The NBA adopts the 3-point line: the ‘gimmick’ that changed the sport forever

The Celtics, of course, are a part of that story.

Former Boston Celtics shooting guard Chris Ford shot the very first one in the history of the NBA in the debut game of Celtics Hall of Fame small forward Larry Bird. Bird himself would hit the first one in an All-Star game and terrorized opponents in the early years of the shooting contest, created to showcase what was in many corners seen as a tacky novelty.

To those of you confused about what it is we are speaking, we of course mean the league’s adoption of the now-iconic 3-point shot. Which has not only moved off of being seen as some sort of wacky addition to the sport but an absolutely integral part of it.

And while even now it still has its critics, the origin and early history of the 3-ball remain relatively under-discussed by fans of the modern game.

To help remedy that, the folks over at The Score put together this clip detailing everything you need to know about the trey in the NBA.

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