1984-85 Lakers shot an NBA team record 54.5 FG%

[Deuce Bigalow]

I thought handchecking made it tougher on offensive players?

From 1978-79 to 1987-88 the NBA League averaged over .480 FG% every season, as high as .492 FG% in 1983-84. The league now has been under .460 FG% every year since 1996-97.

[SunsCaptain]

dont care 1 way or another on this topic but i do believe players are more premeter orianted these days... Thus we might conclude this would drop the fg%?

[Deuce Bigalow]

dont care 1 way or another on this topic but i do believe players are more premeter orianted these days... Thus we might conclude this would drop the fg%?

But there is no handchecking anymore.

[SunsCaptain]

But there is no handchecking anymore.

Yes so i am saying when there was handchecking ppl played more in the paint thus a higher fg% now without handchecking they have fallen back to the premeter thus preducing a lower fg% thats all im saying.

[BlueandGold]

Yes but people took a lot less 3s.

[bwink23]

I thought handchecking made it tougher on offensive players?

From 1978-79 to 1987-88 the NBA League averaged over .480 FG% every season, as high as .492 FG% in 1983-84. The league now has been under .460 FG% every year since 1996-97.

ALOT LESS 3's......today's game actually has a HIGHER eFG% than the 1980's, and they score the ball at near identical efficiency from inside the 3-point line.....

[Round Mound]

The 80s had a Better FG% because the Level of Play was Better.

Players had Way Better Fundamentals and Desicion Making back Then.

80s is the Golden Age for B-BALL...Best Level of Play Ever Per Team

It was Actually hard to have a Winning% Then.

[Deuce Bigalow]

ALOT LESS 3's......today's game actually has a HIGHER eFG% than the 1980's, and they score the ball at near identical efficiency from inside the 3-point line.....

So essentially it's not easier to score now

[BlueCrayon]

It is common sense that if you have ever played basketball it is a lot harder to score with people allowed to give you bumps and hand check than with no contact at all.

[bwink23]

But there is no handchecking anymore.

As just ONE example....in 2010, the FG% inside the line was 49.2%, which is on par with the FG%'s of the 1980's.

[Micku]

Well, they did a lot of fast breaks for one. Especially the Lakers. Probably the best fastbreak team of all time.

Teams back then operated more inside then out. Teams didn't really guard the long range shot, but tried to pervert driving.

They only shot 295 three pointers in 82 games. The lowest 3pt attempts in today's game is 560, by the Memphis Grizzlies. And they played 47 games as oppose to 82 games like the 85 Lakers.


Handchecking stops a perimeter player from driving, and better on one on one defense. The league limited handchecking over the years from 70s to 80s to 90s to now.

[bwink23]

So essentially it's not easier to score now

And how did you come to that conclusion??

[Deuce Bigalow]

It is common sense that if you have ever played basketball it is a lot harder to score with people allowed to give you bumps and hand check than with no contact at all.

but the % is lower now than what it was then.

[Deuce Bigalow]

eFG% is not higher now then then bwink

1984-85: .496 eFG%
1985-86: .493 eFG%
1986-87: .488 eFG%
1987-88: .489 eFG%
1988-89: .489 eFG%
1989-90: .489 eFG%
1990-91: .487 eFG%
1991-92: .487 eFG%
1992-93: .491 eFG%
1993-94: .485 eFG%
1994-95: .500 eFG%
1995-96: .499 eFG%

2011-12: .485 eFG%

[bwink23]

but the % is lower now than what it was then.

NO THEY AREN'T.....