The NBA's three-point line got shorter, then changed its mind

For three NBA seasons in the mid-1990s, the three-point arc was closer to the basket than it is today. The league shortened it from 23 feet 9 inches to a uniform 22 feet in 1994, hoping to boost scoring and spacing. The experiment worked — perhaps too well — and the NBA reverted to the original distance in 1997. ^[1][2]

Why the NBA shortened the line

In the early 1990s, NBA scoring had dipped to its lowest levels since the league's early years. In the 1993–94 season, teams averaged just 101.5 points per game, and many coaches and executives worried that physical, slow-paced play was driving fans away. Shortening the three-point line was seen as a quick fix to open up the floor and reward shooting. ^[1][3]

The short-line era

The change took effect for the 1994–95 season. Three-point attempts skyrocketed as players who previously hesitated to shoot from deep suddenly found the closer arc within comfortable range. In 1994–95, teams attempted 15.3 three-pointers per game, up from 9.9 the previous season. The following year, attempts climbed to 16.0 per game. ^[1][3]

The shortened line also produced some gaudy individual performances. In 1995–96, Dennis Scott of the Orlando Magic set what was then an NBA record with 267 three-pointers made in a single season. A year later, Reggie Miller and others continued to exploit the closer arc, and the league's three-point percentage jumped to 36.4% in 1996–97, the highest it had been in years. ^[1][4]

Why the league changed its mind

By 1997, the NBA had a different problem: the three-point shot was no longer a specialist's weapon but a staple of every team's offense. Critics argued that the short line made the game too easy for shooters and distorted the value of the three-pointer relative to the two. Some felt it reduced the premium on traditional inside play and mid-range shooting. ^[2][3]

Before the 1997–98 season, the league restored the line to 23 feet 9 inches (and 22 feet in the corners). The move was part of a broader effort to return to a more balanced game. Scoring did not collapse — teams averaged 95.6 points per game in 1997–98 — but three-point attempts fell back to 12.7 per game as players readjusted to the longer distance. ^[1][3]

1. 1993–94

   NBA scoring averages 101.5 points per game, among the lowest in league history to that point.

2. 1994–95

   Three-point line shortened to a uniform 22 feet; attempts jump to 15.3 per game.

3. 1995–96

   Dennis Scott sets a single-season record with 267 three-pointers made.

4. 1996–97

   League three-point percentage reaches 36.4%, a recent high.

5. 1997–98

   Line restored to 23 feet 9 inches (22 feet in corners); attempts drop to 12.7 per game.

The short-line experiment remains a unique chapter in NBA history. It showed that changing the arc could dramatically alter shot selection and scoring, but also that the league valued the traditional distance as part of the game's identity. Today's three-point boom, with teams attempting over 30 threes per game, might never have happened without that brief, controversial test. ^[2][3]