Remember when the three-pointer used to feel like a gamble? Back in the day, it was the cherry on top of an offense, not the whole cake. Fast forward to today, and the three-point line is practically the heartbeat of the NBA. Teams don’t just dabble in it—they live in it. Some fans love the fireworks. Others think it’s sucking the variety out of the game. So, where’s this all going? Let’s dig in. The Rise of the Three The three-pointer started out as a novelty, but analytics turned it into the smartest play in basketball. A 35% three is worth more than a 50% two, and coaches aren’t ignoring that math. Look at the Golden State Warriors—Steph Curry and Klay Thompson basically stretched the floor to dimensions we’d never seen before. Their 2015–2019 dynasty was built on volume and efficiency from deep. At their peak in 2016, they took nearly 32 threes a game and made 41.6% of them—the best percentage in the league. That’s lethal math. Houston took it even further. Under Daryl M...