NBA 2012, when does the season start?

[Al B. Sure!]

Rajon Rondo is too clutch.

[Al B. Sure!]

An interesting look at new basketball metrics:

http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/tech/post/_/id/492/492

[Demonbinder]

An interesting article about what the Bulls should do in offseason (trading Deng for a high pick) but I wonder if any team would be willing to take him with him having to get surgery on the wrist.

http://www.csnchicago.com/basketball-chicago-bulls/bulls-talk/Schanowski-Bulls-need-to-think-big-this-?blockID=719888&feedID=661&awid=5634696036156547664-915

[Al B. Sure!]

You saw that Deng averages 2.72 miles per game, the most last season of any player tracked by that system alluded to in the article I posted?

No argument in that. Just think it's interesting that Deng hustles like that and basketball players effectively are mid-distance endurance athletes.

[Demonbinder]

Yes, I did, but after my post. That is quite a stat, though. I also saw that Derrick Rose has the most secondary assists per game. I bet most of those go to Noah and then another player gets the points.

[Demonbinder]

Way to go, Boston!! Close it out when you get home. A great game.

[-Jrabbit]

Boston and OKC now both one game away from the finals, and both get a home game.

BTW, thanks for posting that article, Alby. Interesting stuff.

[rah]

You saw that Deng averages 2.72 miles per game, the most last season of any player tracked by that system alluded to in the article I posted?

No argument in that. Just think it's interesting that Deng hustles like that and basketball players effectively are mid-distance endurance athletes.

While I agree that Deng hustles, this stat has to be used in conjunction with minutes played. The more you play the more likely you'll to farther.
The only person missing from the second list is Jennings (21) Maybe they need to take this stat one step farther and calculate it as distance per minutes.


Player GP Distance Distance per game
Luol Deng, Bulls 13 35.35 2.72
Rudy Gay, Grizzlies 12 31.63 2.64
Kevin Love, T'Wolves 32 83.23 2.60
Brandon Jennings, Bucks 41 103.68 2.53
David Lee, Warriors 35 88.41 2.53

Minutes per game GP Minutes M/G
1 Luol Deng , CHI 54 2,128 39.4
2 Kevin Love , MIN 55 2,145 39.0
3 Kevin Durant, OKC 66 2,546 38.6
4 Kobe Bryant , LAL 58 2,232 38.5
5 Dwight Howard , ORL 54 2,069 38.3
6 LeBron James , MIA 62 2,326 37.5
7 Pau Gasol , LAL 65 2,429 37.4
8 Rudy Gay , MEM 65 2,422 37.3
9 David Lee , GSW 57 2,121 37.2
10 Rajon Rondo , BOS 53 1,957 36.9
11 Monta Ellis , MIL 58 2,120 36.6

[-Jrabbit]

There are other factors as well. Possession-oriented teams who use the shot clock will have fewer possessions, which means fewer trips down the floor and thus, less distance per minute. Motion offenses work harder at the offensive end than basic pick/roll teams. Etc. So maybe we need Distance/Minute/Possessions to determine who's working hardest out there.

Too lazy to do the math, rah? Here you go...

Luol Deng, Bulls 2.72 miles/39.4 minutes = 0.690 miles/minute
Rudy Gay, Grizzlies 2.64 mi/37.3 min = 0.708 MPM
Kevin Love, T'Wolves 2.60 mi/39.0 min = 0.667 MPM
Brandon Jennings, Bucks 2.53 mi/--not listed--
David Lee, Warriors 2.53 mi/37.2 min = 0.060 MPM

So there you have it: Rudy Gay is the hardest-working player in the NBA.

[rah]

A better measure.

[Al B. Sure!]

Jrabbit, you need to divide all those by 10. You did miles per 10 minutes. Deng averaged 0.069 miles/minute, not 0.69.

[-Jrabbit]

Relative standings remain the same. But thanks for the correction.

I did get David Lee right...

[Ben Kenobi]

Rudy Gay, Grizzlies 2.64 mi/37.3 min = 0.708 MPM

Olympics here we come!

Do it as mph - Deng is at about 4.14 mph.

[Demonbinder]

Crap, crap, crap. Boston forgot the game is 48 minutes, not 36. Oh well, OKC should beat them in Finals. Would have like to see the Heat go backwards (losing Finals and then losing Conference finals), but not to be. Losing in Finals twice would be just as good, though.

[Demonbinder]

OKC does the same thing they did in conference finals - give up a lead early and then pick up their defense to beat the Heat in the first game. Sounds like what Bulls would do in a lot of their games. But maybe in game 2 they can get and hold a lead early and continue that in Miami. But it will probably be a six or seven game series.