Charles Barkley on the biggest NBA's problem today: 'Fans don't want to see guys jack up threes'

The evolution of the NBA has been a contention among basketball purists and fans alike. For some, the league's modern direction, heavily influenced by analytics and the three-point revolution, has stripped the game of its strategic depth.

Others consider it a necessary adaptation to today's players' talent and skills. Charles Barkley, the Hall of Fame forward and two-time NBA MVP runner-up, hasn't been shy about sharing his thoughts on this topic.

Concerns over the game

On January 16, 2019, the Houston Rockets suffered a 145–142 overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets. However, it wasn't the loss that caught the eye; it was the fact that the Rockets attempted an unprecedented 70 three-pointers—an NBA record for a single game.

The Rockets converted only 23 shots, achieving 33.3 percent accuracy. Additionally, both teams combined to attempt a record-breaking 106 threes, showcasing the league's growing reliance on perimeter shooting.

The game highlighted the high-risk, high-reward nature of modern NBA strategy—a dynamic Barkley has repeatedly questioned in taking away the excitement of the game.

"Fans are not just going to go out there and see a bunch of guys jack up threes every night," Barkley said. "Guys don't even shoot layups anymore; they don't shoot in the midrange. It's like, 'We're going to shoot a bunch of threes, and if we make 'em, we win; if we miss 'em, we're gonna lose; that's no strategy. It's great if you are going to make them all; I don't need a strategy if I'm going to make all my damn shots."

While the three-point shooting has opened up the floor and allowed players like Stephen Curry to redefine offensive efficiency, it has also homogenized playstyles. The former MVP lamented that players now often bypass traditional scoring methods.

Changing the game

This shift can be traced back to the rise of advanced analytics in the mid-2010s. Teams began recognizing the mathematical advantage of shooting from beyond the arc, where successful attempts yield three points instead of two.

The Rockets, in particular, under then-coach Mike D'Antoni, became the poster child for this approach. During the 2017-18 season, they set an NBA record by attempting 42.3 threes per game, a trend that culminated in a narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals—in Game 7 of that series, they missed an unprecedented 27 straight perimeter shots.

For "The Round Mound of Rebound," who built his career on physical dominance in the paint and a versatile scoring arsenal, this evolution feels like a departure from the game's roots.

Other NBA legends, including Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan, share their views. They have also questioned whether the modern game places too much emphasis on efficiency at the expense of creativity and strategy.

Players like Damian Lillard and Curry have shown how the three-point shot can be an art form, and the latter has led a dynasty with his shooting prowess—still, not everyone possesses the same skill set from beyond the arc to attempt ridiculous shots.