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Eurobasket 2009: Qualifying Round ~ Russia vs. Croatia ~ 4th.Quarter

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Basketball Statistician's Digest: The Statistical Profile of a Title Team

From 20 Second Timeout By David Friedman
Download source here: ' The Statistical Profile of a Title Team '

"... What is the statistical profile of an NBA championship team? Hall of Famer Hubie Brown has always emphasized the importance of point differential. Hank Egan told me that the first statistic he looks at is defensive field goal percentage. An examination of the statistics of NBA championship teams since 1990 shows that these two categories are indeed strong indicators that a team will be successful. ..."

"... It is often said that defense wins championships and the strong rankings of recent championship teams in the category of defensive field goal percentage certainly lends credence to that thought. Still, the object of the game is ultimately to put the ball in the basket, so a championship team must be able to generate at least some offense. In fact, championship teams tend to rank toward the top of the league in scoring. ..."

"... Another pattern that is readily evident with even a cursory glance at the accompanying chart is that scoring has plummeted in the NBA, from 107.0 ppg in 1990 to a low of 91.6 ppg in the lockout shortened 1999 season.

As of 2006-07, recent rules changes that were intended to increase scoring still had not boosted that number back to triple digits. Yet, despite this obvious trend, the relative relationship between the champion’s scoring and that of the rest of the league has not changed much. ..."

"... What about rebounding? That is not included in the accompanying chart because how a team ranks in total rebounds largely correlates with the pace at which that team plays (i.e., how many missed shots are available to be rebounded).

The significant thing to note is that every one of these champions outrebounded their opponents by at least 1.6 rpg except for the two Houston teams and the 2002 Lakers. That Lakers squad outrebounded their opponents by a little more than 1 rpg, while both Houston teams were outrebounded by their opponents..."

"... Perhaps the "strangest" of these champions is the 1993 Chicago Bulls, a team that ranked 11th in field goal percentage, 15th in defensive field goal percentage, 15th in scoring and is one of only six champions in the past 18 years to score fewer points per game than the league average.

That Bulls team had a couple things in its favor, though: a good point differential (fourth best in the league) -- and a guy named Michael Jordan, who had a certain ability to do special things at the end of close games..."

Read more articles in 20 Second Timeout.

To read Today's 'Press Clippings' in Spanish, click this week above on the 'Español' tab or afterwards click here: ' Sistemas Estadísticos en el Baloncesto ' por Lic. Jorge Michel Ruiz Cañizares, MSc. Ramón Varona Nodarse y MSc. Osmani Mercadet Portillo

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tags:  basketball  ~  statistician's digest   ~  basketball analysis  ~  David Friedman
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