NEW YORK — An NBA analytics department released a major study Thursday concluding that teams score substantially more efficiently on possessions in which the basketball goes through the basket.
“The relationship was stronger than expected,” said the lead researcher. “Made shots consistently produced points at a rate unmatched by missed shots.”
Analysts studied thousands of possessions and found that three-pointers entering the basket were especially valuable, while shots striking the rim and bouncing away performed poorly across nearly every model.
The report recommends prioritizing players who can cause the ball to enter the hoop more frequently while reducing attempts that do not.
Coaches praised the research but warned implementation may be difficult against defenses actively trying to prevent the recommended outcome.
The study also found that turnovers generate fewer points for the offense than retaining possession, another result described internally as promising.
Teams are expected to test the findings during games beginning immediately.
