point shooting team while the Nuggets are a fast-breaking team)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spawn:</div><div class="quote_post">As time evolves, so does the game. I hate columnists who keep referring to "the good old days were the NBA was more fast paced and entertaining". I don't really care about that stuff, it's all good as logn as they are playing NBA Basketball.</div> This doesn't make sense. We judge how entertaining a game is by how it's played, not the name of the league. By this logic, it would still be fun if teams were scoring 60 ppg and shooting 25% from the field because its still "NBA Basketball." <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The offense is worse due to the increase defence so they cancel each other out. I like the way things are now with teams being evenly spread with some teams using a run and gun offense and some using a half court system whereas back then almost everything was run and gun. I'm fine with the way the NBA is now, got no complaints.</div> I honestly think faster-paced ball game are more fun to watch, and you rarely see that these days. You may be right that offensive skills haven't diminished, but rather defense is getting better. But if defenses continue to get better and better and offensive skills don't improve along with it, the inevitable result is that the pace of the game will continue to go down and points per possession will also go down. You may find the game, as it is now, tolerable (or enjoyable) -- but what about 5-10 years down the road when teams are struggling to score 80 points a game and hit 40% from the field? Or when 66-62 scores are no longer consider "ugly games" but status quo?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post"> Defenses are indeed better, but is that the whole story? Why are teams less inclined to run fastbreaks? Why do teams use up so much of the shot clock, compared to before? I think there are others reasons that need to be considered. Players, on average, are much younger and less experienced. Their basketball fundementals and instincts aren't as good. This forces coaches to slow down the pace of the game in order to get good shots, and reduce turnovers. Another possibile factor is that the lower offensive rebounding % indicate defenses are running down court and setting up much faster, preventing fast breaks or quick offensive plays.</div> Another possibility is over-coaching. Don Nelson has been a good example of a guy that lets his players play. Sure, he over coaches when it comes to playing with mismatches, but he basically rolls the ball out there and lets them play. He'll bench a guy for passing up a shot. This style leads to lots of scoring, less time burned on the shot clock and high shooting percentages. Of course, this style also fails in the playoffs. San Antonio, on the other hand, drains the clock. They always take shots when the offense is setup, meaning even if the other team gets a rebound, they can't run. Phil Jackson has done his share to contribute to the slowdown of the NBA game. Larry Brown isn't helping either. Pat Riley certainly has contributed heavily to slowing down the game. Our buddy Van Gundy (Houston) certainly wants to play that way. Why? Well, it works. What we really need is for the Mavs or Kings to win a Championship so there will be a bunch of copycat teams out there. Already, Phoenix and a few other teams want to play an entertaining style.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Another possibility is over-coaching. Don Nelson has been a good example of a guy that lets his players play. Sure, he over coaches when it comes to playing with mismatches, but he basically rolls the ball out there and lets them play. He'll bench a guy for passing up a shot. This style leads to lots of scoring, less time burned on the shot clock and high shooting percentages. Of course, this style also fails in the playoffs. San Antonio, on the other hand, drains the clock. They always take shots when the offense is setup, meaning even if the other team gets a rebound, they can't run. Phil Jackson has done his share to contribute to the slowdown of the NBA game. Larry Brown isn't helping either. Pat Riley certainly has contributed heavily to slowing down the game. Our buddy Van Gundy (Houston) certainly wants to play that way. Why? Well, it works. What we really need is for the Mavs or Kings to win a Championship so there will be a bunch of copycat teams out there. Already, Phoenix and a few other teams want to play an entertaining style.</div> Maybe so, but it's hard to take you seriously when you have the worst avatar of all time.
Perhaps another aspect contributing to the "entertainment" level of the game is because there are more teams in the league nowadays. With more teams, the star players are more spread out meaning no more teams with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen or Magic Johnson and Kareem. Sure, theres the Spurs who have Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, but you see less and less of that now. Players are demanding more money too (I think, Correct me if I'm wrong). Look at Allen Iverson or the Kobe Bryant and Shaq dispute. The mentality is changing such as the point Spawn made about over dribbling. That runs the clock down. So does defense. A team that DOES focus on offense are the Mavericks, which is a good example. However, ultimately, coaches have figured out offense does not win championships, defense does.
being a NBA fan for over 17 years, I've seen alot of changes in the game. But I never once thought that the NBA is watered down in any way. Styles have changed, but its still just as competitive. I sure miss the good ol' Showtime Days of the Lakers and the Bad Boy days of Detroit, but im also enjoyin the sport for what it currently is. Its still my favorite pro sport to watch.
Basketball in the 80's and before was a scoring frenzy because perimeter defense was NOWHERE near the way it is today.You watch games from back then and see that nobody really gets met by a defender until theyre 15 feet out.Today the defenders meet their man 25 feet out on the perimeter.
