The Scoring Load... (March 5, 1999)

It's about a quarter into this shortened season and I've noticed a terrible trend. I'm sure you've noticed it too. Scoring is down. I mean way down. It's scary. Shooting is terrible. Hideous. Players are missing free throws, missing open jumpers and just plain old missing the mark. Most players aren't in mid-season shape due to the short pre-season. Granted, that's an excuse. I don't know about you, but if I made around $2 million a season (that's around the NBA average salary) I'd be in shape all year round. If a player isn't in shape, he doesn't have the legs in his shot. I can understand that. At end of games, players don't have the stamina to make those shots, especially the long jumpers, three pointers, explosions to the basket, etc.

While this is the excuse most players will give you why the scoring is down, and it is a valid excuse, I think there is something more here going on. This is not dissimilar to baseball. In the early part of the year, pitchers are supposed to have an advantage over hitters and usually batting averages are lower in the early part of the year, as pitchers dominate hitters, but as hitters get stronger, most pitchers begin to tire under the stress and workload of 250 innings. The same thing is happening in basketball. Defense is dominating offense. Pitchers are dominating batters. Miami has lost two key components to their team, Jamal Mashburn and Voshon Leonard. Both contribute double digit scoring, but Miami is still near the top of the Eastern Conference. Why? Defense, that's why. They can't score 100 points to save their life, but they can surely keep their opposition under 90 and if they can do that, they usually win. Teams are able to reduce the amount of shots of the opposing team (I read recently that shots are down to nearly 79 a game, as compared to 110 back in the 50's and 60's when the Celtics were winning. Although field goal percentage wasn't too high back then, the amount of shots compensated.) Now teams are not only contesting every shots, but contesting every possession. It seems pressure is put on every players the second he gets the ball near the three point line. Every ball loose ball is dived for. Every rebound gone after like it's life of death. This is great for the game, but scoring is suffering. Defense is preached so much as of late, that teams neglect the offense. It's kind of sad.

I watch Utah and they use surgical like precision when running their offense. Most teams use a basic set. Throw the ball in the post, wait for the double team and swing it to the open player. The problem is that players aren't able to make that shot this year. Add to that the short training camp and players haven't gelled the way they should have, new coaches, new players. Look at Utah. Only two new players added to the roster, Todd Fuller and Thurl Bailey (and Bailey played for the Jazz 4 years ago). They are running at nearly full speed. Others aren't working so well.

I've heard that reducing the shot clock would help, at least it would increase the amount of shots. I like that idea. Maybe the shot clock 20 seconds instead of 24. Also make the time line violation 7 second instead of 10. That should make point guards run a bit faster over half court and make it easier to pressure into a time line violation. As well, I've heard about widening the lane. That would also help. It would allow guards to drive to the hole without as much traffic. Maybe make it the same as a the international key, that trapezoid type shape. I think making the court bigger would help. More width, especially and lengthen it as well. Keep the three point line where it is, but just make it bigger. Players are bigger, why shouldn't the court be as well.

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