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SPORTS Wednesday 7 december 2022
Analysis: In the NBA, 100 points no longer assures anything

By TIM REYNOLDS from 11 seasons ago. Much now is just being consistent
AP Basketball Writer of that has to do with the on both ends of the floor,
If the NBA has a magic league’s ongoing reliance especially the defense,”
number, it’s 100. on the 3-pointer a record Denver coach Michael
Wilt Chamberlain’s single- number of those (30.598) Malone said.
game scoring record. A were made last season Every coach in the league
perfect shooting percent- and this season is on pace could, and probably has,
age. And the rule pretty for a similar total in that de- offered a similar assess-
much seemed to be that partment. ment. The game just keeps
if a team scored 100 points Magic coach Jamahl Mos- changing and what used
in a game, it probably was ley says his definition of a to be normal just isn’t any-
going to walk off the floor good defensive game in more.
as a winner. this NBA is simple: holding Going into this week, more
Not anymore. an opponent to 107 or 108 than half of the league’s
Put simply, 100 doesn’t points tends to make him teams 16 of the 30 are on
guarantee anything. Teams happy. pace to have one of the six
with at least 100 points are “That’s the crazy part highest-scoring seasons in
losing 45% of their games about it,” Mosley said. “You their history. Of the first 351
so far this season, the high- say you’re scoring enough games played this season,
est such rate in more than to get where you need to there have been only 10 in-
50 years and nearly 10% be, but then defensively, if stances of a team scoring
higher than the league’s you’re giving up the 120’s less than 100 points and still
all-time average. and the 115’s, that’s where winning. Last year, it hap-
Orlando is 4-16 when scor- it becomes tough. That’s pened about three times
ing 100 points. Detroit is 6-14 two or three less turnovers, as frequently as it has this
in those games. Houston is that’s one more rebound, season.
7-15. It’s just not enough to that’s knocking down one Some of the stats out there
win in this NBA era, where more shot, that’s taking right now when it comes to
defense might seem op- Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors holds a sign in the away one more 3. You talk scoring are just wacky. Min-
tional teams insist that isn’t dressing room in Hershey, Pa., after he scored 100 points as the about the small gains and nesota was 20-0 last season
the case and 20-point Warriors defeated the New York Knickerbockers 169-147, March the small things you can do when scoring 126 points;
scorers appear to be ev- 2, 1962. to help your defense get the Timberwolves are 4-3
erywhere. Associated Press better, those are the piec- in those games this season.
Really. They’re everywhere. spots in that game to ac- He was speaking of the Nets es.” Miami scored 121 points in
Right now, there are nearly commodate them all. when he said that, though This may be the best and regulation and lost a game
50 NBA players on pace to “We’ve got a lot of threats he could have just as eas- simplest example of how in Boston last week; the
average 20 points this sea- out there to shoot the ball,” ily been talking about the the game has changed. Heat had been 64-6 under
son. A decade ago, only 11 said Brooklyn’s Kevin Du- whole league. In the 2014-15 season, the coach Erik Spoelstra in such
players finished the season rant, whose current av- Not since 1969-70 has the Los Angeles Clippers av- games. And then there
with such an average. There erage of 29.9 points per NBA seen a season where eraged 106.9 points per was Nov. 13, when the New
will, without question, be game ranks seventh in the teams are averaging this game, which was second- York Knicks did something
more 20-point-per-game league this season -- yet is many points per game. best in the NBA. This season, truly historic.
guys not getting picked for more than he averaged in The league average this the Clippers are averaging They scored 135 points in
the All-Star Game this year two of the four seasons in season is 113 points per 107.2 per game. That’s last regulation that night and
than ever before, simply which he won the league’s contest; that’s up 13 points in the league. lost by double figures any-
because there aren’t any- scoring title. “So that keeps from eight seasons ago “I think one of our team’s way, falling 145-135 to the
where near enough roster defenses on their heels.” and up almost 17 points greatest challenges right Oklahoma City Thunder. q

Kyle Gibson, Orioles finalize $10M,

1-year contract

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Right- less innings in two relief ap- delphia that July, and he
hander Kyle Gibson and pearances in the postsea- went 4-6 with a 5.09 ERA
the Baltimore Orioles final- son for the NL champions. in 12 appearances for the
ized a $10 million, one-year Baltimore gained anoth- Phillies down the stretch.
contract on Monday. er experienced arm as it The 6-foot-6 Gibson was
The 35-year-old would looks to build on its surpris- selected by Minnesota in
receive a $150,000 as- ing season. After losing 110 the first round of the 2009
signment bonus if traded, games the previous year, amateur draft. He made
payable by the receiving the Orioles contended for his big league debut with
team. He also can earn a an AL wild card for much the Twins in 2013.
$25,000 bonus if he is elect- of the summer before fin- He spent his first first seven
ed or selected for the All- ishing 83-79 for the fran- seasons with Minnesota, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Kyle Gibson throws during
Star team. Gibson was an chise's first winning record going 67-68 with a 4.52 the first game of the team's baseball doubleheader against
All-Star in 2021. since 2016. ERA in 193 games, includ- the Washington Nationals, Oct. 1, 2022, in Washington.
Gibson was 10-8 with a Gibson was an AL All-Star ing 188 starts. He had his Associated Press
5.05 ERA in 31 starts for Phil- in 2021, going 6-3 with a best year in 2018, finishing nings. Gibson, who signed cember 2019, is 89-91 with
adelphia last season. He 2.87 ERA in 19 starts for Tex- with a career-low 3.62 ERA a $28 million, three-year a 4.52 ERA in 267 major
also pitched 2 1/3 score- as. He was traded to Phila- in a career-best 196 2/3 in- contract with Texas in De- league games.q