Adam Silver has confirmed the NBA is studying the increase of three-pointers and whether it is aversely impacting the league. The Boston Celtics are averaging 51.1 three-point attempts per game, which will easily break the record of most in a season if they continue that trend.
"The answer is yes, [we are having] many discussions about the style of basketball [being played]," Silver told a small group of reporters Tuesday night before the championship game of the league's second annual NBA Cup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks. "I would not reduce it to a so-called three point shooting issue. I think we look more holistically at the skill level on the floor, the diversity of offense, the fan reception to the game, all of the above.
"I think the game is in a great place. I love watching the games and I think we have some of the most skilled athletes in the world competing and it's unfair, I think, to the players to lump them into categories as 3-point shooters or a mid range shooter or big man playing under the basket. It's an amazing game.
"Having said that, we're constantly having discussions about whether there are ways to improve stylistically the game on the floor."
Silver said moving the three-point line is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
"Historically, at times, we've moved the 3-point line," Silver said. "I don't think that's a solution here because then, I think when we look at both the game and the data, I think that may not necessarily do more mid-range jumpers, if that's what people want, but more clogging under the basket.
"Whether there's some tweaks we should make, and my sense is I do think we should take seriously this notion of more diversity in offense. I watch as many games as all of you do, and to the extent that it's not so much a three point issue, but that some of the audience, some of the offenses start to look sort of cookie cutter and teams are copying each other. I think that's something we should pay attention to."
