4. A four-point line
Right off the bat, we need to address a potential problem. When we’re trying to figure out why the 2017 postseason has been boring, the two main culprits are the Cavs and Warriors. During the regular season, they were second and third in three-pointers made. So, the advent of a four-point line could potentially make them more dominant.
Still, things can’t get much worse than the current state of affairs, can they?
Would a four-point line make the Cavs and Warriors even more dominant? Maybe. But given where things are now, we're willing to chance it. pic.twitter.com/A5xLeP51G2
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) May 9, 2017
Certainly, the better teams from distance would be better on a four-point shot. In today’s game, those tend to be the best teams. Still, there’s a logic to this.
The best way to overcome a significant deficit is to try to get a lot of points fast. It’s why trailing football teams start passing. The old three yards and a cloud of dust model doesn’t work well when you need points fast. The same logic applies in basketball. If you’re down big, working the whole 24 second clock to get a shot in the low post doesn’t make sense. Teams trailing big start jacking threes, and if there was a four-point line, they’d be shooting from that distance. Every now and again, the strategy would pay off.
Sure, a few games might end up being even worse than they are now. But much like the vertical passing game does in the NFL, a four-point line would increase the number of comebacks, as well.