Tracking Every NBA 3-Pointer Made This Season: Records and Statistics
I still remember watching Steph Curry sink that impossible three-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2016 - the one from near half-court that had everyone in the bar screaming. That moment perfectly captured why I find three-point shooting so fascinating. This season, I've been religiously tracking every single NBA three-pointer, and let me tell you, the numbers are absolutely wild. We're witnessing something special happening right before our eyes, and I want to take you through what makes this season's three-point revolution so compelling.
Just last night, I was watching the Warriors game while crunching some numbers, and it hit me - we've reached a point where teams are attempting nearly 40 three-pointers per game on average. That's roughly double what teams were shooting just a decade ago. The game has fundamentally changed, and I love how this evolution has created new strategic dimensions. My personal tracking spreadsheet shows that through the first quarter of the season, players have already made over 15,000 three-pointers. The pace is staggering, and it reminds me of that college game I watched recently between NU and FEU. Even in collegiate basketball, you can see how the three-pointer changes everything - how NU weathered FEU's furious third-quarter comeback by creating that much-needed cushion in the fourth period through strategic outside shooting. It's the same pattern we're seeing in the NBA, just at a different scale.
What really blows my mind is how individual players are pushing the boundaries. Take Luka Dončić, for example - the guy is shooting about 38% from deep while taking what I'd call "no, no, no... yes!" shots that would give most coaches heart attacks. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry continues to defy logic, hitting threes at around 42% despite facing constant double teams. I've noticed that the really successful teams this season understand something crucial - it's not just about volume, but about creating the right kinds of three-point opportunities. The Celtics, who I've been following closely, exemplify this perfectly. They're shooting approximately 36% as a team from beyond the arc, but what's more impressive is how they generate those looks through ball movement and player rotation.
The statistical trends I've been tracking reveal some fascinating patterns. For instance, corner threes are being attempted about 15% more frequently than last season, while above-the-break threes have seen only a modest 5% increase. This tells me coaches are becoming more strategic about shot selection rather than just encouraging players to fire away from anywhere. I've also noticed that the success rate on transition threes has jumped to nearly 42% compared to 35% in half-court sets. This explains why teams like the Pacers, who play at a faster pace, are finding more success from deep despite not having elite shooters.
My personal theory, which might be controversial, is that we're approaching the natural limit of three-point emphasis. I've charted every game this season and noticed that when teams attempt more than 45 threes in a game, their winning percentage actually drops slightly. There's still tremendous value in mid-range shooting and attacking the basket - something the Denver Nuggets demonstrate beautifully with Nikola Jokić's inside-out game. The most effective offenses, in my observation, use the three-pointer as a weapon rather than a crutch.
What fascinates me most is how different players have adapted to this three-point revolution. The old-school big men who used to camp in the paint are now developing reliable outside shots. I've been particularly impressed with Victor Wembanyama's rapid improvement - the rookie is already shooting 34% from deep despite his enormous wingspan, which conventional wisdom suggested would make his shooting motion awkward. Then you have veterans like Kevin Durant, who continues to evolve his game, now taking nearly six three-point attempts per game while maintaining elite efficiency.
The record books are being rewritten almost weekly it seems. Just last month, Damian Lillard became the latest player to join the 2,500 career three-pointers club, and I suspect we'll see several more players reach that milestone in the coming years. The pace of record-breaking has accelerated so dramatically that my tracking project requires constant updates. What took Reggie Miller an entire career to accomplish, today's players are achieving in roughly eight seasons.
As I compile all this data, I can't help but feel we're living through basketball's equivalent of the home run race in baseball during the late 90s. There's an excitement every time a player crosses half-court because you know a three-point attempt could come from anywhere. The game has become more spaced out, more mathematical, and frankly, more entertaining to analyze. My friends sometimes tease me about my obsession with tracking every three-pointer, but then they'll text me during games asking for stats on a particular player's shooting trends. That's when I know this isn't just nerdy number-crunching - it's understanding the soul of modern basketball.
Looking ahead, I'm particularly curious to see if any team can break the single-season three-point record set by the 2022 Warriors. Based on current projections, at least three teams are on pace to challenge it. The evolution continues, and my spreadsheet grows more complex with each game. What started as casual interest has become a genuine passion project, one that helps me appreciate the beautiful complexity of today's NBA. The three-pointer isn't just another shot anymore - it's the shot that's reshaping basketball before our very eyes, and I feel privileged to document every step of this revolution.
