Lowest scoring NBA game.
In today’s NBA, points are coming in at the highest rate ever. Just last season, James Harden averaged 36.1 points per game himself.
This incredible feat is just one of numerous signs proving that players and teams all over the league are scoring points at a higher rate than any other time in NBA history.
The game has not always been played at such a high pace.
Prior to the 1954-1955 season, there was no shot clock, meaning that teams could take virtually as long as they wanted on offense.
Games were ending in drastically low scores, with the final usually looking like the score at the end of an NBA game nowadays.
The lowest score ever recorded in NBA history (prior to the Shot Clock Era) took place on November 22, 1950,when the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers by an astounding score of 19-18.
Just four points were scored in the fourth quarter, qualifying as the lowest scoring quarter ever.
No Pistons player scored more than five points on the day,
but shooting 4-13 from the field and 11-15 from the free throw line was enough to pull out a victory.
George Mikan would score 15 of his team’s 18 points in a loss.
The strategy of teams was much different from the 1954-55 season and beyond.
Before the shot clock introduction, teams could take large amounts of time simply moving the ball around on offense.
If a team was winning (especially late in a game), time wasting tactics like the one mentioned before would be implemented…
which will typically resulting in a slow paced, low scoring game.
This all changed when teams were forced to shoot the ball after 24 seconds.
This change altered NBA scoring instantly, with the average of points jumping from 79 points scored per game…
to 107 points in just four years, with huge growth seen after each season.
The lowest scoring game to take place during the Shot Clock Era took place on February 27, 1955.
The Boston Celtics took the W over the Milwaukee Hawks by a score of 62-57.
Hawks center Chuck Share led all scorers with 19 points, while Boston’s Bob Cousy and Bob Brannum scored 14 points apiece.
With the addition of the three point line and expansion of the sport of basketball…
NBA games have taken on a totally different scoring dynamic when compared to these low scoring games.
Considering the stats and numbers that are put up by the best teams and players in the NBA today…