Can Shooting Under Pressure Benefit 3-Point Shooters in Basketball? – An Exploratory Field Study

Aim: The purpose of the current exploratory study was to examine the shooting ability of 3-point shooters in basketball when they shoot in two game conditions – under pressure of defense and under a no-defense condition. It was assumed that the percentage of shooting 3-point shots in basketball would be higher when the shooter is free than under the pressure of defense, since the first condition allows enough time to aim at the rim and make a successful shot.

Methods: Four hundred and seventy-three 3-point shots in basketball were analyzed. The shots were performed by 12 players (males) who played in Division 1 (the best division in Israel, composed of 12 professional clubs) in the 2013-2014 season.

Results: Preliminarily analysis of the shooting data shows that the percentage of shooting was higher (53.9%) under the pressure of defense than under a no-defense condition (26.9%). This finding was also observed when shots were analyzed under different game situations, among them the score of the game when the shot was taken, the use of dribbling by the shooter, and the acts performed by the shooter prior to the execution of the shot.

Discussion: The data in the current exploratory study are discussed using the theoretical framework proposed by Kahneman (2011) – fast and slow thinking. It is suggested that performing under pressure where shooters do not have the time to think too much about their shots might be more beneficial than performing under a situation where shooters have time to plan their actions in advance, namely to think.