Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Justin Quinn

The NBA adopts the 3-point line: the ‘gimmick’ that changed the sport forever

Former Boston Celtics shooting guard Chris Ford shot the very first one in the history of the NBA in the debut game of Celtics Hall of Fame small forward Larry Bird. Bird himself would hit the first one in an All-Star game and terrorized opponents in the early years of the shooting contest, created to showcase what was in many corners seen as a tacky novelty.

To those of you confused about what it is we are speaking, we of course mean the league’s adoption of the now-iconic 3-point shot. Which has not only moved off of being seen as some sort of wacky addition to the sport but an absolutely integral part of it.

And while even now it still has its critics, the origin and early history of the 3-ball remain relatively under-discussed by fans of the modern game.

To help remedy that, the folks over at The Score put together this clip detailing everything you need to know about the trey in the NBA.

Check out the Celtics Lab podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.