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The Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets are not exactly the best that the NBA has to offer. Charlotte entered Friday night’s matchup at 7-17 and the Bulls were not much better at 10-15. But however bad fans thought the two teams were, they never could’ve expected the level of awful that the game produced.
Chicago and Charlotte combined to miss SEVENTY-FIVE 3-point attempts in the contest. All of which came in regulation. The Bulls shot 14-of-51 from beyond the arc (27.5 percent) and the Hornets were somehow even worse at 8-of-46 (17.4 percent). Unsurprisingly, the 75 missed 3-pointers set a new NBA record.
The Hornets and Bulls made history last night! pic.twitter.com/P4zifHVnnd
— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) December 14, 2024
Chicago walked off the floor with a 109-95 victory. But really, is anybody a winner in a situation like that?
NBA teams are currently averaging 37.5 3-point attempts per game according to Basketball Reference. That would not only break the league record of 35.2 set in 2021-22, it would absolutely shatter it. The growth of the 3-point shot is fairly linear. Each of the top five seasons when it comes to attempt came in the last five years.
And while it makes sense analytically, it’s beginning to take a toll on fans who believe the game has lost its way. It’s no longer become about moving the ball or getting a good look so much as it shooting as many 3-pointers as possible. It’s one thing when it’s Steph Curry and prime Klay Thompson shooting those 3s. But most teams don’t have those players!
This season’s league average of 35.9 percent from deep ranks just 10th all-time. So fans aren’t just watching a lot of shots, they’re watching a lot of misses. Unsurprisingly, they’re not very happy about that!
I don’t know how the league fixes it. But the evidence is clear, the NBA has a problem on its hands, and it’s one that needs to get addressed in the near future.