The NBA is changing the way it accounts for end-of-quarter desperation shots, presumably to encourage players to attempt long-distance heaves without worrying about the impact on their shooting percentage.
It’s common practice among players to throw the ball from halfcourt or beyond just after the final horn has sounded in a quarter, to see if they make the shot without absorbing the nearly inevitable “miss” onto their boxscore stats. But when a real attempt is made and the shot goes in, the results can be show-stopping.
The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov shared today that, starting next season, the league will account for end-of-quarter shots differently during the first three quarters of the game. If a play starts in the back court, a shot is attempted beyond 36 feet (approximately the nearer side of the halfcourt circle on the side of the bucket being shot at), and the shot comes within the final three seconds, any miss will be credited to the team but not the individual shooter.
Starting next season, the NBA won't count an end of quarter heave as a missed shot for a player. It'll be a missed shot for the team. That's if the shot came from at least about 36 feet out, came in the final 3 seconds of the first three quarters, and the play started in the backcourt.
— Mike Vorkunov (@mikevorkunov.bsky.social) 2025-07-05T17:04:29.971Z
This rule frees players to take long-distance shots at the end of quarters without worrying about any negative consequences personally. It should lead to an uptick of legal, on-time buzzer-beater attempts. That’s good for the league and its highlight reels.