The NBA landscape has changed vastly over the last few years and basketball is played very differently nowadays.
The era of the big man is long over and floor spacing has become the order of the day. Three-point shots are nothing new, yet the range players are shooting from in today's game suggests that we could see the four-pointer grace the league sometime in the future.
In fact, several teams have been practicing with some variation of a four-point line this season.
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Per ESPN's Malika Andrews, the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks are among several NBA outfits who employ a four-point line in training.
But it isn't just for shooting, coaches have been using the visualization to get players to understand the type of spacing they want.
Sixers head coach Brett Brown calls it "gamifying the gym".
"We are all thieves," he says. "It is a copycat league. I look at it as a compliment that other people value that."
Hawks rookie Trae Young has prompted comparisons to Steph Curry with his remarkable shooting range and isn't shy to let the occasional shot fly from near the center-court logo. But the team's four-point training also places focus on the point guard making plays from distance too.
Opening the floor up creates space for big men to operate and, with defenders needing to cover more ground, lapses could be exploited.
"I would always try to extend my range farther and farther because I wasn't getting much taller," Young said. "The farther I shoot, people weren't expecting that."
"Spacing changes the whole game," Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce added.
Four-point lines differ with teams. Bucks Mike Budenholzer doesn't actually use a line but has made five boxes on the floor out of tape to help Milwaukee with their five-out offense.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is enjoying the space he's being afforded and has surely taken advantage. The star is leading the league in unassisted dunks with 55, with the next-closest player being Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who has only made 23 such field goals.
What This Means
The four-point line is nothing new. The Harlem Globetrotters have been using one for a bit now.
But it has now reached the NBA and we will continue to see shots fall from ridiculous distances as players strive to extend their range.