Hollinger's Best Defensive Teams Rankings

[Srupsog]

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/sort/defensiveEff/order/false

Do you guys agree with these rankings and do you guys think this truly reflects each team's defensive performances and abilities?

[Sense]

that looks about right...

[admiralsnackbar]

It's weird: on the one hand you want a large enough sample size to be thorough, but on the other, 82 games is a long season and teams play up and down. Is Hollinger accounting for the impact of key players out for significant time due to injury but now back in the line-up? Or trades? Or the fact there are more bottom-feeders in the EC than the WC? Doesn't look like it.

Kinda pointless, analysis IMO. Would have been more interesting to plot the defensive ratings on a graph over the course of the season to look for trends and whatnot.

[Sense]

:lol do you believe we are better than a rank 10?

[dbestpro]

:lol do you believe we are better than a rank 10?

As bad as the turd towers from the bench have been I am surprised we are ranked that high.

[admiralsnackbar]

:lol do you believe we are better than a rank 10?:lol Nah, our defense is dogshit.

I'm talking about the Lakers being behind Miami, or more egregious/hilarious teams like Philly being in front of Memphis, OKC, Portland, Denver, Dallas? You fucking kidding me? :lol

[Cane]

:lol do you believe we are better than a rank 10?

Perhaps. Come playoffs time Duncan and McDyess will be playing more minutes in addition to the rest of the big 3 which should help. Match ups are also key in the playoffs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Philly has been awesome defensively.

Hell, AI just might be the best perimeter defender in the league right now.

[admiralsnackbar]

Philly has been awesome defensively.

Hell, AI just might be the best perimeter defender in the league right now.

I agree -- he might be... and Brand and T. Young are no slouches either, but have they been 5 places better than OKC the past few months? Were they better than Dallas before the injuries wiped them out? I don't think so. This is what I mean about averaging the whole season to get these ratings: trades and injuries change teams, as does what point in the season they're playing in. And disparities in talent in the divisions skew the results, too.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I agree -- he might be... and Brand and T. Young are no slouches either, but have they been 5 places better than OKC the past few months? Were they better than Dallas before the injuries wiped them out? I don't think so. This is what I mean about averaging the whole season to get these ratings: trades and injuries change teams, as does what point in the season they're playing in. And disparities in talent in the divisions skew the results, too.

I see your point.

[PÒÓCH]

The Spurs would be ranked just as high if they played in the east, with all those cupcake teams who don't play defense.
Note that all the top teams are in the east.
Coincidence?


http://www.illinoisphoto.com/pictures/d/80478-1/big+eye+photo.jpg

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Yeah, if Hollinger was really thinking with his magic formulas he'd determine each team's defensive ranking against every other individual team, and then compute an equally weighted per-team-opponent average. That way the West teams aren't penalized for having to play each other 52 times versus the East elite only having 30 games against the West squads.

[howbouthemspurs]

If we had a Bowen on our team, our defense would be ten times better! Thats why he should have his Jersey retired in the rafters at the AT&T center cause the spurs wouldnt have four championships without him ... they would still have only one!

[Shifty]

It's weird: on the one hand you want a large enough sample size to be thorough, but on the other, 82 games is a long season and teams play up and down. Is Hollinger accounting for the impact of key players out for significant time due to injury but now back in the line-up? Or trades? Or the fact there are more bottom-feeders in the EC than the WC? Doesn't look like it.

Kinda pointless, analysis IMO. Would have been more interesting to plot the defensive ratings on a graph over the course of the season to look for trends and whatnot.

This.

[BRs.Ganso]

2003 - 2ND and Champions
2004 - 1ST not
2005 - 1ST and Champions
2006 - 2ND not
2007 - 3RD and Champions
2008 - 4TH not
2009 - 6TH not
2010 - 9TH not
2011 - 10TH ??????