In basketball, points are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals (worth two points from within the three-point line or three points from beyond the three-point line) or free throws (worth one point).[1] The team that records the most points at the end of a game is declared the game's winner. If the game is still tied at the end of regulation play, additional overtime period(s) are played in order to determine the winner.
In the years following the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946, teams only averaged around 80 points per game.[2] Before the introduction of the shot clock, teams often ran out the clock by passing the ball more frequently after having established a lead in a game. If one team did choose to stall, the opposing team (especially if behind) would often commit fouls to regain possession. This resulted in very low-scoring games with excessive fouls, which negatively affected attendance.[3] Beginning in the 1954–55 season, the NBA implemented a 24-second shot clock, the aim of which was to speed up the game and create a more entertaining experience for those in attendance. If the offensive team failed to hit the rim with the ball within the allotted 24 seconds, they would lose possession.[4] This innovation resulted in higher average scores.[4] Consequently, all of the highest-scoring games in the NBA have happened during the shot-clock era.
- ^ "Basketball glossary". FIBA.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ^ "NBA League Averages". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (December 25, 2004). "In 1954, Shot Clock Revived a Stalled N.B.A." The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ^ a b "History of the Shot Clock". NBA.com. October 22, 2001. Archived from the original on 6 December 2001. Retrieved March 30, 2013.