RealGM

I haven't really watched much pre-3 pt line games, so I have no idea how far out players shot back then. How were the offenses different back then?

I know Rick Barry, Pete Maravich, and Jerry West made shots from what would be the 3-point line today.

A lot of the video I have seen most shots didn't go out farther than 18-20 feet though there were exceptions to that. If you know what the Princeton offense is like then you know what the basic sets were. Lots of screens and backdoor cuts. Now if you had a Wilt on your team then it was just feed the post all game long. Even after the 3pt line was added I don't remember a lot of guys taking that shot. Larry Bird is the first one that I recall that really made it part of his game.

I read somewhere that if there had been a 3 point line at the time, Pete Maravich would have averaged about 8 threes per game in college. Although, if there had been a 3 point line he would have been defended better/more out there.

JungleCat022 wrote:I read somewhere that if there had been a 3 point line at the time, Pete Maravich would have averaged about 8 threes per game in college. Although, if there had been a 3 point line he would have been defended better/more out there.

Oh, in college, it was 13 three-pointers a game for Maravich. But in the pros, I know Maravich had NBA 3-point range like Barry and West did.

Chris Ford of the C's made the first NBA 3 pointer. I'd say enough players shot them to create a 3 point line

kyphi wrote:Chris Ford of the C's made the first NBA 3 pointer. I'd say enough players shot them to create a 3 point line

No you are wrong... It was a rare shot that teams and players hardly used, so there wasn't a need for it because players never shot that far. It was only in the ABA that a 3 point shot was used and even after its demise, there was a reluctance to have it implemented to the NBA.

I think it is funny in concept. I personally shoot from a bit farther than NBA range with comfort, but I play on a local court, so when I play with guys who don't know me, they think it is a bad shot(in game I am pretty much 50/50 from out there). So I wonder, without that line what the perceptions were.

They were shooting in the 3pt line, but it was most likely the worst shot to take.

pft, we need 4 pointers, maybe antoine walker would make a comeback !

A 3pt shoot range has a low percentage, so there was no need to take it while it wasn't worth more than a regular shot.

Now, players take position behind 3pt line because the line is there. If you are playing under FIBA rules, you get you position one step ahead, to be close to FIBA 3pt line (it's closer to the rim than NBA's line).

So, before 3pt line, guys were positioned as close to the rim as possible to take a free shot, since there wasn't a reference line. Something like Udonis Haslem usual range. Jerry West

That's why Chamberlain had a 50ppg season. He used to take like 40FGA every game, but he never had a high FG%. It just didn't make sense to not feed him all the time, since a 55%FG was always the best shot to take since there was no reason to take outside shots.