The Harlem Globetrotters have never met a gimmick they didn't like, and on Sunday will unveil a new one -- the 4-point shot.
There will be two designated 4-point shooting spots on each side of midcourt, 35 feet from the basket. (That's 12 feet further from the basket than the NBA's 3-point line.) The Trotters play their traditional doormat, the Washington Generals, in Orlando on Sunday. (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET)
A Globetrotters press release quotes Generals president Red Klotz saying: "Bring it. Long-range marksmanship is a Generals trademark, and we've already installed several new plays to take advantage of the 4-pointer. If anything, this only makes us stronger."
The Generals haven't defeated the Globetrotters since January 1971, when Klotz was still playing and sank the game-winning shot in Martin, Tenn.
-- Tom Weir
About Reid and Mike
Reid Cherner has been with USA TODAY since 1982 and written Game On! since March 2008.
He has covered everything from high schools to horse racing to the college and the pros. The only thing he likes more than his own voice is the sound of readers telling him when he's right and wrong.
Michael Hiestand has covered sports media and marketing for USA TODAY, tackling the sports biz ranging from what's behind mega-events such as the Olympics and Super Bowl to the sometimes-hidden numbers behind the sports world's bottom line.
