Basketball Statistics Blog

Basketball Statistician's Digest: Statistics Box Score Balance Error

"... We know that a properly completed box score should balance. The sum of the total number of individual, team and dead-ball rebounds for both teams should equal the total number of missed shots ( field and free ) for both teams.
What the statistician must do if the box score does not balance and the mistake cannot be found ? ..."

As you says a properly completed box score should be balanced. To make this determination, the statistician should add the total number of individual, team and dead-ball rebounds for both teams. This number should equal the total number of missed shots ( field and free ) for both teams.

A better balance can be achieved if rebounds are kept according to whether they are 'offensive' or 'defensive' rebounds. This must include both team and dead-ball rebounds. In this case, the sum of Team A’s offensive rebounds and Team B’s defensive rebounds must equal the total number of missed shots by Team A. Also, the sum of Team B’s offensive rebounds and Team A’s defensive rebounds must equal the number of
missed shots by Team B.

Neither check guarantees that there are no mistakes, but they do indicate that mistakes are unlikely. If the box score does not balance and the mistake cannot be found, the
eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System propose the following steps which may help:

1.- Check the dead-ball rebounds. Look at the number of two-shot fouls where the first FTA was missed.

2.- Check the team rebounds. Think about whether either team was awarded the ball for a throw-in when the ball went out of bounds after a shot.

3.- If you are working with live stats, if there was a feeling during the game that an individual should have been credited with another rebound, see if that will help. With the eBA System of Post Game Video Analysis, you'll have not this problem.

4.- Go back and decide whether another dead-ball rebound should be added.

5.- If the feeling is that the error is in the individual or team rebounds but there is no idea about which one or about which player, consider adjusting the team rebounds.

These suggestions are good if you are working with live stats and also can be used if there are too many rebounds.
And look for perfection, as we work with our eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System.

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

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