Basketball Statistics Blog

Basketball Statistician Sunday's Digest: Special Efficiency Values for Playoffs

" Does the eBA System have a specific method or basic efficiency equation in terms of scoring or Points per Possession for the Playoffs time ? "

Which is the real question:
- we are trying to compare the playoffs numbers with the regular season numbers ...
- we are trying to analyze the effect of playing the same opponent for many consecutive games ... or
- we are trying to analyze points per possession ?

After the regular season, playoffs time, the fatigue have an effect upon shooting more than any other stat and effective shooting % moves downward and lower. The best players on both teams play more minutes and marginal players disappear in essence either in effectiveness or actual court appearance.

... Pau Gasol reacts to action in a Photograph from Chris Carlson at Silver Screen and Roll ...

A determined playoffs series may have differences with the regular season or from series to series, no not differences at all. Two determined high-scoring teams may give an enlarged production at all the statistics categories, but the possession value does not have direct relation with any "playoffs conversion" rate.
It is possible to apply during the playoff the following experimental formula:


Shooting Efficiency= Total Points / { FGA + ( ( FTA + Bonus FTA ) / 2 }


Rates or efficiencies should be calculated for each series, and weighted differently as the playoff round progress. An equation must be based on the players who are analyzed against the opposition and are only considered in the context of that one series.

Resuming this topic and according to eBA archives of 10 past years in the playoffs series, for the finals players tend to do worse than their regular season production/efficiency and rates tend to be around 91.4 % of what they were in the regular season, with conversion rates of 98%, 96%, 94% and 92% which could be alternatively applied for each of 4 rounds of playoffs.

This topic is resumed in the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System
at the eBA Encyclopedia > The Articles

You must be logged in to read or post a comment. Register

tags:  basketball  ~  statistician's digest   ~  basketball analysis  ~  statistics
visit:  eBA Portal  ~  eBA Forums  ~  eBA Encyclopedia  ~  eBA Clinics