TS% across eras?

[therealbig3]

I was discussing TS% with someone, and he said TS% can't be compared across eras, because today's rules allow for a lot more FTA. This is true, and 3 pointers are also much more of a focus. But, FG% was a lot higher back then, and I think it has to do with the more transition oriented offense. I remember seeing someone say that TS% has remained relatively constant over the last 30 years.

I was wondering if someone had this information, or even knew how to get it, because I don't know where to start. Also, if it is possible, I'm curious to find the TS% for perimeter players over the last 30 years, I'm curious to know if their TS% has increased dramatically or not due to the rule changes.

[ElGee]

Looking to make a detailed blog post on this when I have the time. In the meantime, here is the TS% by year:

1957 44.9%
1958 44.9%
1959 45.7%
1960 46.3%
1961 46.9%
1962 47.9%
1963 49.2%
1964 48.5%
1965 47.9%
1966 48.7%
1967 49.3%
1968 49.8%
1969 49.1%
1970 51.1%
1971 50.0%
1972 50.4%
1973 49.8%
1974 50.3%
1975 50.2%
1976 50.4%
1977 51.1%
1978 51.5%
1979 53.0%
1980 53.1%
1981 53.4%
1982 53.8%
1983 53.1%
1984 54.3%
1985 54.3%
1986 54.1%
1987 53.8%
1988 53.8%
1989 53.7%
1990 53.7%
1991 53.4%
1992 53.1%
1993 53.6%
1994 52.8%
1995 54.3%
1996 54.2%
1997 53.6%
1998 52.4%
1999 51.1%
2000 52.3%
2001 51.8%
2002 52.0%
2003 51.9%
2004 51.6%
2005 52.9%
2006 53.5%
2007 54.1%
2008 54.0%
2009 54.4%
2010 54.3%

[mysticbb]

Not for the last 30 years, but I once collected the data for guards/wingplayers since the 1984/85 season. The data for FG%, eFG% and TS% as numbers and in a graph.

Code: Select all

     Year    av fg%   av efg%  av ts%
     1985     47.8     48.7     53.3
     1986     47.0     48.1     52.9
     1987     46.1     47.6     52.5
     1988     46.6     48.1     52.9
     1989     46.4     48.4     53.1
     1990     46.2     48.3     53.1
     1991     46.2     48.4     53.2
     1992     45.6     48.0     52.5
     1993     45.9     48.9     53.5
     1994     44.8     47.9     52.3
     1995     44.5     49.8     54.3
     1996     44.2     50.0     54.6
     1997     43.2     49.3     53.8
     1998     42.8     47.2     52.0
     1999     41.4     46.0     50.7
     2000     42.9     47.4     51.9
     2001     42.7     47.1     51.8
     2002     42.8     47.4     51.7
     2003     42.3     46.8     51.4
     2004     41.8     46.5     50.9
     2005     42.6     47.6     52.4
     2006     43.2     48.2     53.0
     2007     43.4     48.7     53.6
     2008     43.7     49.2     53.6
     2009     43.7     49.3     53.9
     2010     43.8     49.3     53.6
     2011     43.6     49.2     53.8


[therealbig3]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

What's interesting is that from 1980-present, league TS% has stayed pretty much consistently in that 53-54% range, with just a few outliers. What's even more interesting is that perimeter players' TS% since 1985 has also stayed in that same range as well over the years.

Despite era differences, between the 80's, 90's, and 00's, efficiency has stayed relatively constant for the past 30 years, even with referees being more lenient in giving out FTA recently.

[Doctor MJ]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

What's interesting is that from 1980-present, league TS% has stayed pretty much consistently in that 53-54% range, with just a few outliers. What's even more interesting is that perimeter players' TS% since 1985 has also stayed in that same range as well over the years.

Despite era differences, between the 80's, 90's, and 00's, efficiency has stayed relatively constant for the past 30 years, even with referees being more lenient in giving out FTA recently.

Well that's true, but I think you might be taking something from that that I wouldn't. It's not the same in spite of changes, so much as it is because of changes. The improvement in the last half-decade is not luck, nor was that jump in the mid-90s.

[mysticbb]

From 1985 until 1994 it was pretty constant, after that we can see the jump due to the shorter 3pt line. In 1997 it goes back and we are getting into an era in which the perimeter defense was really thight. That goes until 2004. After that season it goes up again to a higher level than between 1985 to 1994. That comes due to the new interpretation of the no-handchecking rule. That has also less to due with more free throw attempts, but more freedom at the perimeter and an easier way to the basket for the perimeter players. We can see that by the evolution of the TS% and eFG%, which is basically the same. We can identify two "weird" years here, one is 2001 and the other is 2009. In both seasons we can suspect a "weird" behaviour in terms of foul calls. There is a small difference between eFG% and TS% evolution in both seasons.

[aggo]

people have correctly pointed out that although TS% has remained the same since the 80s, FTA or the FTrates may not have.

it would be interesting as an added caveat to see how FTAs has changed through the years--- combined with league average FT% to see just how much of an impact FT% has on TS% over the last few decades

[Base]

people have correctly pointed out that although TS% has remained the same since the 80s, FTA or the FTrates may not have.

it would be interesting as an added caveat to see how FTAs has changed through the years--- combined with league average FT% to see just how much of an impact FT% has on TS% over the last few decades

I know that Free Throw percentage has pretty much remained the same since the start of the NBA.
So it wouldn't really affect the TS% if any.

Code: Select all

        FG%     FT%   3p%
1954   0.372   0.709   -   
1955   0.385   0.738   -
1956   0.387   0.745   -
1957   0.380   0.751   -
1958   0.383   0.746   -
1959   0.395   0.756   -
1960   0.410   0.735   -
1961   0.415   0.733   -
1962   0.426   0.727   -
1963   0.441   0.727   -
1964   0.433   0.722   -
1965   0.426   0.721   -
1966   0.433   0.727   -
1967   0.441   0.732   -
1968   0.446   0.720   -
1969   0.441   0.714   -
1970   0.460   0.751   -
1971   0.449   0.745   -
1972   0.455   0.748   -
1973   0.456   0.758   -
1974   0.459   0.771   -
1975   0.457   0.765   -
1976   0.458   0.751   -
1977   0.465   0.751   -
1978   0.469   0.752   -
1979   0.485   0.752   -
1980   0.481   0.764   0.280
1981   0.486   0.751   0.245
1982   0.491   0.746   0.262
1983   0.485   0.740   0.238
1984   0.492   0.760   0.250
1985   0.491   0.764   0.282
1986   0.487   0.756   0.282
1987   0.480   0.763   0.301
1988   0.480   0.766   0.316
1989   0.477   0.768   0.323
1990   0.476   0.764   0.331
1991   0.474   0.765   0.320
1992   0.472   0.759   0.331
1993   0.473   0.754   0.336
1994   0.466   0.734   0.333
1995   0.466   0.737   0.359
1996   0.462   0.740   0.367
1997   0.455   0.738   0.360
1998   0.450   0.737   0.346
1999   0.437   0.728   0.339
2000   0.449   0.750   0.353
2001   0.443   0.748   0.354
2002   0.445   0.752   0.354
2003   0.442   0.758   0.349
2004   0.439   0.752   0.347
2005   0.447   0.756   0.356
2006   0.454   0.745   0.358
2007   0.458   0.752   0.358
2008   0.457   0.755   0.362
2009   0.459   0.771   0.367
2010   0.461   0.759   0.355
2011   0.459   0.763   0.358


[therealbig3]

people have correctly pointed out that although TS% has remained the same since the 80s, FTA or the FTrates may not have.

it would be interesting as an added caveat to see how FTAs has changed through the years--- combined with league average FT% to see just how much of an impact FT% has on TS% over the last few decades

I know that Free Throw percentage has pretty much remained the same since the start of the NBA.
So it wouldn't really affect the TS% if any.

Code: Select all

        FG%     FT%   3p%
1954   0.372   0.709   -   
1955   0.385   0.738   -
1956   0.387   0.745   -
1957   0.380   0.751   -
1958   0.383   0.746   -
1959   0.395   0.756   -
1960   0.410   0.735   -
1961   0.415   0.733   -
1962   0.426   0.727   -
1963   0.441   0.727   -
1964   0.433   0.722   -
1965   0.426   0.721   -
1966   0.433   0.727   -
1967   0.441   0.732   -
1968   0.446   0.720   -
1969   0.441   0.714   -
1970   0.460   0.751   -
1971   0.449   0.745   -
1972   0.455   0.748   -
1973   0.456   0.758   -
1974   0.459   0.771   -
1975   0.457   0.765   -
1976   0.458   0.751   -
1977   0.465   0.751   -
1978   0.469   0.752   -
1979   0.485   0.752   -
1980   0.481   0.764   0.280
1981   0.486   0.751   0.245
1982   0.491   0.746   0.262
1983   0.485   0.740   0.238
1984   0.492   0.760   0.250
1985   0.491   0.764   0.282
1986   0.487   0.756   0.282
1987   0.480   0.763   0.301
1988   0.480   0.766   0.316
1989   0.477   0.768   0.323
1990   0.476   0.764   0.331
1991   0.474   0.765   0.320
1992   0.472   0.759   0.331
1993   0.473   0.754   0.336
1994   0.466   0.734   0.333
1995   0.466   0.737   0.359
1996   0.462   0.740   0.367
1997   0.455   0.738   0.360
1998   0.450   0.737   0.346
1999   0.437   0.728   0.339
2000   0.449   0.750   0.353
2001   0.443   0.748   0.354
2002   0.445   0.752   0.354
2003   0.442   0.758   0.349
2004   0.439   0.752   0.347
2005   0.447   0.756   0.356
2006   0.454   0.745   0.358
2007   0.458   0.752   0.358
2008   0.457   0.755   0.362
2009   0.459   0.771   0.367
2010   0.461   0.759   0.355
2011   0.459   0.763   0.358


FT% may be the same, but FTA increasing would definitely affect TS%, wouldn't it? If you hit your FTs at the same rate as someone else, but you get to the line more, your efficiency is going to be better, except in extreme cases like Wilt and Shaq, when your FT% is actually lower than your FG%.