SprawlBall

May 1, 2019

ESPN NBA analyst Goldsberry uses basketball analytics and historical game summaries to examine the rise and current prominence of the three-point field goal in the NBA. In doing so, he describes how three-pointers have become the league's most valuable shot, and how they have similarly devalued post-up moves and midrange shots. Chapters are devoted to the disappearance of the true center position, the speed in which players catch and shoot the ball, and the effectiveness of NBA players. James Harden takes advantage of the league's rules and referees to get to the free-throw line. Lebron James dominates around the rim but is also highly effective in generating assists to three-point shooters. Steph Curry's ball-handling skills allow him to make unassisted three-pointers at a high rate. Other players, such as Kevin Love, had to develop a three-point shot in order to survive in the modern NBA. Goldsberry expresses concern that the game's aesthetics and entertainment value will suffer if this current trajectory continues and proposes changes to improve the game. The book includes full-colored illustrations as well as accessible shot charts. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of today's NBA and anyone interested in sports analytics.--Chris Wilkes, Tazewell Cty. P.L., VA

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2019
Today's NBA is not your daddy's NBA. The three-point shot now dominates the sport, and rule changes have eliminated certain types of physical contact that allowed freer movement of players around the court. The poster child for the new NBA is Stephen Curry. He's a wonderful player, and the best three-point shooter in the game, but, 20 years ago, he might have been pounded into dust by the huge, physical guards who dominated the 1980s and '90s. Goldsberry, a pioneer in basketball analytics, was a professor at Harvard and Michigan State Universities and has worked for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. He details the evolution of the sport with a focus on such players as Curry, LeBron James, James Harden, and Draymond Green. The game, he points out, has become almost positionless, with the hulking big men of previous eras largely supplanted with quicker players who can defend multiple positions and, yes, shoot threes. This is a fascinating read for today's NBA fans, and the jaunty illustrations by Aaron Dana add both depth and fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)