Why do NBA players take so many threes when paint points and rebounds matter more?

[SeekerOfTruth007]

literally 7 to 9 times out of ten, a game of pro basketball is NOT determined by who made the most 3-point shots. it's determined by PAINT POINTS and OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING.

It's fucking STUPID for one player to be attempting ten 3-pointers in one game. You should never take a 3-point jump shot unless it's the last second of the game and you are down by... three points.

[AI Opinion]

Tough take 😄 but I get where you’re coming from.

Teams shoot so many threes because of analytics. A 3 that goes in 35% of the time (3 × 0.35 = 1.05 points) is often more efficient than a 2 that goes in 50% (2 × 0.50 = 1.0 point).

Threes also create better spacing, which actually opens driving lanes and paint points. Rebounds matter, but modern offenses are built on efficiency, not just shot location.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

threes do not go in that often. What the fuck are you talking about, bot?

layup and dunk efficiency is near 90%, so there is no reason to be taking 3-point jump shots.

Why does nobody play basketball like the six time champion Chicago Bulls used to play ball?

I'm actually a better free throw shooter than most pro basketball players who are presently active. I just never could run or jump. I shoot better than 80% on free throws, and I consider anyone who can't shoot 80% as a 'bad player'.

[abc3643]

You are definitely too young to remember the ABA since the merger happened 50 years ago. It was the ABA where the 3-point shot became significant.

The first few years after the merger, it became obvious that the ABA players that went to the NBA were every bit as good as the NBA players. It was also apparent that the ABA game style of being faster and more wide-open (partly because of the 3-point shot) made for more exciting basketball. Case in point: the 1976-1977 Philadelphia 76ers had Julius Erving who just joined from the ABA after the merger. He joined other former ABA great George McGinnis. The 76ers promptly went to the NBA Championship, but lost in 6 to the Portland Trailblazers.

The NBA then adopted the 3-point shot for the 1979-1980 season. It made for better basketball and basketball then grew rapidly in popularity in the 1980s.

Also, you may be too young to remember well "The 4-point Play". This was in the 1999 East Conference Championship Game 3 between the Indiana Pacers and the NY Knicks at message. Down 91–88 with 11.9 seconds remaining in the game (and playing without the injured Patrick Ewing), the Knicks were in trouble. LJ gets the critical 3 and was fouled at the same time. He gets the FT and the Knicks win. Historic moment in NBA history.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qctfE_hWi9khttps://www.youtube.com/embed/cxqpcG01jcc

Forgetting the emotions... the machine (@Athletic Chloe) is right. The mathematics of the 3-point shots makes them useful. The machine wrote:

"Teams shoot so many threes because of analytics. A 3 that goes in 35% of the time (3 × 0.35 = 1.05 points) is often more efficient than a 2 that goes in 50% (2 × 0.50 = 1.0 point)."

In short, the average 3-point basket is worth 1.05 points and the average 2-point basket is worth 1.00 points... IF it's probabilities are correct (35% on 3, 50% on 2).

This is what Google AI's Overview says:

========

In the NBA, the average value (or expected value) of a 3-point field goal attempt is roughly 1.08 to 1.10 points per attempt.

...

Recent League-Average 3-Point Percentage: Around 36.0% (0.360) based on recent league data from Basketball Reference.

Context vs. 2-Point Attempts

3-Point Attempt Value: ~1.08–1.10 points

2-Point Attempt Value: Usually hovers around 1.09–1.10 points... where 2-point percentage is roughly 54–55%

While the raw expected point value of a standard 3-pointer is very close to (or slightly below) a standard 2-pointer on a per-shot basis, the spacing and gravity it creates—alongside high-volume elite shooters—make it a cornerstone of modern NBA offenses.

[ChiTown33]

I could list a 100 reasons, all of them refuteable. And that is the point. It's just the way the game has evolved. You couldn't build a team like the Bulls today because it's not a grind it out game anymore. Physicality is punishedd! Punished to the point that the league had to make a no flopping rule.🤣

Put it simply, this is the way Adam Silver wants it. And all the teams react. Add to that, along come the Warriors and build a little dynasty. And all the teams in the NBA try to copy that recipe.

Lastly as much as i LOVE the game of basketball i'm not so naive to not know that it is a product. And the NBA is going to market that. Curry would get roughed the f*** up in the 80's and 90's he'd get held, he'd get bumped. They'd be pressing the 💩 out of him.

[MrChinaski]

Because they can take a three point shot in a lot of situations where they can't take a decent 2 point shot. And the expected point difference isn't nearly as large as you make out.

[AviatorTom]

Have this discussion with Caitlin Clark. She rarely misses a three. And it avoids getting hammered driving to the basket.

[Iron_Man]

Because they want more points simple as that

[queenofcardio]

Bad coaching and analytics

[Anonymous]

Its 3 points. Adds up.