San Antonio Spurs Rule Change Sparks Increase in Buzzer Beaters Attempts
The San Antonio Spurs' rule change on buzzer beaters has led to a significant increase in attempts, according to a recent study. The research paper by James W. Kemper and Noah Liptack found that players took the shot 94% of the time last season after taking it 58% in the decade prior.
The study used ESPN play-by-play data for the NBA and WNBA, covering the 2015-16 through 2025-26 seasons. The researchers reconstructed what each offensive player chose to do in the final seconds of a quarter and recovered the model's statistical state variables, including the time remaining, shot distance, and score margin.
The study's conclusion offers a comprehensive overview of not just basketball, but risk-taking as a whole.
