Does The NBA Need To Move Back The Three-Point Line?

So far this season, NBA teams are averaging 19.8 three-point attempts and 7.1 three-point shots made per game. Both of those marks would be the most since the NBA introduced the three-point shot for the 1979-80 season.

But what is even more remarkable is that teams are only averaging 97.8 points per game. That is up from last season, but would still be the 12th lowest-scoring season during the three-point era. The result is that 21.7% of all points scored this season have come from beyond the arc. That would easily be the highest mark in NBA history.

Interestingly, players are not shooting threes any better. The percentage of three-pointers made has been relatively unchanged since the NBA reverted back to their original three-point line during the 1997-98 season*. But if teams continue to abandon the mid-range game and become too dependent on dunks and threes, the NBA may have to think about moving the line back...

* From 1994-95 to 1996-97, the NBA shortened the distance to the 3-point line. As can be seen in the chart, NBA shooting took off during that 3-year period.