Inspired by the positionless-NBA thread...did a little looking at https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_stats_per_game.html
Compare 2018-19 with, say, 1985-86, with that great Celtics' team, but with other legendary teams still going strong too (and the Pistons just about to start their ascendency).
Average size
85-86: 6'7", 208 lbs
18-19: 6'7", 218 lbs
Points scored
85-86: 110.2
18-19: 111.2
FG attempts
85-86: 88.6
18-19: 89.2
FG made
85-86: 43.2
18-19: 41.1
FG%
85-86: 48.7%
18-19: 46.1%
3pt FG attempts
85-86: 3.3
18-19: 32.0
3pt FG made
85-86: 0.9
18-19: 11.4
3pt FG%
85-86: 28.2%
18-19: 35.5%
FT attempts
85-86: 30.3
18-19: 23.1
FT made
85-86: 22.9
18-19: 17.7
FT%
85-86: 75.6%
18-19: 76.6%
Effective FG%
85-86: 49.3%
18-19: 52.4%
Pace
85-86: 102.1
18-19: 100.0
Turnovers
85-86: 17.8
18-19: 14.1
FT/FGA
85-86: .258
18-19: .198
Assists
85-86: 26.0
18-19: 24.6
Off Rebound%
85-86: 33.4%
18-19: 22.9%
So what's happening? In some ways, the numbers are just eerily similar. The size of the average player is almost identical (just a little heavier now but otherwise the same). So the game isn't "bigger" than it was back then. Nor is it "smaller". The average scoring per game is almost identical (off by just one point per game). But how is it being done?
In 1985-86, they:
- Ran more (faster pace of play)
- Converted more fast-breaks
- Got a lot more offensive rebounds
- But turned it over more, so it didn't necessarily result in a lot more shots
- Shot a higher percentage overall
- Got to the free throw line a lot more, even with rules that allowed defenses to hand check
- Barely ever attempted three-point shots - it was a novelty still with just a few specialists; it wasn't really a weapon
In 2018-19, they:
- Assisted on fewer made FG
- Shot worse
- BUT... had a higher effective field goal percentage because...
- They shot SO MANY MORE threes. Essentially ten times the number of three-point attempts...
- Shot threes at a much higher rate
- Didn't hit the offensive glass as much, which meant fewer offensive rebounds (even though their team FG% was worse and that meant more offensive rebounds to be had), but it also meant getting back on defense, thus slowing the other team's fast break down
- Turned the ball over less, which led to slightly more shots taken
- Got to the FT line a lot less, even though the floor spacing is better and defenses aren't allowed to hand check; this has a lot to do with so many outside shots being taken
It's just interesting. Teams are scoring essentially the same number of points, with the same sized humans playing, but the game is SO different - they're getting to the same point (110-111 points per game) just in very different ways.
Compare 2018-19 with, say, 1985-86, with that great Celtics' team, but with other legendary teams still going strong too (and the Pistons just about to start their ascendency).
Average size
85-86: 6'7", 208 lbs
18-19: 6'7", 218 lbs
Points scored
85-86: 110.2
18-19: 111.2
FG attempts
85-86: 88.6
18-19: 89.2
FG made
85-86: 43.2
18-19: 41.1
FG%
85-86: 48.7%
18-19: 46.1%
3pt FG attempts
85-86: 3.3
18-19: 32.0
3pt FG made
85-86: 0.9
18-19: 11.4
3pt FG%
85-86: 28.2%
18-19: 35.5%
FT attempts
85-86: 30.3
18-19: 23.1
FT made
85-86: 22.9
18-19: 17.7
FT%
85-86: 75.6%
18-19: 76.6%
Effective FG%
85-86: 49.3%
18-19: 52.4%
Pace
85-86: 102.1
18-19: 100.0
Turnovers
85-86: 17.8
18-19: 14.1
FT/FGA
85-86: .258
18-19: .198
Assists
85-86: 26.0
18-19: 24.6
Off Rebound%
85-86: 33.4%
18-19: 22.9%
So what's happening? In some ways, the numbers are just eerily similar. The size of the average player is almost identical (just a little heavier now but otherwise the same). So the game isn't "bigger" than it was back then. Nor is it "smaller". The average scoring per game is almost identical (off by just one point per game). But how is it being done?
In 1985-86, they:
- Ran more (faster pace of play)
- Converted more fast-breaks
- Got a lot more offensive rebounds
- But turned it over more, so it didn't necessarily result in a lot more shots
- Shot a higher percentage overall
- Got to the free throw line a lot more, even with rules that allowed defenses to hand check
- Barely ever attempted three-point shots - it was a novelty still with just a few specialists; it wasn't really a weapon
In 2018-19, they:
- Assisted on fewer made FG
- Shot worse
- BUT... had a higher effective field goal percentage because...
- They shot SO MANY MORE threes. Essentially ten times the number of three-point attempts...
- Shot threes at a much higher rate
- Didn't hit the offensive glass as much, which meant fewer offensive rebounds (even though their team FG% was worse and that meant more offensive rebounds to be had), but it also meant getting back on defense, thus slowing the other team's fast break down
- Turned the ball over less, which led to slightly more shots taken
- Got to the FT line a lot less, even though the floor spacing is better and defenses aren't allowed to hand check; this has a lot to do with so many outside shots being taken
It's just interesting. Teams are scoring essentially the same number of points, with the same sized humans playing, but the game is SO different - they're getting to the same point (110-111 points per game) just in very different ways.