Rockets are giving up an average of 88.4 points per game. Next closest is Minnesota, who allows an average of 92.6 ppg. Allowing an average of four points less than anybody else in the league this far in is really impressive. I did not realize our D was so good. HTML: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings?season=2007&group=league&column=avgPointsAgainst&order=true&seasontype=2
It was nice to hear the twolves tv guys gushing over the Rockets "D", calling it the best in the league and mentioning how JVG teams are always in the top 5 defensively each year.
Very interesting stat. I knew we were good, but I wasn't aware we were the best in the league. I'm very proud of what JVG has done with the team defensively. As long as the team stays healthy, this will be a year to remember.
I don't know about the best yet. But we are only 14 games in and we've got guys flying around like bees everywhere the ball goes. We totally had Minny in a full scale scramble for most of that game with an occasional breakdown due to rookie mistake, like VSpan not picking up Foye on the screen switch off. But we are only 14 games in. And Snyder is out. And Hayes missed 4 games already. I think by playoff time, our defense is going to be stifling.
We have been very consistent with our defensive intensity. This is caused by Hayes being on the floor. His energy is contagious. I'm happy to see Alston chasing agressively as well as Tmac. This is good basketball. If they continue doing this I'll get myself a ticket for the Lakers game next on the 12th. Go Rox.
We're a good defensive team, but we can be better. We play at one of the slowest paces in the league, so we'll naturally give up few points (and score few points). Based on points given up per possession, we're probably top three right now (along with the Spurs and Magic). PPG is not a reliable measure of offense/defense. We have benefitted from playing some poor offensive teams of late, though. Bulls, Knicks, Wizards, Grizzlies, Timberwolves are all below average offensive teams, statistically. Phoenix will be a tough test tonight.
I'd like to see a ratio based off of number of shot attempts per game to possessions per game. I think that would be a better guage as to how our defense is. Don't get me wrong, I think we do have a pretty good defense, but we're still mainly a half-court team, which means there will be less shot attempts, which thus implies that the points allowed will generally be fewer than that of a team with more of a run-and-gun offense, because the opposing team will have fewer possessions.
Turnovers? Keeping them off the offensive boards? Points allowed per possession ... that's what you need to look at. Defensive possessions can be estimated very closely: FGA_opp + 0.4 * FTA_opp - 1.07*(ORB%_opp)*(FG_MISSED_opp) + Tpp Just divided total points allowed by the number above. There's your defensive rating. They are shown here, under the EFF column for defense: http://www.knickerblogger.net/stats/2007/d_de.htm
When you compare our team in Yao's rookie season (under Rudy T) against basically the same team the following year (under JVG), you will find that the defence in terms of points/possession is basically identical. So the biggest difference is not Rudy T versus JVG, but Yao against anybody else at center. I haven't done a similar analysis for this year. It may well be that Battier and Snyder have improved our D significantly.
even when the league was playing a slow defensive game, JVG was still the slowest and most defensive. not the league has quickened, but not JVG. this creates the big gap in points allowed. sure we have a great defense, but points allowed isn't the best measure for defense. FG% allowed is better.
Is that what you calculated using the above formula? Because basketball-reference.com shows we went from allowing 102.8 pts/100poss to allowing only 99.1 pts/100poss. Right now, we're at 101.9 pts/100poss. League wide efficiency has increased since 2004, though, so relatively speaking we're doing very well. We were 17th in 2003, and we're currently 2nd.
I really believe that the best measure of defensive prowess is opponent FG %. JVG slows the game down. Opposing teams have less possesions against us, because we don't take shots early in the shot clock i.e. no fast breaks. So most teams shoot 80+ times/game, but only 75.3 shots/game against us. Therefore, they score less points. I believe we are fourth in defensive FG%, which is still a little biased, because teams shoot a slightly lower percentage when they can't get in a rhythm. In other words a team like Denver that shoots 48%, will likely shoot worse agaisnt us, because they won't be able to get easy fastbreak baskets and get in an offensive rhythm. I think if JVG increased the number of possessions, we would be ranked lower in defensive categories and that's why he doesn't do it. It's smart. So yall who are complaining about some Rockets games being slow, will have to get used to it . If you have a halfcourt offense with Yao (less possessions per game), then you have to combine it with a defense which works best in a halfcourt.
No, I used a different formula. I forget what it was; as I recall, you and I had a go at this a while back. Do you know how basketball-reference.com calculates its defensive ratings? Their answers differ from the output of your formula.
