There was a time when the NBA was populated by smaller, faster players who were dangerous shooters.
Guys like Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Kyrie Irving were seen as the most important players in the league.
But those times have changed and lately, the association transformed into a league run by bigger men.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Joel Embiid have been posting PER highs since Wilt Chamberlain in the 60s 👀
Is small ball officially phased out? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/GOiDDL48kE
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 23, 2022
ClutchPoints says that NBA superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Joel Embiid have been posting PER highs not seen since Wilt Chamberlain‘s era back in the 1960s.
Player Efficiency Rating, or PER, is a rating of a player’s per-minute productivity and is seen as one of the most significant statistics to look at when judging a player’s worth and importance.
So are big men the most important in the league once again?
Land Of The Giants
You can determine the direction the league is headed in based on who the current champions are.
When Curry and the Golden State Warriors were winning the NBA Finals, the league was more drawn to smaller and quicker shooters.
Currently, the Milwaukee Bucks and Antetokounmpo are the champs and, as expected, the league is getting bigger because of this.
But that doesn’t mean the NBA doesn’t need both big and smaller players at all times.
A truly strong team is one that is well-balanced on both sides.
But there is no denying that the league has gotten taller and more physically imposing over the last few seasons – and that will likely continue in the next few years.
That doesn’t mean you should expect to stop seeing smaller shooters.
As the Warriors and Suns prove, the association always needs teams filled with guys like that.
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