[cma]

Can't it be that defense got better too? Free throw percentage is up since '95 so they aren't just less accurate in general at that distance.

[lapcat]

If shooting and defense got better simultaneously, then all other things equal, overall shooting % should have stayed about the same, not gone down.

Also, as hardwaregeek mentioned: "And in turn, the game has become less crowded and more spread out, leading to a higher percentage on dunks and layups."

[cma]

> If shooting and defense got better simultaneously, then all other things equal, overall shooting % should have stayed about the same, not gone down.

Why? Getting better simultaneously doesn't imply getting better in a way to perfectly equal out.

[kenjackson]

Perimeter defense is way better now. In the old days most 3s were uncontested. It’s a shot they just wanted you to take.