Amid recent scoring outbursts, including Luka Doncic’s 73 points and Joel Embiid’s 70 points, the NBA remains unfazed, assuring fans there’s no cause for alarm. Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, emphasized that the league’s scoring trends average is only slightly higher than last season, indicating a balanced landscape.
Defense Still Alive
Dumars attended a recent game, Denver vs. Boston, which ended with a close score of 102-100. The intense matchup underscored the significance of defense in the NBA, dispelling concerns about an offensive-dominated league. Dumars highlighted that the pace of the game and the prevalence of three-point shots contribute to occasional offensive eruptions.
Statistical Oddity
While the past weeks saw statistical oddities, such as two players scoring 60 or more points on the same day (Embiid and Towns, followed by Doncic and Booker), Dumars believes these events are part of the evolving nature of the game. Scoring Trends leaguewide has increased by only 0.78% compared to the previous season, suggesting a relatively stable offensive environment.
Maintaining Balance
The leaguewide scoring average stands at 115.6 points per game, up from 114.7 points per game last season—a modest increase. Dumars acknowledged the rise in high-scoring games but emphasized that the overall trend tends to balance out. With 78 instances of teams scoring at least 135 points, this season is on track to break the record set last season (112 instances), reflecting the evolving dynamics of NBA play.
Fans Want Great Games
Dumars emphasized that the league’s focus is not on achieving a specific score but on delivering exciting and competitive games. He cited the Boston-Denver game as an example, where fans left impressed despite the relatively low final score. The league prioritizes providing fans with memorable and thrilling experiences over enforcing scoring benchmarks.
In essence, the NBA embraces the diversity of scoring trends, recognizing that offensive eruptions are a natural outcome of the evolving style of play and the fans’ desire for captivating basketball.
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