Why NBA Scoring is BROKEN

An explanation of why scoring is so high in the modern NBA, and how the NBA has a clear agenda to do so...
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The game of Basketball has been my passion since I was 5 years old. I grew up as a kid watching my dad's recorded VHS tapes of playoff games through the 70s and 80s, and collected all the Basketball cards. Something about the game and what it represents just hooked me from a very young age.
My love for the game only continues to grow as time goes on. I love studying and analyzing the game, with an unbiased perspective. Feel free to subscribe, follow me on social media, and celebrate this amazing game and it's rich history with me!
I post videos every week on NBA history, predictions, hypothetical scenarios and current NBA topics.
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Intro Music: Turn On - RW Smith • Turn On - RW Smith (No... ​​​​​​​​​​
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#nba #basketball #hoops

[@jonnyarnett]

Which decade of NBA history had the perfect amount of scoring?

[@jacksports7]

Early 2010s Late 2000s. After 2016 I feel as tho scoring went up a ton. Early 2010s was the last real time defense was greatly played. Especially with teams like Miami, and San Antonio, and Boston, and LA.

[@floydparr8006]

Mid-80s. Defenses were allowed to be physical but teams pushed the pace allowing stars to shine. I don't think it is too much offense. Just acknowledge that guys are allowed to travel and carry the ball making it so easy to get open looks. Then defenders aren't allowed to play defense.

[@nocturne311]

​@@jacksports7Great take. I completely agree. 2005-2014 for me.

[@hPeAiUdLe]

Stricter enforcement of travelling rules and allowing a bit of contact on foul calls.

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

Great video, very in depth

[@seanzibonanzi64]

The most egregious thing is seeing offensive players initiate contact and get the foul, the defender has no right to even hold their ground with their hands straight up anymore, it's gotten ridiculous.

[@shaft9000]

Facts, Simply compare footage of what qualified as "lowering the shoulder" on an offensive foul call in any other era compared to the LeBron-days onwards - it's unbelievable how stupid-ridiculous it's gotten. In past eras LeBron would be fouling out of every game if he is driving how he has for most of his career.

[@griffingarnaat9261]

It pisses me off to no end watching the offensive player throw a shoulder and get the foul automatically.

[@EddieJames9999]

Agreed. It's so bad the shooter can kick or lung his shoulder into the defender who did not even touch the shooter, and it's a defensive foul lol.

[@JesusRodriguez-56]

I would love to see travels and carry’s being called and hand checking to come back for one season just to see the difference

[@Bigedub101]

Nailed it that alone will slow game down more than people wanting beat them up defense

[@motorcitydr3789]

Nah no travels and carry’s lol

[@JesusRodriguez-56]

@@Bigedub101 for sure they say offense now is so much better but players back then were restricted and couldn’t do what they allow now

[@andreturner4644]

💯👏🏾

[@andreturner4644]

​@@JesusRodriguez-56💯👏🏾

[@vineelkesavarapu5736]

I seem to constantly take a break from NBA games because I find myself so bored of watching the games. The amount of scoring is very alarming to me. Scoring is cool, but I want to see some semblance of defense. I want to see post play, physical play, mid range shots, and not jacking up 3's. I want to see 100 points being earned. I don't want it to be a regularity.

[@franktuttor-ps3tc]

@@chrisuncleahmadno he wants purr basketball .. this is entertainment basketball.. if they add hand check back watch %17-22 points drop accross the board..

[@vineelkesavarapu5736]

@@chrisuncleahmad I loved the NBA from 2007-2008 season to 2010-11 season. That was a great time of basketball. Great rivalries, competition, and superstars not being punks.

[@howarddavis3517]

U want garbage🤷🏿‍♂️

[@vineelkesavarapu5736]

@@howarddavis3517 This era is garbage. You want garbage.

[@286mic]

The game now is garbage. ​@@howarddavis3517

[@FranzFerdinand76]

One thing you didn't mention was traveling/carrying. Refs let players get away with way more than they used to. That extra space in the middle is amplified if player can palm the ball longer between dribbles, take extra steps, etc. To the point defensives have no recourse, they are going to give up a handful of guaranteed buckets every game, which only hurts defensive intensity more. The travelling rules are broken. Start by fixing that.

[@VinceWhitacre]

Obvious traveling being allowed and any contact being called a defensive foul (even when initiated by the offense) are probably the two biggest culprits. It's not that players today can't play D, it's that *they're not allowed to* (and Silver basically admits he has no interest in letting them). The Adam Silver era is going to go down as a dark period of NBA history - and not because "waaaah I miss defense" but because at some point in the future when an actual basketball fan becomes commissioner, people are going to discount the accomplishments of 2020s players because of the jacked up offense. It's not their fault they were born when they were, there's as many if not more great players in the game today as ever - but they will lose respect because of the era they played in, when buckets were a dime a dozen. Decades from now, people will look at today's numbers the way a lot of modern fans look at Wilt averaging 50 in '62. They'll just chalk it up as "nobody could play D then" without understanding the context of the league office tying defenders' hands behind their backs.

[@shaft9000]

Many NBA rules are near-broken, as written. They would never survive real court precedents and legal process, because so many rules leave the threshold up to "the discretion of the referee". e.g. Hand hand-checking IS still technically legal, but since the rule is "at referee's discretion" it has been de facto made illegal.

[@VinceWhitacre]

@@shaft9000 exactly. And which referees are going to get hired? Which existing refs will get the prime postseason assignments? The ones that call games the way the league wants them to. Just ask Tim Donaghy.

[@terrenceliburd8655]

I think Silver did this to protect players on teams who bring revenue to the teams and the NBA as a whole. In this video Jordan was body slammed for the lack of a better word. Now imagine Jordan not playing 82 games just 50-60 games on injuries that occured by players playing WWE basketball. Can you imagine the money the Bulls would of lost, the money NIKE would of lost,the money ESPN would of lost. It's a bag. Look the best ball I've seen minus the rules was at Rucker Park at the Polo grounds in NY. The ooohs and ahhhhs added to the game when a player executed a move so funky but he had to carry the ball to do it. I would like to see the dominate center reemerge back in the league. And as for the power forward that's not coming back. This modern NBA has no place, and I really mean this, it has no place for the Oakley's, the Mahorns, the Lambiers, the Kermit Washingtons, you know guys who can't really score but they rebound well, crush you with picks, and protect the rim with some level if adequency, and most of all be the enforcer for the top scorer. The only PF I know who wasn't a prolific scorer like Duncan, Barkley, and Malone but hád other skills was Anthony Mason because even tho he was a tuff guy he could handle the rock just well as some guards and he could run the floor like a small forward or even a guard. Imho

[@VinceWhitacre]

You can protect players and still call travels and charges. Hell, that will protect your stars too, when they're on D. I agree that the traditional PF *is* largely dead... but as recently as a couple years ago (when Klay could still score lol) there was still a place for Draymond. It's not that you can't start a defensive specialist (Gobert is a 5, but he's still out there for D) you just have to make up for it with volume scoring elsewhere - it don't matter if you score 115 or 120, so long as the other team scores less.

[@marcel4002]

KG should have asked Silver if the NBA would ever consider reinstating the traveling violation call....

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

💯

[@Kr4v3rd]

You mean the carry? Ja morant and jordan pooles game relies on the carry.

[@samuelsamano3777]

@@Kr4v3rdLuka doncic does it naturally at this point.

[@terrenceliburd8655]

@marcel4002: There's tons of truth in sarcasm 😅

[@terrenceliburd8655]

Remember Book gave the Celtics a 70 piece in the 2016-17 season.

[@DannyyAlvarezz]

I remember being 8 in 2012 and seeing how when nba teams would score 100+ in a game, that it would feel like a luxury to watch happen; now it’s a luxury to see a team score under 100 points

[@masboss4456]

We want tacos!

[@Kr4v3rd]

You poor child. You still never got to see great basketball. You got to see the last of it.

[@victor-pw9im]

​@@Kr4v3rdbefore 2015 it was still great

[@user-cn8nu6lq4w]

@@victor-pw9im before 2015 it was still watchable... great's a stretch

[@c99kfm]

I don't want to see a lot of scoring, I want to see hard-won points scored. I want to see a tough defense, and a player somehow finding a way through it. Bring back offensive fouls, particularly traveling and charging, and crack down on flopping. And let the defenses defend.

[@Bigedub101]

Then people cry the score is 80 to 75 like Spurs games

[@axelgiosido4997]

Upon hearing the interview of Mr.Silver, the more I appreciate MJ's scoring prowess. To average 30 in your CAREER, (Not in a season) with the physciality of their era??!!! Damn

[@shaft9000]

It's even better than that. "30 ppg career avg" is one of the most deceptive stats in NBA history, actually. Jordan had a 33 ppg average playing for the Bulls (!) It stood for 6 years as his career average before he returned from retirement #2 to help his Wizards get out of the basement. The more closely you study Jordan's Bulls career, the better and better he gets.

[@halneufmille]

Plus against the Pistons with Isaiah Thomas

[@facelessandnameless]

@@shaft9000100%

[@duckhead431]

There is also a counter-argument here too, in Jordan's era, there was illegal defense penalties, which were prevalently called, especially in the playoffs. This meant you were not allowed to double-team a player without the ball. Chicago with Jordan in particular took advantage of this rule by isolating Jordan to one side of the court without the ball, so only one defender could be on that side, then getting him the ball and having him go one-on-one against one defender. This iso-ball style got so bad, it became the go-to style of play for players like Bryant, Iverson and other shooting guards, and scoring dropped a great deal overall because shooting and passing were less valued than one-on-one ability. They eventually eliminated illegal defense in the early 2000's. If there had been no illegal defense rule in the NBA during Jordan's era, he would not have averaged as many points as he did, because teams would have simply double-teamed him all the time. So there are advantages and disadvantages to every style and era that the NBA has had.

[@axelgiosido4997]

@@duckhead431 As much as that rule favors one on one play, and yes as much as MJ was a great one on one player, when you totally check his games, you'll see 2-3 players being all over him still finishing his shot. And the Illegal defense is called ONLY if the double team is partial. Meaning if you wanna double, YOU SHOULD double and leave your man open, not be roaming around. So when MJ gets doubled, He really is doubled. So yeah, that illegal defense actually boosts MJ even more (check old players interview I believe it was from open court by TNT on how they explained Illegal defenses correctly)

[@SCHD-DGRO24]

They need to categorize eras with this era being the "post defense" era of basketball

[@fortynights1513]

Legit, how is defense in the post these days?

[@SCHD-DGRO24]

@@fortynights1513 post as in after the defense era....like post war era

[@shaft9000]

Hmmm, methinks "No-D" Era has a better ring to it, is more meme-able and avoids any ambiguity or confusion. It is concise - and most of all, _accurate._ But do what you do...cheers.

[@dyk-fr4ns]

Hand checking should be aloud again and traveling calls need to be enforced like the rule states. Too many guys taking three and even four steps with the ball after dribbling these days.

[@ColinWrubleski-eq5sh]

Enforcing traveling rules? Absolutely. Allowing hand-checking? Absolutely not. The association must maintain at least the illusion that the game is theoretically a non-contact sport...

[@LeLaker23]

The crazy thing is in 2012 only 9 players averaged 20 points or more. In 2024 around 45 players average 20 points or more. I don't like it because people will look at Kevin Garnett scoring 24ppg in 2004 and think he was a bum (he was 2nd in points per game that year)

[@thetruthstand]

Johnny is joining me for lunch again. That's twice in the same week! 😎

[@TheCrypticKnight]

If the NBA wants their ratings back, bring back defense.

[@MH-lk8md]

…Except ratings are great, tv deals are larger than ever and the league is flourishing.

[@dryames4319]

Wtf are u on about? NBA Finals viewership is literally at an all time low😂

[@Los4rmdagang4]

The ratings are at there best man😂😂

[@JaKingScomez]

@@MH-lk8mdno way you’re out here boldly lying.

[@Dotsetc]

@@MH-lk8mdYou do know you and anybody can check these ratings and see you're wrong right.

[@celtics17banners84]

Kevin Garnett is being too nice to Silver. Back when KG played, people actually cared about defense

[@nocturne311]

​@@chrisuncleahmadOffense wasn't terrible unless you're talking 1999-2004. Offense was awesome from 2005-2014, it was just more methodical for the most part and not as three heavy.

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

Garnet took pride in his defense and for good reason

[@hakeemolajuwon4352]

​@@chrisuncleahmadterrible offense?! The NBA points leaders all scored more points per season than every player in the NBA today

[@jimmykarlsson2567]

​@@chrisuncleahmadso Shaq, Kobe, McGrady, Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, Pierce, Iverson, Kidd, Payton, Malone and a couple more played terrible offense???? You crazy??

[@jimmykarlsson2567]

​@@chrisuncleahmadyou know that several of them who played in that era are also in the top 10 all time aswell. You know that right???

[@RadziuRadoslaw]

What I like in this channel, is that rare oldschool look at bball, while at the same time, being open minded and appreciating modern greats too

[@anthonyhernandez2111]

Its a shame that you actually have to acknowledge this to be quite honest. NBA fam community (on social media at least) is so beyond toxic now. i dont know who or what started it, but its ridiculous how newer stars are bashed., and older basketball is being deemed as "unwatchable" and the most disrespectful narrative of all, being called "plumbers".

[@michaelbarnes2126]

Teams scoring 125 points and over 41 times is disgusting. That screams to me a lack of defense. Brilliant video, you ethered a lot of casuals with this one. A lot of them on this platform 😂😂😂

[@user-cn8nu6lq4w]

not defenders' fault... they're hamstrung by the rules.

[@michaelbarnes2126]

@@user-cn8nu6lq4w they barely give effort and leave guys open now smh. Only good defenders actually try consistently

[@benwolk2028]

Sometimes I go back and watch games from the '80s and '90s to remember what good basketball is. The game today just is not engaging.

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

We'll said. Totally agree!

[@jj041995]

Adam Silver just could’ve been honest and said “y’all ain’t messing up our money”, lol would definitely have respected that more

[@gandydancer9710]

But NBA viewership isn't doing very well, is it?

[@shaft9000]

Silver didn't address the obvious, because it exposes his fallacy - _Viewership went UP when MJ was getting clobbered by Detroit on every drive in the most physical time - around 1986-'90._ The late-'90s decline in viewership had everything to do with MJ retiring from the Bulls, and nothing to do with physicality.

[@timmyg831]

Silver won’t mention the obvious, viewership is way down. He lost most of the older generation and casual viewers. During the 90s and possibly 00s, viewerships were at its peak. Silver thinks these 70pt performances will boost viewing? Think again.

[@xfacta334]

@@shaft9000 Exactly. The issues with the "Dead Ball Era" was the overrun of iso based "streetball" play which killed the pace and flow of the game. Not physicality lmao. All taking away defense did was help allow that style to flourish which is what we're watching the results of today.

[@nopenope5035]

@@shaft9000but some of mikes best moments was weaving through that Detroit team. Him trying to avoid dying each nigh prolly contributed a lot ti the goat qualification cus it was hype moment after hype moment.

[@marcmata5574]

Hot take: physicality was the biggest factor in creating player rivalries because it's hard not to take it personal when someone punches you during a game and was only considered a regular foul. Taking away the physicality in basketball also took away what most people I would argue as the most important aspect of the game. Player rivalries.

[@shaft9000]

Guaranteed Contracts has something to do with that, too. Also Free Agency wasn't even a thing until the mid-1980s and it took a decades for agencies to become power players like Klutch are now. We're at a low-point in perceived loyalty too, as Giannis and Curry (and arguably Joker and Luka) are the only superstars playing for the team that drafted them. Until those '08 Celtics kicked off the player-driven SuperTeam concept and won - and LeBron upping that ante w/ ALL THREE All-Stars being under 30 yrs of age in 2010 - it was much more common for lottery draft picks and star players to stay put for a few contract cycles before moving on.

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

​@@shaft9000And don't forget about Durant's absolutely ridiculous trade. Just ruined the NBA even further.

[@legendarywiimaster]

@@shaft9000Barkley wanted out of Pheonix, Pippen wanted out of Chicago, Kobe wanted to leave the Lakers, Hakeem wanted to leave the rockets. Only reason why they didn’t? They had much longer contracts. Also, why does no one criticize the GMs and Owners? Look at players like D Rose and Demar Derozan, their teams traded them away just like that. There’s no point in loyalty if you know that there’s a chance you could be traded at any moment

[@shaft9000]

@@ktapreswreckd921v9 _Which_ ridiculous trade?...Katy's made several ;o) heh

[@MeLoveParisHilton]

​@@shaft90002008 Celtics was not player driven. It was orchestrated by Celtics front office. It was known that KG wants a championship but he wasn't pushing hard for it. Thus he left Minnesota on good terms. Ray Allen was a simple trade with no player meddling. The Celtics were a superteam, but it was put together by front office via trades. 2010 was when free agency superteam trend started

[@fortnitejake850]

It is weird that players get 50 and we just basically shrug now.

[@shaft9000]

It raised an eyebrow back when Booker got 70 in a loss. The guy doesn't handle double-teams well, so wtf is any team doing letting him light them up for more than 50? Really - like, !who! is he passing to out of a double on lottery PHX and why would any competent opponent ignore that and let him cook?

[@samraizshoaib585]

He handles double teams well lmao.​@@shaft9000

[@flashdamc]

booker was just straight up cooking he been a dog just didn't have help@@shaft9000

[@Bigedub101]

​@@shaft9000Phoenix was trash and Boston was letting him score because that game was over

[@peterakin5793]

I'm going to miss what star power had because stars were supposed to make a huge difference in the landscape of things. If youre an owner or a GM no single player can increase your chances of winning at all anymore. Let this sink in: Luka Doncic is averaging nearly 35 points per night, Isn't even in the Top 5 for MVP considerations... His team is trying to hold on to the 8th seed in the conference. AND HAS AN ALL STAR TEAMMATE.

[@zackdesilva4730]

THIS!! I was just replaying 2k17 and back then it was very clear who the stars were playing for because those teams found success and if they had multiple they’d be a contender. Nowadays it just doesn’t seem to matter, we’ve seen so many teams recently that would have shattered the league a decade ago just flop and it’s sad to me

[@979vlogs7]

2k17 my favorite game. But you are right in those days every team had at least 1 superstar leading the charge. Indiana had Paul G. Washington had John Wall, Celtics had Isaiah Thomas, Spurs had Kawhi, Rockets Harden, it’s just not the same anymore

[@zackdesilva4730]

@@979vlogs7 exactly, like with all due respect wtf is this Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges shit in Brooklyn? 2 20 ppg scorers on a team used to have an impact but they’re one of the worst teams in the league. Or like the Suns, they’ve got 2 guys dropping 25+ who are like top 3 in their position and Beal dropping about 20 and they’re not gonna get home court advantage in any playoff series. It just doesn’t feel right man

[@jupitervideos7702]

Yet when this high point scoring happened in the 60s, it was chalked up to facing easy opponents, plumbers, and firemen have you.

[@AaronMichaelLong]

The reason the 3 has dominated the game is not "smarter basketball". It's "rule changes". They relaxed the zone defense rules so you can't score from the post without drawing a double-team, they relaxed the dribbling rules so that you can legally take 3 or more steps after the bounce, and they restricted the defensive rules in the perimeter, making it a foul to impede the progress of offensive players, whether on- or off-ball. It took a while for the league to figure out how to exploit those rules changes, and to adjust their personnel to carry out that game-plan, but figure it out they have, and it has resulted in the unwatchable drivel we have today. And *no*, the free-throw line does not undermine the idea that players have it easier shooting the ball, because much of what's changed in the past 20 years has been the types of players which successful teams are drafting. Player height and weight has steadily dropped since 2004 (the year of the infamous "freedom of movement" rule changes), as GMs have come to the realization that it's a hell of a lot easier to find a kid who can shoot the ball at 6'3" or 6'4" than 6'8" or above. At 6'3", 1 in 38 Americans are taller than you. At 6'4", 1 in 88 Americans are taller than you. At 6'5", 1 in 227 Americans are taller than you. At 6'6", 1 in 648 Americans are taller than you. At 6'7", 1 in 2,063 Americans are taller than you. So, yeah, it doesn't really take much of a reduction in average height to result in a larger pool of players from which you can select skilled shooters and ball-handlers. And why not? When you can't defend anyway, what's the point of picking someone who has the size, length, and strength to play strong D?

[@GiriRam]

Hand checking and physically punishing a player with blows are two different things. When KG asked a perfect question Adam twisted that to physical blows than actual hand checking. Hand checking and removing defensive 3 seconds rule should balance out this scoring friendly league. If this keeps the trajectory then 50K points will be easier soon 😂

[@zachingram7522]

Less defense. Penalizing defense more with the officiating. Allowing offense to carry/travel more. And shooting more threes.

[@gandydancer9710]

There isn't too much offense, there's to little defense. And it's not because the players are wimpy now, it's largely because effective defense has been made almost impossible. Now, the recognition of the three point shot's efficiency plays a part, and better training of shooters and increased selection for shooters plays a part, but my candidate for the most important reason for this is the relaxed travel and carry rules. It is not in fact a necessary element of the game that players be able to carry the ball the way they do for so many steps (often three and a half) both before and after the dribble, but it makes effective defense very hard. There are other minor things (ramming yourself into a close-guarding defender's chest is now apparently legal, and on the other side of the ball trapped-ball goaltending is no longer called though it's still in the rulebook) but ignoring the relaxed carry and traveling rules is just wrong-headed. E.g., the boring but effective hop-back-to-get-open-for-a-three move was just a travel before the 2007 rule change. Devon Booker's first 70 point game was a substantial loss, btw. When was that?

[@DannyyAlvarezz]

Scoring 80 points nowadays I feel like is equivalent to scoring 65 in the 2000s

[@chrilpy]

With the rules favoring offensive players and the regular season being 82 games most players aren’t gonna give consistent effort on defense until the playoffs

[@fortynights1513]

Also, some might not want to get hurt. In addition to more scoring, there is more space, and a higher pace.

[@nicolasmenendezsarries6786]

About Free Throw % improvement, I find some statistical bias. During the 2000's, a biggest share of FT's were shot by worst shooters just because there were a biggest share of 2 points shots. There was much more interior plays = more interior fouls = more bad FT shooter's shots. Now the 'good' shooters have a significantly higher share of FT's.

[@southwest1988]

Traveling carrying the ball makes scoring a lot easier it’s ridiculous what the current players get away with

[@cadecrusader3940]

Thank you Jonny! I blame Adam Sliver for this

[@legendarywiimaster]

David Stern started it

[@cadecrusader3940]

@@legendarywiimaster yeah but Adam Sliver emphasized it. Did you hear what he said in that interview with Kevin Garnett?

[@paoloalcantara2465]

Jonny, watching your content to me is even better than watching the NBA itself nowadays

[@jonnyarnett]

I appreciate that man. You’re not alone on that. There’s a lot of people on this channel who like the history, but have checked out. I still enjoy it, but my peak enjoyment was in the 2000s, that’s for sure

[@The-Based]

No other sport attempts to de-legitimize olders eras & past generations more than Basketball.. Boxing, Baseball, Golf, heck even football players & fans look up to past greats

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

Evidently Adam Silver wasn't watching 90's NBA basketball? There was a perfect blend of (scoring in the post, physical defense, three point shooting, passing and attacking the basket.

[@shaft9000]

Scoring isn't broken, obviously - DEFENSES are gimped by refs interpreting the rules inconsistently, is what.

[@southwest1988]

Wilt Chamberlain averaging 50 ppg without the 3 pointers and the nba changed rules to make it harder will always be the best individual greatest season ever

[@MovieGuy666]

and he did it while taking a beating every game.

[@orionrenaissance9222]

Jonny I always find myself agreeing with you, and will always appreciate much of the insight you've given and continue to give all of us in every video, but you had a cold take at the end, If Kobe scored 81 in regulation and 55 in one half 18 years ago, there's absolutely no way he couldn't score 100 in today's game ot or not. Watching those 70 point games makes me feel even stronger about it. And most unfortunately when that timely day comes, (which might even be sooner than any of us think) The record will be broken but it will most likely not be better than what that man #8 did in Los Angeles.

[@shaft9000]

That's right...with the rate that 3 balls get up, Prime #8 could break Wilts 100 today. We're talking about 1) the dude that set the single-game record for 3s that stood for a dozen years. He would be 2) playing in an era where it's _expected of him_ to practice more 3s, in the reduction of some mid-range versatility. See: Kawhi Leonard now shooting 45+% from 3 compared to 10 yrs ago. Zero doubt prime Kobe could break 100 today in 4 Qs, and finish with 110+ with multiple OTs. None.

[@bballanalytics1552]

Most points scored in a loss was 78 by Wilt Chamberlain vs the Los Angeles Lakers, 151-147 (3OT). So not all high scoring games of the past ended in a win.

[@anthonyhernandez2111]

the fact you went that far back to prove a point, makes Jonnys point lol

[@bballanalytics1552]

Devin Booker scored 70 points in a loss vs Celtics on march 24, 2017 so no... you are wrong @@anthonyhernandez2111

[@bballanalytics1552]

@@anthonyhernandez2111 Devin Booker scored 70 points in a loss vs the Celtics on March 24, 2017... so no you are wrong.

[@HorizonOfHope]

It’s sad to think Wilt’s 100 point record is gonna fall outta the top ten scoring efforts within a decade. And after the first couple of players match it, we will just shrug it off as nothing.

[@martingomez3221]

Amazing. So many people have commented on this same topic at length, and yet this one 14 minute video is easily the most informative summary I know of. It condenses everything relevant about the repetitive discussions everyone is having, but with the most relevant points and rationale I've seen to back them up (that KG and Silver interview is gold) and adding more crucial food for thought that I'm not hearing at all from anyone else. Not even to diss all the other media and KZbin personalities who've sounded off on this. Kudos to them for attempting. But no one's quite nailed it as effectively as you did.

[@andrewburgess-linden9612]

I think you overlooked a very important detail. Today's NBA players grew up watching basketball in the late 2000s when the 3 point shot became more popular in reaction to Zone defense. Naturally, they would be brought up perfecting the perimeter attack. Also, the equipment these players use to train and play has improved significantly. I remember when i was in grade school in the mid 2000s, everyone went for 3 pointers.

[@tehsamjones]

Great commentary and analysis!

[@Crono454]

They don’t need to bring back hand checking. They need to get rid of the gather step rule changes, call palming and carrying violations , and call more charges and offensive fouls on players initiating contact. If you implement these slowly, you can still allow the skill players to showcase their skills and shooting, but defenders will have a chance against players who are skilled ball handlers and not allowed to pickup the ball while driving

[@mazengwe28]

When was the gather step implemented into the rulebook? Not enough people are talking about it. That is one irrefutable difference between the 2000's versus the 2010's. As a defender, it makes it impossible because the variables have changed beyond the fundamental rules of basketball.

[@Crono454]

@@mazengwe28 definitely was something that changed significantly after Adam Silver took over

[@mazengwe28]

@@Crono454 The gather step was a mistake because now players use it to prolong their Euro-stepping. And they never should have allowed James Harden's side-step three to be legal. Everybody practiced it during the bubble and incorporated into their game. Those 3 things alone affected the defensive spacing one-on-one along with the fear of landing in a shooters space. Sonplaywrs really aren't more talented, they are just taking advantage of rule changes with loop-holes that favor the offense. But it also violates the fundamentals of basketball. You are virtually adding a 3rd step

[@Crono454]

@@mazengwe28 imagine Iverson if he could pickup the ball like Ja or Poole or “Gather step” like Harden 😂

[@mazengwe28]

@@Crono454 Exactly. Think of wha Tracy McGrady would be able to do and add on to his skillset.

[@EddieJames9999]

More points per shot on average (emphasis of 3 vs 2) + limited defense allowed (especially on the perimeter) + less rim protection in the paint (defensive bigs drawn out by more big shooting further out, leaving lane open for slashers) + offensive fouls being loosely called (illegal picks/screens not called if it helps a "star" scorer ) = inflation of scoring.

[@rpgdivision]

Great video, mate. I think one more factor is officiating. By that I mean complete disregard of rules when player has the ball (like traveling).

[@thetruthstand]

I agree with your balanced perspective. Because the game is definitely more energetic and faster-paced. And guys who have tremendous talent can display that talent easier than in the '80s, '90s and 2000s. However, it has led to inflated stats and there is a lot of bad basketball out there because people are just trying to shoot 3-pointers. You don't see fluid offenses anymore. Teams today Also, don't seem to know how to run a fast break. Positionless basketball is part of this era, mainly because of all of the rule changes that allow players to do things that they weren't able to do before. But I believe that causes a lack of structure. I don't blame the players for taking advantage of the rules and I do believe a lot of these players would have been successful in the previous eras... I'm just not sure how successful.

[@gandydancer9710]

@@chrisuncleahmad Everyone always scored, so your question makes no sense. And why do you think the 3 point shot is a good thing? The name of the game isn't H-O-R-S-E, so why reward low percentage shots? Most 3 point shots are just boring. (I exempt Curry from that because he often gets into his shots with a great handle, but hop-back-and-shoot is just boring.)

[@shaft9000]

@@chrisuncleahmad Hold on a sec - Obviously it was not "bad basketball" before the 3-point line, or else the sport would have shrunk in popularity. You know, _kinda like how the last 20 years have shrunk the sport's popularity_ in the USA. _Might it be that you have something completely backwards...?_ Fact is, the NBA dramatically lost viewership in America since Jordan retired and bottomed out in 2020 and has not improved much since. _Yeah, you probably have it backwards, yo._

[@lorenzomeloni6088]

KG's face like "you sure tho?"

[@alex4833]

Awesome video, Jonny! I had mainly suspected the higher number of 3 pointers and spacing to be the main cause of the explosion in scoring, but you also added some excellent points about how the rules have changed (and the clips of Adam Silver cemented that argument). I enjoy today's game, but don't like it as much as before. While I wouldn't want to see a return to the 1980s Pistons/Bad Boys style defense, I prefer the 2000s style physicality (similar to what you said in a different video). Informative and great video again. Have a great day, Jonny!

[@august6281]

- improve shooting since players now are focus more on practicing 3s - regressed defense since players couldn't touch offensive players now - no hand check from above the key therefore defense were getting blown by a lot - pick spamming - faster pace = more possession

[@nocturne311]

Actually, the average 3P% this season is almost identical to that of 2009.

[@august6281]

@@nocturne311 % wise but the kind of 3p shot they take back then is different to the kind of 3p shot they take now. The frequency is also different. More players also take 3s unlike before where only 3point specialist could take 5+ attempts. Therefore, having the same % doesn't says anything.

[@Spawn3582]

Hand checking not gonna do anything and idk why people keep bringing this up. Your hands gonna get moved or you just gonna give up a free throw. It's not going to stop these guys

[@gandydancer9710]

@@Spawn3582 How are hands "going to get moved"? I agree that hand checking wouldn't affect much if players can still carry and travel, but you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

[@Spawn3582]

@@gandydancer9710 If you put your hand on my hip while I'm in a triple threat position, I'm doing a rip through and now you have to open up If I'm dribbling your you put your hand on me, I use my off arm to swipe your hand out the way If you want to arm bar me or put your hand on my chest to impede me, I'm going for a jumper and drawing a foul. If your actually a good defender and now relying on hand checking as a crutch, you're getting screened off and that opens up the floor for my team. Hand checking does not suddenly make a bad defender a good one

[@christoferkoch786]

In addition to making defense hard to play, they aren't calling travels and carries the way they used to. It's much easier to make space or torch a defender when you don't have to dribble as often.

[@TopicalJuice]

Couldn’t agree more with the conclusion 🤝🏽

[@dinheiroligando]

I love to see the editing and quality of your videos getting better! Best NBA channel on KZbin! Keep grinding! 🔥🚀

[@jonnyarnett]

Thanks man! My editor has been doing it for about 7 months or so, but he was new to it when I brought him on. I feel like every video, I'm noticing his improvements too :) Thanks for watching as always!

[@dinheiroligando]

@@jonnyarnett I’ll always tune in!

[@madisonbordenave4869]

Jonny, please!!! Make a video about the 1987 all star game. I can’t stop watching it. The defense, effort, and synergy are mind blowing

[@PeterAtkinson]

Awesome video Jonny. I just want a balance of good offense and defense. 👍👍

[@GoodOmali]

I need a Jonny arnett andy hoops collab. Both dudes drop vids on the same day about the exact same topic and I'm here for it

[@JetEngine85]

I think you said everything that I'm thinking., Fans and players of today should just appreciate what they have and stop comparing it to other era's of basketball cause it's a completely different game than it was..

[@lorrancelewis7120]

Great video

[@BigWillieDillie]

We need a rougher league.....we doing all this player protection and players are still getting injured

[@georgiosgrigoriadis6200]

First of all, congratulations for another great video. I understand your perspective, but i will dissapoint you. I am following the NBA since 1990, i was a former basketball players on amateur categories in my country for 20 years and now i am a kids coach. I loved physicality as a player. I used to play hard, knock opponents and get knocked too and i respected the opposing players who played hard against me, even if i got outplayed sometimes. I used to like the hard nosed NBA teams (Bad Boys Pistons, 90's Knicks, Goin to work Pistons and KG's Celtics). My favourite era was from 1997-2005, with all that physicality on defense and low scoring games, but i completely understand people who didn't want to see a bloodfest only and that's why i believe the NBA found the right balance between 2008-2014. How you cannot adore game 7 of the 2010 finals, even if you are on the losing side? I respected the players who were able to thrive through those rough times. As you can understand, i have zero respect for today's players, because the lack of defense created by the rules turned basketball from a game to a soft ass show. Those analytic nerds killed the game and made it a three point contest. Fans who like today's NBA and think it's the best, they don't understand completely nothing about the sport and they have two options, either educate about this with books or documentaries, orfind another hobby.

[@LouBang718]

I heard a pretty sick point of eliminating the corner 3s. That would being back at least some of the scoring and just players parked there. Also might bring back the post game.

[@mentalmadness2192]

This is the most civilized I heard KG talking.

[@linuxblacksarena]

One small thing to consider: physicality and the hand check could have helped in prolonging players' careers and prevent them from injuries, just for the potential of physical fouls keeping them from doing risky athletic plays.

[@jamesotayza2230]

Today, Jonny made me forget all about eating my much-anticipated comfort lunch food. Again. I might have to stop having him over for lunch.

[@SeptemberVirgo78]

There’s some court spacing alchemy going on. Some kind of sacred geometry… …cause I swear the court looks bigger, even though its dimensions are the same as they’ve always been.

[@mikeprolas2027]

To fix things i would probably either extend the. 3 point line or bring back hand checking or both

[@DKishim]

I like offensive output but it’s gotten to a point where the complete other half of the game which is defense is being ignored I mean it’s fun to watch someone drop 60 the first time but the more it happens the more I just wish they would make some changes

[@MT-zy7iz]

If the players are as skilled as they are, they WOULD be able to find a way to score around rim protectors. Bring more physicality to defense. It's getting a bit boring seeing threes be jacked up. I would love to see some of these players play with some of the defenses Thanks @jonnyarnett - this is a video I believe many fans need to hear. I have a question for a future video. If defense of the past could be applied to today's game, which 5-10 current players do you think will thrive? Who would be able to score? Who would be the best defenders if given more to do?

[@shaft9000]

_"it's getting a bit boring"_ lol ...Man, I was tired of this ish when Houston missed 20+ 3s in a row in a playoff game way back in - what was it, 2018? Thank fuk that Mike D'Antoni is currently not coaching in the NBA. His strategy was all style, and little substance - like a wanna-be Don Nelson that didn't care about winning as much as putting up big reg season stats.

[@Dl3nation]

if i was the commissioner i would bring back some rules like hand checking but im not bringing back all those physical rules bc then it wont even be basketball it would be people playing wwe wrestling/ ufc fighting on the court

[@JaredGoofball]

It is impossible to be a fan of a team that isn’t a top tier team. Top tier teams constantly get calls where other teams get none

[@BrianCabbage]

Adam silver is such a good commissioner he makes amazing points

[@buckwildboys1]

At this point(50-60 games into season) I can barely get through an average NBA game unless it's a great matchup, I dunno maybe some defensive rule adjustments could be made maybe like when a dender is infrontbof offensive player and they bump chest into the shoulder of shooting player that should be great positioning for dender not a fou ll

[@jarlbalgruuf7701]

Crazy how we gotta look back on the 2020s players stat inflation in the same way we look at the 60s players stat inflation

[@jdub177]

I only started watching basketball in 2020 but it’s getting to the point where I can barley watch the nba anymore because of the lack of defence and shot chucking, I’m low key starting to think eroupe is more competitive and fun to watch

[@TaquitoAddict]

In video-gamer lexicon, today's league is that awesome game that received a poorly balanced update that created a wildly "OP" strategy (offensive "bags" and 3s) that, while fun for a bit, ended up causing the extinction of all other previously viable strategies. Now everyone has to play that OP way, or they can't compete.

[@NorthWestie]

They should bring back the hand check, arm bar and get rid of defensive 5 in the key

[@Canteen926]

One of my problems is that too many eligible players sit out of regular season games when they are perfectly healthy. Players used to have to play elite competition all year and every game was played like a playoff game. The playoffs are great. The regular season is like preseason.

[@MarsofAritia]

the regular season has always been meaningless. you get nothing for winning the most games lol why bother trying

[@AquariusLeviathanProphecy]

That FT is nooooooooooooo 😂😂yup 😂😊 6:10 who's buddy on the rockets 6:10

[@rosgill6]

If the players today are the most offensively gifted players ever than it's easy to believe they would be as DEFENSIVELY gifted as well...if the leavue allowed it. Taking a step or two toward defensive intensity in the game (with rule changes) would be beneficial and might make things more entertaining. Lots of fans are checking out

[@blazethebassman6335]

I agree with a lot of points, however I noticed with the stats you're talking about you don't go past the 94-95 season. Is there any reason why you decided to stop there and not investigate further?

[@stevenmichienzi9833]

crazy statistic, I had never thought a player who had scored at least 60 points had not lost the game in the 2000s, but it is also true that in that decade it was the one with the lowest average points per team since the shot clock was introduced. I absolutely agree, there are many more players capable of shooting with high percentages, but I don't think it depends too much on the rules, the hand checking rule was introduced in 1999, yet as mentioned the following decade was the one with the highest average points low

[@UpUpBobby]

Make it tougher to reach the playoffs. So many teams coast through the regular season and turn on the intensity in the playoffs. It makes the regular season feel so pointless.

[@Void7.4.14]

One big thing I'd change is how fouls are called, sometimes they should just let them play. So often I'm watching a hear a whistle and can't figure out what the foul even was. Also, much of what used to be an offensive foul that's now a defensive foul needs to go back to being offensive fouls. But either way, they call way too much and way too many petty things and it kills the pace. That and I'd just do more to promote more defense, all this scoring is getting boring and it's only getting worse. Teams don't even try to stop each other so much as out score each other. I remember when finals games barely broke 90 points and it was far more exciting cause every bucket mattered more. As a coach I'd also stop 2 things. One is the spamming of 3's even when they aren't falling, I've repeatedly seen games recently where the team is like 4 of 23 from 3 yet they keep shooting, and missing, them. And I'd stop the LeBron style system where 1 player takes a ridiculous amount of shots to get their stats at the expense of other players taking a better shot. If you got 35+ and still lose it's usually cause you're hogging the ball. Back before the positionless era when offense ran primarily through 1 or 2 players, be it a guard, a forward, or center, it made sense for players like MJ, Wilt, Bird, Kareem, Barkley, Dream, etc, to have the most points most evert game. But in today's game it pays to have points spread out a little more yet some players aren't doing it. They'd be benched till they figured it out.

[@elreiec1]

That Chuck Hayes FT clip 💀💀💀

[@sayrebonifield4663]

Almost everyone is sleeping on the shift in the meta game. In earlier eras roll players were drafted and awarded minutes primarily based on their ability to play solid defense. Now that is no longer the case. Now roll player are selected primarily based on shooting ability. This was driven by rule changes, but it is more impactful than the rule changes themselves.

[@jakebishop7822]

I largely agree but would also had the complexity and sophistication of X's and O's . Go watch some John Stockton pick and rolls, and some Luka Doncic pick and rolls. Look how much more is going on offensively and defensively now. A lot of specific tactics to make it harder for individual players uses to be reserved for the playoffs. For example go to the 80s and try and find defenses deliberately not closing out on individual players on in the regular season. Now that happens almost every game. This is partially that in order to stay alive defensive tactics have become vastly more complex, out of nessesity.

[@xxpsychicmindxx]

I’d definitely agree that scoring is way easier in the modern NBA, and that the league shouldn’t make it so hard on defenders. But personally, I love seeing players score 70+ points. I think it would be cool to see a player finally break some of Wilt’s untouchable scoring records, like 100 points in a game or averaging 50 ppg in a season.

[@fredflux2738]

The handcheck must return to the game and contest at the hoop need to be encouraged- even if they are violent.

[@AndrewSBaker]

Restoring hand-checking, without bringing back every element of brutality in the paint, would be a good mix, and would allow some defense without slowing down the game too much. The fact that players of the past scored more in All-Star games than in regular games shows clearly that defense played a role in the average scoring levels, as less defense was played in the first 3 quarters of All-Star games. It's not like All-Stars become more talented than normal in the All-Star games. Overall, this was a very balanced video (as usual), and shows that both increased skill and diminished focus on defense are factors in increased scoring averages.

[@apb7772]

I would like to see more of a balance between 90s ball and today. Meaning no jordan rules but dont officiate defense out . A good offensive player will still shine- who wants to watch 20 free throw shots in a quarter from ticky tack foul calls ?

[@awesomecoyote5534]

I think it's good to see offensive explosions from a league perspective because it drives highlights and social media. It's good from a fan perspective but it'll be getting to the point of diminishing returns where a 60+ game is just seen as a better than average game. Also it makes it nearly impossible to compare eras without making massive assumptions about how different skillsets will translate to production. (Like I also think Michael Jordan could probably average 40 PPG but it's going to be hard to support that in context.) I think it'll be better if the league encouraged more physical defense and the refs hold their whistle sooner rather than later. If these players are as great and better than the past players offensively, then they'll need more physical defense to make the game more enjoyable, not less.

[@rolent23]

100% agree sir

[@RetroKid]

I think Adam silver's agenda is to make the league more filled with skilled players instead of thugs. In the '90s. One of the things I can admit to is watching players who had no right to be on the basketball court but were on rosters simply because they were big strong bodies.

[@Paul-gn6nc]

There are two offensive stats (points and assists) Two defense stats (blocks and steals) And rebounds that go into a triple double. It’s no surprise since you’re not allowed to play defense nobody’s getting anywhere near quadruple double. Unless you count turnovers

[@ThatOldSchoolMagic]

40PPG is Crazy. You're seeing more players today getting closer to the mid 30s each year yet no one's been able to average 37PPG or above that in a long time.

[@miguelangelvaladezmunoz]

The 3 seconds in the paint seems to me its an outdate rule, the 3 point opens alot of space making that rule useless for the original intent of it.

[@Eat-Z-Bugs]

I agree with your stance 100 percent.💯 I like todays game, I also liked the 90's game and I just find it incredible that players like Jordan and players like Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf could find a way to play at such a high level offensively in that era. And I also understand why so many "Old-Heads" don't like the rules changes (Softness") of todays style because it creates a false idea and backs false narratives that the players of yesteryear were no where near as skilled as the players today and also the players records (career and otherwise) will be diminished. For instance scoring records of all types: individual and team scoring records, career and season. I know how the young fans of todays NBA will feel in 25 years when players are not allowed to touch an opposing player at all and the best players average 38-40 points per game and all the fans think the players they grew up watching were not nearly as skilled.

[@BoBrewer-jo5wm]

Would like to see the nba more physical. Would also like to look at an injury ratio from the 90s to now to see just how many more there were back then compared to now

[@NotGord]

I'm actually 90% sure that players today get more injured than players from the 90s. Despite the physicality difference.

[@benjaminharding6386]

Offensive skills including dribbling to shooting. From offensive scemes to spèd and agility. Plus t g e leag if e has made it hardér to play defense. No hand checking. The three ball has also opened up lanes for everyone. With bigs shooting the ball better that ever which pulls the big on defensivefarther from the rim. .

[@UsedShovel]

i know scoring is a huge problem in the nba right now, but ive only been a fan since 2015 so my perspective isnt very big but seeing some of the numbers you shown is absolutely insane. from 94-04 only 11 teams scored 140 points? like wtf that is insane to show the difference in todays scoring