Whether we like it or not, fouls are a major factor in basketball. (That is why officiating is more crucial in basketball than in any other major sport.)
Most teams have two or three players that are their "go to" guys, who are significantly better than the rest of the roster. Then again, if a team has to go past its normal rotation, you obviously have another dropoff in play. If your #2 player is half again better than your #6 player, and your #6 player is in the game because your #2 player is in foul trouble, that is a major advantage to the opponent.
It is a statistical fact that most teams that rely primarily on the 3-point shot do not get fouled very much, so their opponents do not have to go down into their less-productive players as often. The new 3-point play is flashier than the "old-fashioned three," but the old way has the advantage that after you make it, your opponent may have to go to the bench, while the new 3 costs him nothing but the points. If you can make 3's in a manner that are more costly to your opponent, why not try that way first?
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