Those sleeves?
We mocked LeBron for his public disapproval of the sleeved jerseys, but they really do have a negative impact on field goal percentage.
Look, I don’t know who’s pushing these sleeved jerseys. They are so stinkin’ ugly that I can’t imagine fans are snapping them up at the outrageously inflated prices that teams and the NBA charge for replica merchandise. Maybe some guy at the NBA office is just tired of basketball being the only team sport where armpit hair is a routine part of the experience.
Anyway, here’s the “executive summary” that precedes a bunch of dry statistical explanations:
Based on a preliminary analysis of data from last season, sleeves were almost certainly responsible for a significant decrease in two point field goal percentage at Golden State.