Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 12:47 pm  |  36 responses

Are New Rims Behind Jump in Scoring?

by Tzvi Twersky

As you may have heard, NBA baskets are sporting new rims this season. Unlike the old rims that were only collapsible in the front, the new Spalding rims break away on the sides as well. The basket  also features a new net system, one that is designed to prevent players from getting fingers or hands caught in the net.

The purpose behind using the new “Arena Pro 180 Goal” is to protect players from injury.

The result? It may be preventing injuries, but according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, it may also be contributing to higher scoring games so far this season.

As reported:

To greet the new type of rims rolled in by the league last month, league-wide scoring has risen by nearly five points through the first seven days of the regular season compared to last season. Teams are averaging a hearty 99.96 points per game, up from 95.17 during the same span in 2008-09.

…

Less clear, though, is what sort of impact on league-wide scoring, if any, can be traced to the new — and some say more forgiving — rims ushered in at the start of exhibition play in early October.

“I would liken these new rims to the ones found on the playgrounds that we grew up on,” Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier said. “If you miss on the back iron, it deadens the rebound. If you miss on the front rim, it gives the rebound spring and your chances of rolling the ball in are better.”

…

Said Terry, who was shooting an uncharacteristic 35 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent on 3-pointers entering Tuesday’s game against Utah: “They stink. Why change something that works? Were the old rims [faulty]? It’s just like that [composite] ball they tried.”

While it almost definitely won’t play out like the “new ball” saga did a few years back, it’s worth keeping an eye on this as it unfolds over the course of the season.

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  • wilz

    that explains all those missed dunks that were bouncing up then somehow plopping in

  • buckets

    the article says people score more with the new rims. So jason terry complains then we see his piss poor % and undstand why.

  • http://slamonlin.com rnibbs20

    a ball is a ball a rim is a rim if your a good player you should be able to cope with it

  • http://slamonline.com niQ

    Andre Miller does not believe the new rims have improved his shooting.

  • http://slamonline.com Russ Bengtson

    Next year they should introduce chain nets.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    you have to take those comments with a shaker of salt, d-wade is convinced that the rims in miami are killing him but data shows that all of his shooting stats are actually stronger at home.

  • http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/overdribbling/index276.html chiqo

    how is the nba just now getting rims that give on the sides? i think we had those in high school.

  • rog123

    This article is the biggest piece of “insert word here” stupid ish . Makes no sense. Please slam, don’t ever bring this up again. Just stick to ball. I wanna here about dirks monster 4 quarter

  • http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/overdribbling/index276.html chiqo

    because this clearly has no relation to the game at all. right, rog?

  • http://theghostofroyhobbs.blogspot.com Mo Charlo

    Kevin Durant and Lamar Odom blame the new rims for their airballs last night.

  • knock knock

    unless the new rims happened to be a “LIL wider then i understand. otherwise, bs.

  • slamfan4life

    So THIS IS WHY Salmons is shooting 33% fg and 16% from the trey….

  • doyouwantmore

    I agree with Bengston. Chain nets all the way. And pave the hardwood.

  • http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib Michael NZ

    Scoring was boosted by a couple high scoring, defenseless games early on (Knicks, Kings etc). It’ll even out. This is a non-story. Besides, what about how players can now take 17 steps instead of 16 after picking up their dribble? That’s the real reason.

  • http://Vikturus Vikturus

    Mo and Michael are clearly right.

  • Orlando Green

    how does the rim break away to the side?

  • http://www.twitter.com/Th3_R3al_Chris Th3_R3al_Chris

    I guess when the Celtics come to town they use the old rims to keep scoring down because their opponents are scoring under 20 points the league average.

  • Hoodsnake

    Must be the reason why shaq is shooting 18% from the line…

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com.dacre Dacre

    doyouwantmore Posted: Nov.4 at 3:14 pm
    I agree with Bengston. Chain nets all the way. And pave the hardwood.
    ___

    and call your own fouls too, problemo invisable`.

  • Nickthaquick

    Maybe we can get Sheed to yell “RIM DON’T LIE” every time after he takes someone’s arm off and thinks a feather-brush could do more harm than his foul.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sesa.opas Sesa

    I don’t see any significant jump in Bobcats scoring.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Dave

    Bobcats couldn’t afford to install the new rims, is why.

  • rog123

    There is something called hard work and practice.

  • mvick

    @dave that was beautiful.

  • Daniel Dragicevich

    so that’s why thunder have won more than they have lost

  • Jrooks

    You cant compare new and old players any more because every thing changed so much the new school players play like bitches always smiling do you see charles barkle jordan kobe iverson smiling no! ! !

  • dma

    when raymond felton is your best scorer, you’ve got problems. they should have kept morrison!

  • http://slamonline.com Emon Nazari

    still doesn’t make a difference to me.

  • jrb

    i second the chain net idea

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Wooden backboards and no chain would be more accurate.

  • matt the jazz fan

    @rog123 – practice! you’re talking about practice!? (sorry, too easy couldn’t pass it up)

  • I am the walrus

    Crate hoops all the way…

  • German Reignman

    Bring back the peach baskets and make doc naismith proud

  • Hornet

    I do think that the ball will hit the bottom of the net (on it’s way through the rim) if the shot is correctly taken.
    Right rotation, correct arching, good foot position ,good eye-ball-basket coordination.
    No matter what the rim is made of…..
    BALL DON’T LIE!!!
    So players that were good until now will be from now on too.

  • http://www.twitter.com/Th3_R3al_Chris Th3_R3al_Chris

    LOL @ German.

  • The big one

    Last time I checked, to make a shot, you still had to be a shooter. Only thing this article does is make the games looked rigged.

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