Man In Black
02-16-2013, 03:48 AM
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/02/15/nba-analytics.ap/index.html
One area where Irving could stand to improve a bit is assists per pass, where he's 65th overall and 23rd among point guards. That's a stat very dependent on having teammates who can finish, of course, and Cleveland's near the bottom of the league in true shooting percentage - which takes into account field goals, 3-pointers and free throws.
Perhaps it's not so surprising, then, that the league's leader in assists per pass is on a veteran team that's third in the league in true shooting percentage - even though he isn't a point guard. That would be Manu Ginobili (0.17), who has been slowed by a variety of injuries at age 35 but seems to be evolving as his career hits its latter stages.
His team seems to be adjusting just fine to the minute-management whims of a coach who's clearly eyeing a deep postseason run. Gregg Popovich's club has the NBA's best record at the break, which will make San Antonio awfully difficult to knock off in the playoffs should it maintain that. The Spurs have a plus-13.4 scoring margin at home, easily the best in the league.
In an era of the NBA that's blossoming on a daily basis with new ways to analyze what our eyes have seen for decades, can the decidedly old-school Spurs keep it up?
It should be fun to find out.
One area where Irving could stand to improve a bit is assists per pass, where he's 65th overall and 23rd among point guards. That's a stat very dependent on having teammates who can finish, of course, and Cleveland's near the bottom of the league in true shooting percentage - which takes into account field goals, 3-pointers and free throws.
Perhaps it's not so surprising, then, that the league's leader in assists per pass is on a veteran team that's third in the league in true shooting percentage - even though he isn't a point guard. That would be Manu Ginobili (0.17), who has been slowed by a variety of injuries at age 35 but seems to be evolving as his career hits its latter stages.
His team seems to be adjusting just fine to the minute-management whims of a coach who's clearly eyeing a deep postseason run. Gregg Popovich's club has the NBA's best record at the break, which will make San Antonio awfully difficult to knock off in the playoffs should it maintain that. The Spurs have a plus-13.4 scoring margin at home, easily the best in the league.
In an era of the NBA that's blossoming on a daily basis with new ways to analyze what our eyes have seen for decades, can the decidedly old-school Spurs keep it up?
It should be fun to find out.