2005-06 Season: Wing scorers paradise

[racm]

Kobe Bryant: 35.4 PPG, 10.2 FTAs a game, 27.2 FGAs a game
Allen Iverson: 33.0 PPG, 11.5 FTAs a game, 25.3 FGAs a game
LeBron James: 31.4 PPG, 10.3 FTAs a game, 23.1 FGAs a game
Gilbert Arenas: 29.3 PPG, 10.0 FTAs a game, 20.9 FGAs a game
Dwyane Wade: 27.2 PPG, 10.7 FTAs a game, 18.8 FGAs a game

Was this a result of the combination of the new handchecking rules making it easier for star scorers to drive and the fact that offenses/defenses had yet to adjust, continuing the perimeter chucker trend of the early 2000s?

[midnightpulp]

Kobe Bryant: 35.4 PPG, 10.2 FTAs a game, 27.2 FGAs a game
Allen Iverson: 33.0 PPG, 11.5 FTAs a game, 25.3 FGAs a game
LeBron James: 31.4 PPG, 10.3 FTAs a game, 23.1 FGAs a game
Gilbert Arenas: 29.3 PPG, 10.0 FTAs a game, 20.9 FGAs a game
Dwyane Wade: 27.2 PPG, 10.7 FTAs a game, 18.8 FGAs a game

Was this a result of the combination of the new handchecking rules making it easier for star scorers to drive and the fact that offenses/defenses had yet to adjust, continuing the perimeter chucker trend of the early 2000s?

THE NEW WAY

Just how is the game being called these days?

New Jersey Nets executive Rod Thorn, a longtime expert on NBA rules, acknowledges that last season the league adopted a dramatic shift in how it interpreted the rules of the game.

No longer would a defensive player on the perimeter be allowed to use his hand, a barred arm or any sort of physical contact to impede or block the movement of either a cutter or a ball handler.

In a recent interview, Thorn said that the NBA had changed the rule to give an advantage to the offensive player.

“It’s more difficult now to guard the quick wing player who can handle the ball,” Thorn said of the change. “I think it helps skilled players over someone who just has strength or toughness. What the NBA is trying to do is promote unimpeded movement for dribblers or cutters.”

Thorn said the change was made because muscular defensive players had gotten the upper hand.

“My opinion is that the game had gone too much toward favoring strong players over skilled players,” Thorn said. “The NBA felt there was too much body, too much hand-checking, being used by defenders to the detriment of the game. There was a feeling that there was too much advantage for a defensive player who could merely use his strength to control the offensive player.”

The new rules interpretations have attempted to address that issue, Thorn said.

“If the refs perceive that a defender is bumping the cutter, or bumping a ball-handler, then they’ll blow their whistles.”

Blow their whistles is exactly what officials began doing in both the NBA and its Development League (where many nights officials were whistling a whopping 60 to 70 fouls a game).

This new way of calling became increasingly apparent with each regular-season game last year, and it really made an impression during the playoffs. Free from the physical challenge of defenders, offensive players found many more opportunities to attack the basket – and draw fouls.

As a result, the new rules interpretation helped promote the emergence last season of a new generation of super stars, from Kobe Bryant scoring his 81 points during a regular season game, to LeBron James, Vince Carter, Gilbert Arenas and Dwyane Wade making big splashes in the playoffs.

“The good wing players – LeBron, Kobe, Arenas, Wade, Carter – shot a lot of free throws with the way the game is now called,” Thorn admitted.

The change became quite apparent during the NBA Finals in June as fans saw time and again Miami’s Wade attacking the basket against seemingly helpless Dallas defenders.

When they did try to stop Wade, those Dallas defenders often drew foul calls, which sent Wade to the line to shoot free throws.

The new approach even played a role in determining the NBA champion, as Wade played majestically in leading Miami from a two-game deficit to a four-games-to-two victory for the title.

http://hoopshype.com/articles/defense_lazenby.htm

[racm]

For perspective, Carmelo Anthony won the scoring title this season averaging 28.7 PPG, 7.6 FTAs, and 22.2 FGAs a game...

IIRC only Durant and Harden averaged double digit FTAs this season, which shows that defenses have adjusted to handchecking and offenses emphasize a more balanced scoring attack...

[DMX7]

Allen Iverson really fell off a cliff production wise.

[Rogue]

nice found, but agent 0 was not much of a wing scorer if i remember correct. Dude was more like a scoring-first PG who collected most points from 3-pointers and jumpers, one of my favorite players back in the day tbh. too bad dude fucked up his knees in 07's summer for training/exerting himself too hard, that really sucked for him. Dude's career snapped at the prime age :cry Dude would've become the greatest shooter since Allen, even with a better all-round game, dude ended his career way too young :cry