Trends: Points, counting points

ORLANDO, FLA— Every night there are NBA numbers that astound — a 65-point half by some team, 230 total points in a game, 130 or more by both teams, scoring by the bushel.

It can be wildly entertaining, if at times wildly frustrating to coaches who know consistency on defence is the key to sustained success, and it seems to be the way the game is headed right now.

It’s fun to score; it’s hard to defend. Why would people be surprised that most players choose enjoyment rather than work?

“We keep cracking the whip as coaches but watching the games, it’s not just us,” Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey says. “It’s league-wide.

“There’s such an emphasis on the offensive side of the game — shooting the three, getting to the rim — that I think it’s contagious around the league. It’s an offensive league. I think that’s the beauty of the NBA right now. It’s more of an offensive, entertaining league.”

The Raptors are having the greatest offensive season in franchise history.

They went into Friday’s game averaging 85.6 field-goal attempts per game, their most ever. They were shooting 50.4 per cent from inside the arc; only once have they shot better than 50 per cent from that range in a season. Their 37.1-per-cent efficiency from three-point range has been beaten only two other times in franchise history.

The Raptors average 109.5 points, five more per game than the most potent offence in franchise history.

“It’s almost like a lot of teams in this league, including us, have fallen in love with thinking ‘OK, it’s an offensive slugfest,’ ” Casey said.

Even having cooled considerably from early last month, the Raptors’ offence remains among the best in the NBA. Still, they need more. “I know we had our offence going pretty hot at one time and we’re still a good offensive team but, again, you still have to add defence because — no matter what kind of offensive team you are — there are going to be nights when you have to get timely stops,” Casey said. Doug Smith