Post by Soundwave on Jan 19, 2014 20:41:55 GMT -6
It's baaaaaaaccccccckkk!
Your instructional guide in how to win in this league is back for another year. But before we get started, let us revisit year 1.
1. You have to be able to score efficiently to win.
The top 7 teams in points scored/gm made the playoffs last season. But only 7 of the top 10 (70%) made it. And only 50% of the teams in the bottom 10 in points/gm made the playoffs. None of which got out of the 1st round.
But this doesn't tell the whole story. We all know that points per game is very dependent on pace. So I used a more trustworthy stat in Offensive Efficiency. Using this, I concluded......
9 of the top 10 in O. Eff. made the playoffs. (90%)
3 of the top 5 went to the Conference Finals. ( The Knicks, 12th, were the 4th)
Only 4 of the bottom 10 made the playoffs and none of the bottom 3.
Looking ahead at this season, 10 of the top 11 teams in O. Eff. would all make the playoffs. Only the 6th place Wolves would be left out. (by .5 games)
2. Defense Does Matter
9 of the top 11 (82%) of the top teams in points allowed made the playoffs. But let's look at the efficiency.......
11 of the top 13 (85%) made the dance. (The 5th place Raptors famously missed out by 1 point. Not a game, a point)
Only 3 of the bottom 10 made it with only one getting out the first round. (The offensively 1st place Bucks)
But only one of the top 5 made the Conference Finals. (Hawks) (The others were 7th, 10th, and 12th)
Looking ahead, 12 of our current 16 projected playoff teams are all in the top 15 in D. Eff. None of the bottom 3, and only the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 26th place teams would make the dance.
3. The Pace Factor
Running may not be the answer. Pace is scattered all over the place. Only 6 of the top 10 but all top 5 teams in pace made it. Only 1 of the top 8 made the Final Four. Our 2 Finalists ranked 18th and 22nd.
4. Rebounding
11 of the top 13 Rebounding % teams made the playoffs. I stress % because while 9 of the top 10 in actual Rebounds made it, the #2 Raptors did not. No one below 21 in % got in.
Offensive %: 7 of top 10
Defensive %: 9 of top 11
5. Turnovers and Steals
Only six of our top 10 in Turnover % made it, while the last place Hawks won the title.
8 of the top 10 in steals made it.
Conclusions:
Efficient Shooting gives you the best chance to make the playoffs.
Do Not give up good shots and your team stands a very good chance. But you still have to score more efficiently.
Rebounding can make the difference in these higher scoring games.
Turnovers or Pace do not matter as much as previously thought. But taking the ball away does.
Final Lesson: If you make your shots and make the opponent miss, you will win. DUH!
I will keep this info available for any questions or quick reference. I will be glad to answer. But my hope here is to start a bigger discussion on the art of winning Sloe.
Now let us move on to season 2.
Offense Still Rules.
Defense Doesn't Matter as Much?
Defense did not seem to be as big of a factor this season as the last. The final 4 were ranked 1,3,14,15. Although 1 and 3 did reach the finals. This gives some weight to it being important, but still not as important as offense.
Pace!!
8 of the fastest 10 made it to the playoffs. Only 2 of the bottom 6 made it. Although the #22, & 28th ranked teams were the finalists, beating the #2 & #4 ranked teams. This is a bit different than last season, but the end result is very similar.
Just like we all would have thought, fun & gun will get you there but SLOE wins the race.
Boards!
Rebound %
- 7 of top 10 made the playoffs.
- Only 1 of the bottom 9 made it.
Offensive Rebound %
- Again, 7 of the top 10 made it
- 2 of the bottom 9 made it
Defensive Rebound %
- And again 7 of the top 10 made it.
- NONE of the bottom 6
Rebounds are important!
Turnovers and Assists.
- 8 of top 10 in Turnovers made it.
- Only 1 of bottom 8 made it. (Of course the 2-time world champs)
- 6 of top 10 in Assists made it. (Not a strong stat)
- 3 of bottom 7 made it.
NEW!
3 POINTERS!!!!!
For the purposes here, I will be looking at 3PA and 3P%. My theory is that it will not be a good thing to shoot plenty of 3 pointers, but it will be better to make a good % of them.
3PA
- 6 of the top 10 made it. Only 2 made it out of the first round.
- 5 of the bottom 7 made it. 3 of which were in final 4.
- In season 1, only 5 of top 10 made it. 7 of the bottom 8 made it.
3P%
- 6 of top 10 made it. That's 1 more than season 1
- 5 of the bottom 7 made it, same as season 1.
- 3 of which were in final 4.
Well, I was right and wrong. This is not the current NBA. Shooting 3's is not a very good thing and very surprisingly % doesn't seem to matter much.
Final Conclusion:
This is still an inside game. It is won in the paint.
Scoring plenty will get you to the dance, but scoring efficiently will win it all.
Your instructional guide in how to win in this league is back for another year. But before we get started, let us revisit year 1.
1. You have to be able to score efficiently to win.
The top 7 teams in points scored/gm made the playoffs last season. But only 7 of the top 10 (70%) made it. And only 50% of the teams in the bottom 10 in points/gm made the playoffs. None of which got out of the 1st round.
But this doesn't tell the whole story. We all know that points per game is very dependent on pace. So I used a more trustworthy stat in Offensive Efficiency. Using this, I concluded......
9 of the top 10 in O. Eff. made the playoffs. (90%)
3 of the top 5 went to the Conference Finals. ( The Knicks, 12th, were the 4th)
Only 4 of the bottom 10 made the playoffs and none of the bottom 3.
Looking ahead at this season, 10 of the top 11 teams in O. Eff. would all make the playoffs. Only the 6th place Wolves would be left out. (by .5 games)
2. Defense Does Matter
9 of the top 11 (82%) of the top teams in points allowed made the playoffs. But let's look at the efficiency.......
11 of the top 13 (85%) made the dance. (The 5th place Raptors famously missed out by 1 point. Not a game, a point)
Only 3 of the bottom 10 made it with only one getting out the first round. (The offensively 1st place Bucks)
But only one of the top 5 made the Conference Finals. (Hawks) (The others were 7th, 10th, and 12th)
Looking ahead, 12 of our current 16 projected playoff teams are all in the top 15 in D. Eff. None of the bottom 3, and only the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 26th place teams would make the dance.
3. The Pace Factor
Running may not be the answer. Pace is scattered all over the place. Only 6 of the top 10 but all top 5 teams in pace made it. Only 1 of the top 8 made the Final Four. Our 2 Finalists ranked 18th and 22nd.
4. Rebounding
11 of the top 13 Rebounding % teams made the playoffs. I stress % because while 9 of the top 10 in actual Rebounds made it, the #2 Raptors did not. No one below 21 in % got in.
Offensive %: 7 of top 10
Defensive %: 9 of top 11
5. Turnovers and Steals
Only six of our top 10 in Turnover % made it, while the last place Hawks won the title.
8 of the top 10 in steals made it.
Conclusions:
Efficient Shooting gives you the best chance to make the playoffs.
Do Not give up good shots and your team stands a very good chance. But you still have to score more efficiently.
Rebounding can make the difference in these higher scoring games.
Turnovers or Pace do not matter as much as previously thought. But taking the ball away does.
Final Lesson: If you make your shots and make the opponent miss, you will win. DUH!
I will keep this info available for any questions or quick reference. I will be glad to answer. But my hope here is to start a bigger discussion on the art of winning Sloe.
Now let us move on to season 2.
Offense Still Rules.
- This past season 8 of the top 10 in points scored made the playoffs. (80%)
- That is one more team than last season. (I have a feeling we will see a difference in Defense as well, more to come)
- 9 of the top 10 in offensive efficiency made it to the dance. (90%) Same as last year
- Only 2 of the bottom 10 in OE made it
- None of the bottom 8.
- The final 4 consisted of #'s 2,4,12,14. More spread out than last season.
- The East teams were 2 and 4. Perhaps it didn't matter who made it to the finals, the East were favored?
Defense Doesn't Matter as Much?
- 6 of the top 10 in points Allowed made it.
- That's 60% this season to 80% last season.
- 8 of top 10 in Defensive Efficiency made it.
- That is the same as last season.
- 5 of the bottom 7 in Points Allowed made the Playoffs
- Only 1 of the bottom 7 in Defensive Efficiency made it. (Lakers)
- Teams from all over made it out of the first round so it is not as structured as last season, drawing me to the following conclusion.......
Defense did not seem to be as big of a factor this season as the last. The final 4 were ranked 1,3,14,15. Although 1 and 3 did reach the finals. This gives some weight to it being important, but still not as important as offense.
Pace!!
8 of the fastest 10 made it to the playoffs. Only 2 of the bottom 6 made it. Although the #22, & 28th ranked teams were the finalists, beating the #2 & #4 ranked teams. This is a bit different than last season, but the end result is very similar.
Just like we all would have thought, fun & gun will get you there but SLOE wins the race.
Boards!
Rebound %
- 7 of top 10 made the playoffs.
- Only 1 of the bottom 9 made it.
Offensive Rebound %
- Again, 7 of the top 10 made it
- 2 of the bottom 9 made it
Defensive Rebound %
- And again 7 of the top 10 made it.
- NONE of the bottom 6
Rebounds are important!
Turnovers and Assists.
- 8 of top 10 in Turnovers made it.
- Only 1 of bottom 8 made it. (Of course the 2-time world champs)
- 6 of top 10 in Assists made it. (Not a strong stat)
- 3 of bottom 7 made it.
NEW!
3 POINTERS!!!!!
For the purposes here, I will be looking at 3PA and 3P%. My theory is that it will not be a good thing to shoot plenty of 3 pointers, but it will be better to make a good % of them.
3PA
- 6 of the top 10 made it. Only 2 made it out of the first round.
- 5 of the bottom 7 made it. 3 of which were in final 4.
- In season 1, only 5 of top 10 made it. 7 of the bottom 8 made it.
3P%
- 6 of top 10 made it. That's 1 more than season 1
- 5 of the bottom 7 made it, same as season 1.
- 3 of which were in final 4.
Well, I was right and wrong. This is not the current NBA. Shooting 3's is not a very good thing and very surprisingly % doesn't seem to matter much.
Final Conclusion:
This is still an inside game. It is won in the paint.
Scoring plenty will get you to the dance, but scoring efficiently will win it all.
