Some Pleasant Surprises and Some Sorry Sights as the 2022-23 NBA Season Opens

The game is constantly evolving. Among other things, it has now become the era of the 3-pt shooter. Gone are the days of the giants, when cage wars were won in the clash of titans down below. When we had the likes of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, and much later, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Shaq O’Neil used their height and heft to their advantage. Steph Curry’s indelible mark in the league has been the game-changing acceptance of the 3-pointer as the weapon of choice for every team. No longer is the 3-point shot a last option, should the inside game be derailed. Now, it is the first option, with the inside game viewed as an occasional foray to soften the perimeter defense.