Why are NBA TV ratings down so much?

[BigFin]

Not only that….

But those 6 points are completely explained by analytics advancements.

Teams found more efficient ways to play, and people making it out to be some type of travesty.

It is math people.

Well, that and the fact that players today are more skilled and most players on the floor can make these shots proficiently.

People understand the math.

The style of play just makes for a less entertaining product.

And comparing teams 3pt % this season to 20 years ago, it’s basically thee same. The best team shoots about 40% and the worst shoots about 30%.

 

[BigFin]

Back in the 90’s I asked myself “why don’t teams just get a few really good 3-point shooters and just shoot a lot more 3’s if they’re percentages would hold up with way more attempts?” Then Golden State really took to it and I didn’t care for it.

 

[Batman]

Follow me here.

Most team sports that involve a goal(basketball hoop, soccer net, football end zone) operate on a basic premise.

That premise is that, on offense, the closer you can work the ball toward that goal, the better chance you have to score a goal.

Consequently, a big part of the game was skill at moving the ball closer to the goal.

The 3-point shot in basketball destroyed that logic, especially as players have gotten better at the 3-point shot.
Now, a 24 ft shot is smarter than a 12 ft shot because we have changed the value of a goal.

It would be like soccer awarding 1.5 goals for a kick of 40+ yards.
Or football awarding 9 points for a TD scored from 40+ yards, Or 5 points for a FG from 50+ yards.

Some people like the change. Some don't.
It's a matter of personal preference.

It doesn't matter.
Baseball will always be the best sport and Michael Jordan sucked at it.

 

[BigFin]

Baseball will always be the best sport and Michael Jordan sucked at it.

how long did he spend NOT playing it before he picking it back up again?

 

[Batman]

how long did he spend NOT playing it before he picking it back up again?

Don't ask me.
Tell me.
And then tell me why its important.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Well being entertained is relative. Unfortunately a lot of people will never know what it was like to see great centers go to work on a nightly basis.

Only thing i miss about the old rules is the iso ball for the centers on the elbow. If we went back to illegal defense, though I'm not sure how scores wouldn't be astronomical.

 

[BigFin]

Don't ask me.
Tell me.
And then tell me why its important.

Good, talented players that played their whole lives need several years in the minors to make it to The Show.

 

[Batman]

Good, talented players that played their whole lives need several years in the minors to make it to The Show.

If you're saying that someone who starts their pro baseball career at 31 will probably suck at pro baseball, and will almost certainly never make it to The Show, I agree.

 

[BigFin]

If you're saying that someone who starts their pro baseball career at 31 will probably suck at pro baseball, and will almost certainly never make it to The Show, I agree.

For his first year in the minors and who knows how long since playing (HS?), it wasn’t as bad as people claim. You’d call some good MLB players sucky at baseball based on their minor league performances at the time. It’s all about development. I’m not sure why someone who supposedly knows about baseball would be so dismissive of this.

 

[Batman]

It’s all about development.

Agree.
At the right age and given enough time, MJ maybe could have made it.
You know that.
I know that.
He apparently didn't know that. Or his ego wouldn't allow him to.

 

[tlance]

Agree.
At the right age and given enough time, MJ maybe could have made it.
You know that.
I know that.
He apparently didn't know that. Or his ego wouldn't allow him to.

Cmon now.

His baseball career was all about paying tribute to his dead father and a personal challenge.

That was it. Don’t need to make it about ego.

 

[thunderc]

Cmon now.

His baseball career was all about paying tribute to his dead father and a personal challenge.

That was it. Don’t need to make it about ego.

I also think he may have been thumbing his nose at the nba just a bit, but that was his decision to make.

 

[logic]

Baseball will always be the best sport and Michael Jordan sucked at it.

A sport where nothing happens in a perfect game will never be the best sport.

 

[tlance]

People understand the math.

The style of play just makes for a less entertaining product.

And comparing teams 3pt % this season to 20 years ago, it’s basically thee same. The best team shoots about 40% and the worst shoots about 30%.

Yes…

But try comparing to 35 years ago.

Also, increased volume brings percentages down. So the fact that more players from more teams are shooting more 3s from further away and the percentages are the same indicates exactly what I said.

Skill levels are higher

 

[tlance]

I also think he may have been thumbing his nose at the nba just a bit, but that was his decision to make.

Also needing a mental break from the pressure he put on himself.

Think that had a lot to do with it

 

[Batman]

NBA 3-PT attempts per game

2003-04-------------14.9
2008-09-------------18.1
2013-14-------------21.5
2018-19-------------32.0
2023-24-------------35.1

2024-25-------------37.5

 

[tlance]

NBA 3-PT attempts per game

2003-04-------------14.9
2008-09-------------18.1
2013-14-------------21.5
2018-19-------------32.0
2023-24-------------35.1

2024-25-------------37.5

And yet…

Scoring continues to go up.

Because teams continue to shoot more 3s.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

And yet…

Scoring continues to go up.

Because teams continue to shoot more 3s.

10 more shots per game also than in 03 04.

 

[chappee11]

Team scoring averages in the 80's...

'80-'81 - 108.1
'81-'82 - 108.6
'82-'83 - 108.5
'83-'84 - 110.1
'84-'85 - 110.8
'85-'86 - 110.2
'86- '87- 109.9
'87- '88- 108.2
'88- '89- 109.2

Current team scoring averages... '23-'24 114.2
'24-'25 112.9

So, y'all are crying about 6 points per team per game on the high side and about 2 points per team per game on the low end.

THE HORROR!!

Very interesting. Can you do this same listing for FG%?

 

[logic]

Very interesting. Can you do this same listing for FG%?

here you go. knock yourself out