The science behind a 3-point shot
Stephen Curry is now the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history (!). Last night, at Madison Square Garden, Curry has hit his 2,974th career 3-pointer to pass Ray Allen for the NBA record . As always the ball followed a smooth, graceful parabolic arc before dropping through the hoop. We as fans can enjoy the beauty, and extraordinary athleticism, even more if we pay attention to the science behind each 3-point shot.
The distance from the basket to the 3-point line varies by competition level. In the NBA the current arc is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) from the center of the basket. For a typical 28-foot (8.5 m) shot to get the ball to drop dead center through the hoop with a "nothing but net" swish sound, the ball leaves Curry’s fingers at an upward sixty degrees angle and at a speed of about 30 feet per second – about 22 miles per hour (35.4 km per hour). If his release speed is off by less than one percent or if the angle is off by just a half a degree, the ball will simply hit the rim. The ball’s velocity has both a horizontal and vertical component. Once the ball is released, with the right amount of "soft" spin, the only strong force acting on it is gravity. Air impedes ball's motion insignificantly. As a result of gravity, the ball’s vertical motion slows until the ball hits the peak of the arc. It is no longer going up. As gravity continues to pull on it, the ball begins to fall back to Earth, going downward faster and faster. The combination of a constant horizontal motion with the ball slowing down then speeding up in the vertical direction results in an about one-and-a-half seconds parabolic arc in the air.
The incredibly huge gap in 3-point shooting performance between Curry and his peers, when one factors in not only the sum but majestic effect of his shooting, indicates he's immensely gifted and almost immortal. Will we ever see another player like Stephen Curry? Curry has definitely changed the modern game of basketball. The NBA sees a fairly steady annual growth in 3-point attempts and a gradual improvement in success rate. Maybe it's time to reconsider an old idea of introducing 4-point shots from 28-to-32 feet? Curry, whose skills are unbelievable, would probably still excel even from that long range...
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9mo(2): That sensation flowed directly from my thigh to the medium nerves in my shooting index and middle fingers. And on to what's weird... My wife and I have watched every pre-season, season and post-season Celtics game the last two years. Fans and basketball fanatics all are in awe of the 3 pt. shooting of every member on the team. I took go Wow when they go on 3 pt. runs. I really get into the game and I mentally study the offensive and defensive positioning of each of the players. Whether it's Tatum, Pritchard, Brown or White, I admire their shooting skills. Here's my conundrum --- every time Sam Hauser goes into his shooting mode --- I physically get the exact twinges in my right thigh and my right fingertips. EVERYTIME. Sam doesn't shoot the ball like everyone else, he launches it into the air with an unorthodox trejectory. The ball ascends into it's highest arch and then gravity lets it snap the net. I am unaware of any physical connection within the human body that would cause me these physical twinges. It only happens when Hauser is shooting. Any comments would be appreciated. Larry Walsh kolbiwon6@gmail.com. Thank for listening. Happy Holidays
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9moI am 78 yrs old and I live on Cape Cod, Ma. On the surface my comments may sound weird but I am being completely truthful. Throughout my whole life I have loved the Boston Celtics. In the 1960's I played highschool basketball and my coach was an official scorekeeper for the Celtics. I played briefly in college and later pickup and in over the hill leagues. One talent I was gifted with was the ability to hit the long shot. In fact, one day in my 50's, I visited my now closed highschool and found an empty gym with a lone basketball resting near a foul line. I warmed up with it quickly and then I set myself up in the half-court circle. The court had two end baskets and four side baskets. My first shot at an end basket went swish and I smiled to myself. To this present day I am still astounded that I went around the horn twice without a single miss. Thirteen straight net snapping hits in succession. No hesitation between shots. It was during this miraculous exhibition that I became mentally aware of what was happening within my body each time I shot the ball. As I began to raise my shooting arm I actually felt a definite minor twinge in my right intermediate femoral cutaneous nerve in my right thigh.