You know, people say that the most important defensive statistic is FG percentage defense, so I thought it would make a good topic First, is there a big correlation between fast break points and opponent FG percentage? Everyone talks about how our fast break is so pathetic, and we're allowing our opponents to shoot .462 against us, which is 1/10 of a percentage point from being dead last in the league. Logically, the more shots you force the other team to miss, the more fast break opportunities you have. So, if we forced more opponent misses, would our fast break points go up significantly? Of course, Miami is leading the leage in FG% defense, and they could barely outscore most high school teams on any given night, let alone get a bunch of fast break points. It's hard to draw a correlation between these two statistics, because the NBA web site doesn't have a listing for fast break points anywhere... Next up is overall record and FG% defense. Minnesota, Sacramento, and Dallas are 14, 15, and 22, respectively, which is mediocre to bad, yet they are at the top of the league. Of course, the Lakers and San Antonio are 3 and 4, and they have won the last three NBA titles. So, this statistic is probably most important when it comes to playoff time and the game slows down some... Oh well, something to think about...
Fast breaks have more to do with pace of the game than actual missed shots themselves. Obviously, team philosophy plays a role into that too. FG% is the best determinent of defense. PPG allowed is all about pace of the game. I recall the Minn-Dal game a few weeks ago when Minn won 117-100. Minn only shot 50%, while Dallas only shot 40%. This came from both teams shooting over 100 shots. Keyword of the day: Pace
I believe the points per possesion stat as being a better defensive stat than FG%. My website takes a per possession statistical look at whether defenses win championships.
You make a good point A-Train. FG% has traditionally been the way to guage defense but there are other ways as well. The three teams you mentioned aren't top of the heap but they score a ton and play well in other facets of the game - rebounding, assists, steals, etc.
Fast breaks start on defense. The best way to start a fast break is to block a shot, which is why Eddie Griffin is so important to our future. Remember Hakeem throwing the long pass to Clyde to start the fast break? Having a good FG% defense does not automatically mean you are going to have more fast breaks. If your team can't REBOUND, the other team will just keep shooting until they finally make their shot. The other team may miss a lot of shots, but if you give them 4 opportunities to make the shot, they will eventually make it. Your team also has to LOOK FOR FAST BREAK OPPORTUNITIES. Our guys have had fast break opportunities that they never capitalize on. How many times have you seen Steve pull the ball up once he reaches the 3-point line? If he's not looking to score fast break points, he never will.
Does illegal pirating of software save landfill space? LMAO! That's kind of like: Would it kill a tree if you wore a bra?
Possessions are calculated by the following Possessions = Opponent's Field Goals Made + <B>0.5 * Opponent's Made Free Throws</B> + Opponent's Turnovers + Defensive Rebounds + 0.5* Blocked Shots Points are points. http://siegc.tripod.com/champs.htm Its a little old and really just a paper. I don't like FG% by itself because it is very limited. Its a good quick measure. An EE friend of mine ran the numbers
I think the statistical analysis of basketball is fun. Whether it really proves anything is arguable. If you're into statistical analysis, check out Dean Oliver's JoBS site (the dude is intense) : http://www.rawbw.com/~deano/ Also this was my favorite stats site until they stopped doing updated stats : http://www.allsports.com/nba/stats/
Thx DoD. I've been to the allsports site, but not Dean's. I think using stats with the aide of visual observation is very helpful.
Thats pretty good A-Train, but you know whats funny? Miami is like 22-1 over the past 2 yrs when they score 100 pts which tells me a lot about Rileys coaching. They other stat you brought is the fg % of Dall,Minn, and Sac. This is exactly why people don't think they'll be able to beat la in the playoffs. In fact,Sac's poor defense is the reason why they're about .500 on the road. Those other score points and win close ball games, something the Rockets haven't learned to do. More times than not, if you look at the teams with the lowest opp fg%,they're the ones winning the title. You can run your fast break and everything in the playoffs, but you must defend and rebound before you can run.
