Trevor
@trevorhull.com
Quora agrees (mostly): www.quora.com/In-the-NBA-w...
In the NBA why do they use the term from downtown when referring to three point shots? Wouldn't it be more correct to refer to them as sh...
Answer (1 of 3): There are multiple accounts for the origin of the phrase, and why it caught on more than others. The practice of hyperbolically saying that a long distance shot is being attempted fro...
www.quora.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Quora agrees (mostly): www.quora.com/In-the-NBA-w...
But ccupgirl’s explanation on Reddit sounds right to me, fwiw
November 5, 2025 at 4:00 AM
But ccupgirl’s explanation on Reddit sounds right to me, fwiw
But I haven’t found confirmation of the idea. I think @joshuablevin.bsky.social was on a podcast about the question in 2013, but I can’t find the actual episode. Maybe he can chime in with his findings? deadspin.com/why-do-we-sa...
Deadspin | Why Do We Say Three-Pointers Come From "Downtown?"
Deadspin | Why Do We Say Three-Pointers Come From "Downtown?"
deadspin.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:59 AM
But I haven’t found confirmation of the idea. I think @joshuablevin.bsky.social was on a podcast about the question in 2013, but I can’t find the actual episode. Maybe he can chime in with his findings? deadspin.com/why-do-we-sa...
This Reddit post claims it originally meant so far it was “outside of the are arena” and the arena was downtown. The comment also links to an amusing Hunter S. Thompson quote that complains about the usage, and points to the same Celtics announcer who coined it.
www.reddit.com/r/nba/commen...
www.reddit.com/r/nba/commen...
From the nba community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the nba community
www.reddit.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:56 AM
This Reddit post claims it originally meant so far it was “outside of the are arena” and the arena was downtown. The comment also links to an amusing Hunter S. Thompson quote that complains about the usage, and points to the same Celtics announcer who coined it.
www.reddit.com/r/nba/commen...
www.reddit.com/r/nba/commen...
It is a very dumb and confusing technical term that almost no one except genealogy nerds know. There should be a real word for it in English.
October 28, 2025 at 8:24 PM
It is a very dumb and confusing technical term that almost no one except genealogy nerds know. There should be a real word for it in English.