From the New York Times comes an article about the evolution of the NBA’s three-point line and how it became such an important weapon in the game:

The N.B.A. adopted the 3-pointer on a one-year trial because executives from the A.B.A. pushed for it after the leagues merged…

The N.B.A. has hardly looked back since introducing the 3-pointer 30 years ago. The shot and its usefulness have revolutionized the game. It has evolved from a gimmick adapted from the American Basketball Association to a tactic for overcoming large deficits, and now is a focal point in many N.B.A. offenses…

Last season, (Mike) D’Antoni’s Knicks set an N.B.A. record with 2,284 attempts, or nearly 28 a game. His Suns made the most 3-pointers in N.B.A. history with 837 in 2005-6. Bell’s attempts rose to 446 in 2005-6, his first season with Phoenix, from 134 with the Utah Jazz a season earlier.

To read the full article, click here.

Also see: the inventor(s) of the three-point line.