Steady increases in pace and three-point shooting across the NBA have contributed to major upticks in offensive performance, meaning it’s never been more difficult to stop opponents from scoring. Per Basketball Reference, average offensive efficiency was at an all-time high in 2019-20, with the 30 teams combining to score 110.6 points per 100 possessions. That broke the previous record of 110.4, which was established the previous season, in 2018-19.
As a result, “defensive specialists” sometimes seem on their way to extinction, as clubs try to field lineups featuring five players who can all do significant damage at the offensive end.