NEW NBA RIMS REASON FOR RISE IN SCORING?

Scoring and shooting are historically at their lowest in the first month of the NBA season and then steadily climb. But that's not the way this season has started. To greet the new type of rims rolled in by the league last month, league-wide scoring has risen by nearly five points through the first seven days of the regular season compared to last season. Teams are averaging a hearty 99.96 points per game, up from 95.17 during the same span in 2008-09. The league switched rim manufactures for the 2009-10 season, introducing a new Spalding basket system that includes the "Arena Pro 180 Goal" rim, which breaks away at both the front and sides. Previous collapsible rims used in the NBA broke away only from the front.

- Jason