Hoop Dreams

Free throws alone, of course, can?t explain the entirety of the decline in scoring. Nor is the 1.6 percentage point difference likely to be something fans even notice by eyeballing. But I don?t think it?s unreasonable to view it as evidence of a broader decline in shooting prowess. Accuracy from the charity stripe was a bit worse in 2006, but shooters made up for it that year with a torrid .358 from beyond the three-point arc. That one exception aside, the most recent year with worse free-throw shooting was the 1999 season. That year, of course, was also shortened by a lockout and?just like this year?involved a general decline in scoring and shooting ability. Some combination of fatigue and reduced playing time for the best players really does seem to have degraded the league?s average skill level. The decrease in minutes is a subtle thing, but important. Most stars?Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Kevin Durant?are playing less as their coaches try to keep them fresh. And when they are on the floor, players are faced with more frequent back-to-back games and a dizzying travel schedule.

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