NBA reporter: floor-spacing debates predate the three-point line, cites 1983 pace

Quoted post says 20 teams topped 100 points a game that year

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 241 min read

I’m too young to really have this conversation but I reckon there has always been some kind of “space” to exploit in bas Via @LawMurrayTheNU on X

What happened: NBA reporter Law Murray argued that debates over exploiting "space" on a basketball floor are not new, pointing to the 1983 NBA season as an example of faster play and looser defenses. He was responding to a post from analyst @coachFMartin noting that in 1983, teams averaged over 100 points per game without a three-point line in place.

Why it matters: The exchange reflects an ongoing debate among basketball analysts and media about how much modern spacing concepts differ from earlier eras of the league, using scoring pace as the reference point rather than a specific team or player.

By the numbers: The quoted post cited 20 NBA teams averaging over 100 points per game in 1983, a season played without a three-point line.

What to watch: The discussion is part of a broader ongoing debate among NBA commentators over pace and spacing across eras rather than tied to any scheduled event.

Sources

@LawMurrayTheNU 2026-07-24T03:37:35.279148+00:00

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