Stephen Curry and the Three-Point Shot That Ruined the NBA

When talking about the NBA and three-point shots, the first name that comes to mind is, of course, Stephen Curry. The 36-year-old player is indeed synonymous with his long-range shooting.

The Golden State Warriors point guard is the face of the NBA and is one of the best players in history because of his unmatched ability to score three-pointers. Curry holds the record for most three-pointers made in NBA history, both in the regular season, playoffs, and finals. He has made a total of 3,952 three-pointers.

Because of Curry's three-point shooting, the Warriors won four NBA titles and became a dynasty in the world's greatest basketball competition. That ability is still evident this season.

However, after becoming the 2025 All Star MVP, Curry had to answer the question of the three-point shot which was considered to have "ruined" the game of basketball in recent years. Long-range shots have made duels and physical contact under the ring less frequent, making the game less interesting.

That is considered to be one of the reasons why the United States basketball league is facing problems, culminating in the continued decline in audience enthusiasm and television ratings. Since 2012, television ratings have dropped by 48 percent.

The issue has become so prominent that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said they are working to find a solution to the problem. Curry, a three-point icon, has had to deal with the controversy over his style of play. He said he supports the three-point game, but added that players also have to work hard.

"To ruin the game, that's an accusation and a challenge. I have no problem with players and teams that shoot a lot. That's obviously the way I play and I like that factor. You also have to work hard behind the scenes to take full advantage of it," Curry said.

According to Curry, it’s not easy to become a three-point shooter. “If you love basketball, to be able to shoot and get better and expand your range….I want you to be inspired to do that, but you have to work at it,” he added.

Of course, the rise of three-point shooting in the NBA is no fault of Curry, who is gifted with the talent and ability to do so. The continued trend of three-point shooting was evident early this season, when two teams who met in last year's Western Conference finals played.

When the Dallas Mavericks won their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this season, both teams combined for 78 three-pointers, marking a season-high in three-pointers made in NBA history.

This season, NBA teams are averaging 37 three-pointers per game, more than doubling their average from last season. This is 10 more than eight years ago and 15 more than 10 years ago when the Splash Brothers (Curry and Klay Thompson) won their first NBA title.

The Splash Brothers were the NBA's best three-point shooters but have since split, with Curry still on the Warriors and Thompson on the Mavericks. Going back even further, when LeBron James was a rookie 22 years ago, NBA teams averaged just 14.9 three-pointers per game.

It wasn’t just Curry or the Warriors who benefited from the use of the three-pointer. The 2016 NBA Finals were proof of that, when Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, now with the Mavericks, hit a game-winning three-pointer against the Warriors in Game 7.

Why is the game now more about three-point shooting? The simple answer is, of course, three points over two points. Teams are jumping on the three-point shooting bandwagon after seeing how the Warriors benefit from three-point shooting. Likewise, the Boston Celtics were the leading three-point scorers in their NBA championship win last season, and the runner-up Mavericks were the second-most.

The record for the most three-pointers made is still held by the Houston Rockets in the 2018/2019 season with 45.38 times per game. This season, in an effort to defend the title, the Celtics are making 51.4 three-pointers per game which will be a new record.

However, a smart style of play does not mean a game that is enjoyable to watch or liked by the audience. That is why there is criticism of the increasing number of three-point shots which are considered to be ruining the NBA basketball game.

Many are frustrated when players try to change their game to emulate Curry or Klay Thompson, when their best potential is not actually a three-pointer. ESPN journalist Bomani Jones called for a change in the NBA when he saw one of the most athletic players, Anthony Edwards, averaging 13.3 three-pointers per game, which he considered excessive.

“When the game makes Anthony Edwards want to play like Klay Thompson, something needs to change immediately,” Jones said.

LeBron James also expressed his frustration with three-point shooting ahead of All-Star. “It’s a bigger issue. Not just All-Star, but the game in general. Our game—so many three-pointers,” James said.

Former player Shaquille O’Neal also criticized the current NBA team’s similar style of play, namely shooting more three-pointers. “We see the same thing. Everyone plays the same game. I don’t mind Golden State shooting three-pointers, but not every team can do it,” O’Neal said.

Adam Silver said the NBA is working to find a solution to the three-point problem during an interview with Colin Cowherd. “As the game’s custodian, Joe Dumars leads our competition committee here. We’re going to change it, we’re going to fix the problem,” Silver said.

Various discourses on solutions to the NBA's three-point problem have emerged. From proposals to immediately eliminate the three-point line, move back the three-point line, to limiting the number of three-point shots that each team can make. In your opinion, what is the right solution?