The Best Long-Distance Plays of the 2024–25 NBA Season
The 2024–25 NBA season delivered another spectacular collection of long-range basketball moments. From shots launched well beyond the three-point line to creative passes that travelled nearly the length of the court, NBA stars repeatedly showed that distance is no longer a barrier.
The NBA's official highlight collection brought together some of the season's most spectacular long-distance shots, assists and other plays, showcasing just how far modern NBA players are willing—and able—to play from the basket.
🔥 When Distance Becomes Part of the Skill
There was a time when a shot from several feet behind the three-point line was considered a desperate attempt.
That is no longer the case.
Players such as Stephen Curry have completely changed the definition of shooting range. During the 2024–25 season, Curry continued to attempt—and make—shots from distances that would once have been considered unrealistic. His evolution has helped make extremely deep three-pointers an increasingly normal part of NBA offense.
The result is a league where defenders cannot simply protect the three-point line.
They have to worry about the area several feet behind it, too.
🎯 Deep Three-Pointers Steal the Spotlight
Long-distance shooting was naturally at the heart of the NBA's best plays.
The 2024–25 season produced countless moments where players pulled up from well beyond conventional three-point range, often with defenders several steps away.
Some were transition shots.
Others came from broken possessions, late-clock situations or simply extraordinary confidence.
And when the ball went through the net, the reaction was often immediate: teammates rushing toward the shooter, opponents looking stunned and crowds exploding.
That combination of skill and audacity is what makes deep NBA shooting so entertaining.
🪄 Long-Distance Assists: The Other Side of the Highlight
Long-range basketball isn't only about scoring.
The NBA's official Top 50 Assists from 2024–25 collection specifically highlights long-distance passes alongside no-look passes and other spectacular creations.
These plays require extraordinary vision.
A guard can grab a defensive rebound and immediately launch a pass toward a teammate running down the court. A center can spot a cutter from the opposite side of the floor. Or a ball-handler can deliver a cross-court pass through a narrow window that appears to exist for only a fraction of a second.
The best long-distance assists often look effortless.
But behind them are timing, awareness, anticipation and incredible passing accuracy.
🌟 Nikola Jokić and the Art of Seeing What Others Don't
Few players demonstrate the creative side of long-distance passing better than Nikola Jokić.
The Denver Nuggets center once again produced spectacular assists throughout 2024–25, using his size and unusual court vision to create opportunities that many players simply would not see.
The NBA's official Assist Week collection included Jokić among the featured playmakers of the season.
His passing is a reminder that long-distance basketball isn't necessarily about power.
Sometimes it is simply about seeing the game one move ahead.
🚀 Stephen Curry: Range Without Limits
If there is one player who has become synonymous with extraordinary distance, it is Stephen Curry.
Curry's influence on long-range shooting has fundamentally changed basketball. During 2024–25, he continued to take shots from extraordinary distances and force defenses to extend far beyond the traditional three-point line.
His range creates a tactical problem that goes beyond his own scoring.
When Curry crosses half court, defenders know he may already be within shooting range.
That opens space for teammates.
It changes defensive positioning.
And it can completely alter the geometry of an NBA possession.
📈 The Three-Point Revolution Continues
The growing popularity of deep shooting is part of a larger transformation in NBA basketball.
Teams increasingly prioritise spacing, quick ball movement and three-point attempts. Players who can shoot accurately from distance can change the way an entire offense operates.
The 2024–25 season provided countless examples.
Michael Porter Jr., for example, remained one of the NBA's most dangerous long-range shooters, recording a fifth consecutive full season shooting at least 39% from three-point range.
Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon produced a career-best shooting season and showed that even players not traditionally viewed as elite perimeter shooters can dramatically expand their range.
🏀 Why These Plays Matter
Long-distance highlights are entertaining, but they also tell us something important about the modern NBA.
The court has effectively become bigger.
Defenses must now account for players shooting from distances that were previously considered low-percentage territory.
That creates more space inside the arc.
It encourages faster ball movement.
And it rewards players capable of making difficult decisions under pressure.
A deep three-pointer may appear to be an individual highlight, but its tactical consequences can influence an entire game.
🏁 Final Thoughts
The 2024–25 NBA season once again demonstrated that basketball is evolving at extraordinary speed.
Deep three-pointers, full-court assists and creative long-distance plays have become some of the most exciting moments in the sport.
From Stephen Curry's unlimited range to Nikola Jokić's extraordinary passing vision, the season provided plenty of evidence that the modern NBA is being played farther from the basket than ever before.
And perhaps that is the most exciting part.
The next generation of NBA players has grown up watching these shots.
What seemed impossible a decade ago is now becoming routine.
Long distance isn't just a highlight anymore. It's part of the modern NBA game.
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