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The Golden State Warriors have owned a chunk of the last decade of the NBA. They've reached the finals six times and walked away with four titles. The secret behind all that success was the "Splash Brothers" — Steph Curry and Klay Thompson — who changed the game. These two aren't just two of the greatest long-range deadeyes in league history; they're arguably the greatest backcourt of all time.
Their sharpshooting paved the way for the "small ball" revolution, when playing without a traditional center became the new norm. Of course, the rest of the league couldn't help but follow suit.
The league is evolving
Recently on the "Roommates Show," NBA executive Mark Cuban described how the league is ever-changing and different from it was over a decade ago.
"Back then there was always one dude who could not shoot on the court," Cuban said of the league's evolution. "He was like the defensive specialist… that one guy that was the dog that couldn't shoot, you don't really see that so much anymore."
For years, the association has been moving away from the old-school, isolation-heavy style of play and leaning more toward pace and ball movement to create scoring opportunities, especially from beyond the arc.
Before long-range shooting and analytics became the focus of a team's game-planning, the NBA was predicated on ball and player movement to create offense, with the teams showcasing their deft transition scoring.
The pace of the game
Times have changed. Now, speed, ball movement, handles, and getting as many good shots as possible from the 3-point line are the primary skills the new generation is moving toward. The mere shooting volume depicts the monumental revolution in offense, as teams in the 2011 season averaged just 18.4 threes per game, whereas today, that number has risen to 35.1.
"The other big difference is just the pace of the game, the speed of the game," Cuban continued. "Guys are a lot more skilled. More guys got handles; it's just that the skill level has just reached a whole nother level that you didn't see in 2011."
Back in the 80s and 90s basketball, coaches weren't too keen on what they saw as "reckless" play. Fast breaks were fine, but taking a 3-pointer in transition was often a no-go. The mantra was patience, working the ball around, waiting for the right shot, and not rushing it.
But all that seems old school in today's league, loaded with a new generation of elite 3-point shooters.
Related: Mark Cuban explains how the Celtics built the most expensive roster in the NBA: "You just got to pay the luxury tax"
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