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[QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 4131499, member: 405"]
The thing about the zone, as many have commented, is that players are better shooters from 3 than they used to be.  Steph Curry is Joe Girard's inspiration, and the idea that 27 feet is not a bad shot.

When they first introduced the 3 point shot in 1987, teams averaged 3.5 makes in 9 attempts - an average of almost 39%, but based on being selective in terms of when to take them.

A couple years ago, they moved the line back to the International Distance, and teams average making 7.75 shots out of 22.45 attempts per team per game.  So, the year after the increase in distance, shooting percentage went down to an average of 34.2%.  This year, with more practice from the longer distance, the top 50 shooting teams are above 37% from three.

As teams take more and more threes, and make more of them per game, the zone HAS to have elite athletes at the edges of the zone to contest shots from 25 feet now, not just 20 feet away.  That opens up passing lanes, and makes players run farther to recover and close out open shooters.

Despite the lack of athleticism in our starting lineup, the whole concept of the zone is becoming obsolete as the game changes, and the Steph Currys of the world encourage players to get comfortable with deeper and deeper shots.  Shooting from 25-27 feet, you have to admit, results in fewer contested shots / more open looks.
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