Watching tonight's NBA finals, I couldn't help but think about how much the game has evolved. I remember when I first started following basketball seriously back in the early 2000s - the game was so different then. Teams would pound the ball inside, and three-pointers were almost an afterthought. Fast forward to tonight's matchup between the Warriors and Celtics, and it's like watching a completely different sport. The final score of 118-112 tells only part of the story - what really stood out was how crucial outside shooting has become in today's game.
I was particularly struck by something Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said in the post-game press conference that reminded me of that old basketball wisdom. He mentioned, "Our outside shooting, we didn't hit from outside tonight," and you could see the frustration on his face. The Celtics went just 12-for-42 from beyond the arc, which translates to a miserable 28.6%. Meanwhile, the Warriors knocked down 18 threes at a 40% clip. That difference alone essentially decided the game. It's incredible how much the math has taken over basketball - teams live and die by the three-pointer now, whether we old-school fans like it or not.
What really stood out to me was the third quarter stretch where the Warriors went on that 15-2 run. Steph Curry hit three consecutive threes in under ninety seconds, and you could feel the momentum completely shift. I've seen this movie before - when Curry gets hot, it's like watching a video game character with cheat codes enabled. The Celtics kept trying to answer with their own outside shots, but Jayson Tatum was having one of those nights where his three-pointers kept rattling out. He finished 3-for-11 from deep, and each miss seemed to compound the problem.
The contrast in shooting philosophies was particularly evident in how both teams handled defensive schemes. The Warriors consistently ran their motion offense, creating those precious extra inches of space that make all the difference. Meanwhile, the Celtics kept forcing contested threes early in the shot clock. I found myself yelling at the screen - "Work the ball inside first!" But that's the modern NBA for you. Teams would rather take a contested three than an open mid-range jumper, and honestly, the analytics back them up, even if it sometimes hurts to watch.
What many casual viewers might not realize is how much these shooting performances affect everything else on the court. When teams are hitting from outside, defenses have to extend, which opens up driving lanes and creates opportunities for cuts to the basket. The Warriors understood this perfectly - they used their outside threat to create easier opportunities inside, shooting 58% on two-pointers. The Celtics, meanwhile, became so obsessed with matching the three-point barrage that they forgot about the fundamentals. Their ball movement stagnated, and they ended up with only 18 assists compared to Golden State's 32.
I've been tracking NBA trends for over fifteen years now, and I have to admit - I sometimes miss the days when big men dominated the paint. There's something fundamentally satisfying about watching a well-executed post move or a perfectly timed cut to the basket. But you can't argue with results, and tonight's game proved once again that outside shooting isn't just important - it's essential. The team that controls the perimeter typically controls the game, and until defenses find a way to counter this three-point revolution, we're likely to see more games decided by which team gets hot from deep.
Looking at the individual performances, Curry's 34 points on 11-for-22 shooting (including 7-for-15 from three) was the difference maker. But what impressed me more was how his shooting opened things up for others. Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points, mostly on cuts and drives that were available because Boston's defenders were so worried about closing out on shooters. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown's 29 points for Boston felt somewhat empty because they came on 23 shots. Efficiency matters, especially in the finals, and tonight the more efficient shooting team won.
As I reflect on tonight's action, I can't help but wonder where the game is heading next. We're already seeing teams push the boundaries of what's possible from beyond the arc - half-court heaves are becoming legitimate offensive options in certain situations. The game I fell in love with twenty years ago barely resembles what we're watching today, and while part of me misses the physical, inside-out basketball of yesterday, I have to admit there's something thrilling about watching these artists paint their masterpieces from thirty feet out. The final score might show a six-point game, but the real story was written from beyond the three-point line, where games are increasingly being won and lost in today's NBA.
