BarcelonaKobe Bryant’s grandmother went to the same high school as Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. When the prom arrived, the sportsman asked her to go with him, but the woman declined the invitation and was accompanied by what over the years would become the grandfather of one of the most important icons of the Lakers. The coincidence is curious, since Chamberlain (100 points) and Kobe Bryant (81) are the only two players in history who have managed to score more than 80 points in an NBA game.
Their records have seemed out of reach for years, but the competition’s current offensive trend is breaking the mold. NBA teams are scoring more points and defenses are struggling to control games. Fifteen players have scored more than 50 points in a game this season. What’s going on? “Teams are defending, but the talent level is unmatched. You’re seeing things on the court that we’ve never seen from a skill standpoint. The level of shooting, the positions from where they shoot and the types of shots they can make consistently is just out of this world. Players are shooting and playing in places that have never been done,” NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony said.
“I always like to fight against the idea that everything in basketball is made up, which is a phrase that is said a lot and which is not true. To begin with, because the definition of what basketball is has changed a lot in recent years How to win, how to prepare the team, how to organize the franchise… It was not the same fifteen years ago as it is now. The new challenges of the NBA that arise require different answers. The goal is not to live in the present but to try to imagine how it’s going to be the stuff five years from now. If we’re really going to go there, why can’t we start doing things like this now? When the Warriors started playing the way they’re playing, or, going further back, the Spurs, it’s because they were able to anticipate. This anticipation gives you a competitive advantage,” assures ARA Sergi Oliva, assistant general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Athleticone of the reference media in the NBA world, included Catalan a few months ago 40 under 40, a prestigious list featuring the 40 people under 40 who will have the most influence on the evolution of the competition. “The triple thing is funny because every year it keeps growing and it hasn’t reached its limit yet. If it keeps growing every year, I don’t know when it’s going to hit a ceiling. The defensive systems that teams are putting in to counter that are behaving in ways very disparate, but they are becoming more extreme. There are different ways of defending and they are becoming less neutral and more determined. Another inevitable aspect is this: the league is always trying to make the games shorter and the product more alive. If there are less and less time-outs and shorter breaks, the ability to adapt will be very important, both tactically and physically,” he warns.
“The game has changed”
The change in refereeing criteria is another factor that is boosting the NBA’s scoring growth. “Anthropological evolution leads us to find athlete physiques that are increasingly stronger, taller and faster. This is inevitable and leads basketball to be faster and more dynamic. The problem is that contact basketball limited it. The refereeing criteria they have varied a lot. In the NBA, when the contact criterion has changed to protect the players, the game has changed a lot,” says Julián Felipo, specialized journalist of Sports world.
The scoring average is 114.6 points per team, but the Sacramento Kings, where Jordi Fernández from Badalón is assistant coach, secure 121 points per night. The Atlanta Hawks (118.5) or the Golden State Warriors (118.4) also have improbable records for a few years. 20 years ago, for example, the average was 93.4 points per game. The records for assists and shooting percentages have also skyrocketed. The game between the Clippers and the Kings played last February (176-175) was the second with the most points in the entire history of the competition.
Pau Gasol considers that the essence has been lost. “There are high scores, dynamic play, triples… this is promoted a lot. It’s what’s being rewarded now. Even NBA commentators who have played at some point or have been on TV for many years say the defense is gone. I don’t quite like that the essence of the game is lost, which is to play as a team, move the ball, that there is a balance between the inside and outside play. Before, you would shoot within the first eight seconds of a possession or shoot a three-pointer on a counterattack without an offensive rebound and they would send you to the bench to think about it a bit”, he analyzes.