INTRODUCTION
Where shots come from matters more than how they look.
Teams with identical shooting percentages can produce completely different outcomes based on location.
Rim attempts generate higher efficiency, more fouls, and stronger spacing rewards.
Jump shots rely on accuracy. Paint attacks generate value before the shot ever leaves the hand.
Shot selection isn’t only about technique.
It’s about location-driven advantage.
THE PRINCIPLE — PAINT PRESSURE OUTPERFORMS SHOT MAKING
Teams that rely on jump shots must outshoot variance.
Teams that attack the paint leverage efficiency already built into the game:
higher point value, more fouls, defensive collapse, and better secondary options.
Paint attempts shape possessions.
Jump shots only finish them.
THE NUMBERS — THE GAP IS IN THE MATH
📊 League trends show:
- Rim attempts average 1.30 points per shot
- Mid-range jumpers average 0.84 points per shot
- Standard jump shots average 0.97 points per shot
- Teams in the top 10 of rim frequency average +5.6 points per game
The advantage isn’t stylistic — it’s mathematical.
Attacking the paint yields efficiency independent of shooting talent.
THE EFFECT — OFFENSIVE PRESSURE CREATES A WEALTH OF OPTIONS OPTIONS
Rim pressure forces rotations and help defense.
That creates high-value scoring opportunities:
- Kick-out threes
- Fouls at the rim
- Cutting lanes behind help
- Simplified decision reads
Paint attacks improve shot quality across the entire floor.
The value isn’t just the finish — it’s the chain reaction that follows.
THE COACHING DETAIL – TRACK LOCATION, NOT MAKE RATE
Shot charts should track shot origin and highlight the actions and concepts that produce the highest value shots, not only percentages & accuracy.
A motion offense, a ball-screen system, transition pace, or post scheme should all share one rule:
Touch the paint before you shoot.
The goal isn’t to avoid jump shots.
It’s to ensure jump shots come after paint pressure changes the defense.
Build offense around location advantage, not shot volume.
THE TAKEAWAY — PAINT TOUCHES FIRST, ALL OTHER OPTIONS SECOND
Paint touches create high-value shots.
Teams that prioritize rim attempts don’t just finish more efficiently — they produce better looks everywhere else.
Rim pressure is not a play call.
It’s an offensive identity.
