One of the most annoying situations for defenders in the NBA has been contesting a jump shot without fouling. This season there's a new rule that will help defenders out a ton. On the flip side, it will change offensive geniuses like Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.
The rule change has prompted a question, however. Just how much will it bother Curry?
The new rule says there will be an interpretive change in the officiating of overt, abrupt, or abnormal none basketball moves by offensive players with the ball in an effort to draw fouls. Meaning players won't be allowed to pump fake a defender then lean into or kick their legs at them to get fouls.
For the 2021-22 NBA season, there will be an interpretive change in the officiating of overt, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves by offensive players with the ball in an effort to draw fouls. The following Points of Education videos showcase areas where a change was needed:
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) September 30, 2021
Stephen Curry is the king of the three-point shot, so this play happens to him often behind the three-point line. Heading into his first preseason game, reporters asked Curry if he felt this would impact his game any. He couldn't quite answer and was unsure what it meant for him specifically.
The Warriors superstar isn't a player with a reputation to look for fouls or complain about fouls, either. But right on cue in his first pre-season game, he had an encounter with the new rule.
So how much will it change Stephen Curry this season?
Last season, Curry averaged a career-best 32.0 points per game. In that season, he also averaged 6.3 free throw attempts. That's good for 17th best in the NBA. It also means, at best, he would only get two, maybe three, shooting fouls called per game. Being a 91.6 percent shooter from the charity stripe tells he makes 5.7 points from the line.
If every single free throw attempt came from non-basketball movement, wiping it away would result in Curry's points per game dropping from 32.0 to 26.3 a night. If that attempt's number is cut in half, being the shooter Curry is, it would likely put his average around 29.0 per game. It could easily trend in the opposite direction, as he's that special.
When players are hunting for fouls knocking down the shot is a secondary thought. If Curry never tries to draw another foul and his main focus is making the basket, who knows how many more points he might score. He is the greatest shooter of all time, and there aren't many limits to what he can do shooting the rock.
End of the day, this rule is a necessary change for the NBA. Too many players have been taking advantage of this flaw. The modification might impact some heavily, but Stephen Curry won't be one of them. His game isn't predicated on drawing fouls. He can just flat-out put the ball in the hoop. So, Warriors fans have nothing to worry about when it comes to this question.
Next, it's time for the NBA to fix this traveling situation, but that's another story for another day.
Check out the latest ClutchPoints podcast, Warriors' Multiverse. Last week's episode featured an exclusive interview with Jordan Poole.
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