LeBron laments shooting trend: 'A lot of f-----g 3s'
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James critiqued the number of 3-pointers being shot around the league after being asked about the changes to the NBA All-Star Game format in 2025.
"They've got to do something. Obviously, the last couple of years have not been a great All-Star Game that Sunday night," he told reporters Thursday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "But I mean, listen, it's a bigger conversation. It's not just the All-Star Game, it's our game in general. There's a lot of f-----g threes being shot. So it's a bigger conversation than just the All-Star Game."
The NBA has come to embrace the 3-point line in recent years: Teams are attempting an average of 37.5 threes a game so far in 2024-25, a massive increase from 22.4 in the 2014-15 season.
The defending champions, the Boston Celtics, are leading the 3-point revolution, attempting 51.1 triples per game - more than half of their attempted field goals. If they continue on this path, they'll easily break the single-season record of 45.4 3-point attempts per game, which was set by the Houston Rockets in 2018-19.
Boston tied the league record for most made threes in a single game after making 29 in its opening-night win over the New York Knicks.
The Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, are attempting a league-low 30.4 triples a game.
League commissioner Adam Silver addressed the criticism that play styles have become indistinguishable Tuesday, noting that he'll monitor observations that the league has become too "cookie cutter."
"I think the game is in a great place. I love watching the games, and I think we have some of the most skilled athletes in the world competing," Silver said, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "Having said that, we're constantly having discussions about whether there are ways to improve stylistically the game on the floor."
He added: "Historically, at times, we've moved the 3-point line. I don't think that's a solution here because then, I think when we look at both the game and the data, I think that may not necessarily do more midrange jumpers, if that's what people want, but more clogging under the basket."
James is attempting 5.7 triples per game this season, down from his career high of eight in 2021-22.