NBA - Abolish 3-Point Line?

[Aloysius]

Oh - older article (not sure if this has been on the table again since the 2004/05 season) contemplating 3-point rule change:

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NBA ponders alterations to 3-point rules

Bloomberg News
Oct. 14, 2004 12:00 AM

The NBA is considering a plan to abolish the three-point shot until the end of games to increase shooting percentages and make the sport more aesthetically pleasing.

The NBA may ban three-pointers until there's five minutes left in the game in its development league this season, Stu Jackson, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations, said in a telephone interview.

"We've talked about it," Jackson said. "We're wrestling with the idea." He said it was too early to tell if the NBA would change the rule.

"I don't want to jump that far ahead," he said. "It's a very radical change, certainly one that would take a great deal of time to get support if there were positive aspects."

Banning the three-point shot until late in the game might lead to a more up-tempo style and higher shooting percentages because players would be encouraged to take shots closer to the basket. It also would stop players on fast breaks from pulling up for a shot from the three-point line instead of going for layups.

The NBA instituted the three-point shot in 1979. Last season, teams shot a combined 34.7 percent from beyond the three-point line, which ranges from 22 feet to 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket.

One of the reasons the NBA started the six-team development league in 2001 was to use it as a testing ground for rules changes, Jackson said.

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I am pretty sure they instituted this rule (3 pointers only in last 5 minutes of game) in NBDL. Anyone know how that turned out? Sounds like a disaster.

-Al