While the NBA ushered in the era of small ball, it also ushered in the era of player data! In a regular season game not long ago, Doncic played almost the whole game, and his performance was unusually eye-catching. 25 of 33 shots, 8 of 13 three-point shots, 15 of 16 free throws, 73 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists, not only refreshed the highest score in the history of the Mavericks, Doncic scored a new career high, but also completed an excellent performance of 70+ points for the 15th time in NBA history, ranking fourth in NBA history in single-game points, and became the player with the highest single-game score in the 23-24 season.
At the same time, in the other game, the Suns' Booker also had an amazing performance, shooting 22 of 37, 6 of 12 three-pointers, and 12 of 13 free throws, scoring 62 points. However, such a standout performance failed to lead the Suns to victory over the Pacers, and Booker's 62 points were overshadowed. Just four days ago, the 76ers' Embiid shot 24 of 42 from the field and 21 of 23 from the free throw line to 70 points, 18 rebounds and 5 assists in the game against the Spurs, setting a new scoring record in team history and becoming the ninth Mr. 70 points in NBA history. However, within days, Doncic surpassed Embiid with 73 points to become the highest single-game scorer of the season.
Not only that, but Timberwolves in the West, Towns, scored 44 points in the half of the game against the Hornets, and finally scored 62 points in the game, but unfortunately, like Booker, he failed to lead the team to victory and could only end up with an empty game.
Doncic's outstanding performance attracted the attention of many stars, including Bulls star DeRozan tweeted after watching the game: "I think the highest score in a single game this season will be 100 points!" This is reminiscent of the other day when Embiid scored 70 points, Durant was shocked and had a slightly mocking expression. Now, the regular season seems to have turned into an All-Star show, with the team scoring over 130 points with ease, which undoubtedly shows the team's defensive weakness. In fact, fewer and fewer teams are really focused on defense, and "head-to-head" has become the dominant model for teams in the regular season.
To put it bluntly, fans have long been aesthetically fatigued with this scoring model. Stars have been reduced to "mechanical" scorers, and NBA ratings have continued to be sluggish. The league had hoped to attract the attention of fans with a spectator-laden offense, but it was clear that the plan was a bit miscalculated.
Today's style of play is nostalgic for the last century's era when projection was combined with hand-to-hand combat. At that time, there was Ray Allen's gentleman's sword, and there was also a blood-pumping inner meat grinder like O'Neill! It's worth mentioning that the real powerhouses in the league this season have worked defense. The Thunder and Timberwolves are both defensive teams, while the Clippers are both offensive and defensive teams, and the overall strength is very balanced. These teams don't rely on a superstar to play super, but rather defend as a whole to win.
In contrast, teams like the Mavericks, 76ers, and Suns are still obsessed with the individual performances of superstars. However, this kind of superstar-dependent tactics is not only very demanding on the physical condition and physical fitness of the star, but also can easily lead to a poor record in the regular season or a physical crisis in the playoffs, unable to go further.
The NBA's small-ball era did bring player stats, but the over-pursuit of individual performance and high scores was not the answer. The team needs to focus more on defense and overall balance, rather than relying on the brilliance of individual stars. Otherwise, no matter how good you are at scoring, your opponent will hit back with the same score. What is needed in the small-ball era is not only individual performance, but also the improvement of team understanding and overall strength. Perhaps, only on the basis of balance can the NBA truly return to that haunting era.