Player Pairs Analysis - 2015-16 December Edition

[rasuo214]

This version includes YTD (doesn't include the Houston game) and for the month of December.

November Edition: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255193

Description for those that don't already know what numbers are all about:

These Player Pairs statistics take a look at how the Spurs perform when various possible tandems are on the court at the same time. The numbers in the cells correspond to the tandem comprised of the name in the column and the name in the row. For example, as you can see below, the Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions when Leonard is on the court with Green.

Players are listed in the same order as last version because it's easier that way.

Green: The player in the column improved the impact of the player in the row.
Red: The player in the column worsened the impact of the player in the row.
Blue: The player in the column had neither a positive or negative impact on the player in the row.

YTD:

http://i.imgur.com/D7gONpb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gz2iEVT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EDnTfR1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ReKr2NG.jpg

December:

http://i.imgur.com/MkmVKPlm.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/MkmVKPl.jpg)http://i.imgur.com/wmNeYhUm.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/wmNeYhU.jpg)http://i.imgur.com/O6WOzgIm.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/O6WOzgI.jpg) http://i.imgur.com/mQE3EyOm.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/mQE3EyO.jpg)



If you're looking for the difference between Point Differential and Net Pairings, here's the explanation from last month (obviously the numbers will be different for the current month):


Difference between Point differential and Net Pairing. In the first Chart we seen Duncan improves everyone, so why does he have some negative net pairings? Basically the difference is in Point differential if the points per 100 possession is higher than his paired teammate then Duncan is having a positive impact (examples: Leonard is +11.3 with Duncan Leonard is +13.9, Parker is +9.9 with Duncan Parker is +12.7 etc.)

In Net Pairing it looks at the impact that both players have on one another, so while Duncan's teammates play better with him on the floor, Duncan doesn't necessarily play better in certain pairings (Leonard, Green, Parker, Aldridge, Butler, McCallum). So Net Pairing looks at whether the pairing is a net positive or negative.

Example: Duncan and Leonard, Duncan has a positive impact on Leonard but Leonard has a negative impact on Duncan. Combined they are still a net positive by +1.2 points per 100 possessions, individually Duncan is +15.3 and Leonard is +11.3, so combined you would expect at least +26.6 (15.3+11.3). Duncan with Leonard is a +13.9 (so while this is lower than Duncan's +15.3) combined Duncan and Leonard are a +27.8 (13.9+13.9) which is 1.2 points more than their combined individual base (27.8-26.6).

Best Pairs:
Duncan and Diaw/Ginobili - Maybe there's some merit in having Duncan come off the bench, or at the very least play more with those 2.
Leonard and Mills - Just like last month the starters play better with the bench and the Leonard and Mills pairing is no exception. This is Kawhi's and Patty's best offensive pairing and they aren't too bad on the defensive end as well.
Green and Parker - They're the only SL pairing with a positive Net Rating, so there's that and it's one of the few positive pairings for DG. This was before the Houston game so lets hope that changes for the better.
The Bench - Really no pairing in particular, just wanted to add that they had a great December. In fact most of the bench had favorable pairings, same can't be said for the starting unit.


Pop, Please stop playing these guys together:
Leonard and Parker - Okay maybe not the worst pairing, and this isn't a call to switch up lineups, BUT they are the worst SL pairing and to add fuel to the Parker vs Kawhi fire Kawhi does do significantly better with Patty...
Mills and Parker - While Parker and Mills do make a decent offensive pairing it isn't much of a surprise that they are among the worst defensive pairings on the team.



Offensive Stars: Ginobili, Duncan, Mills
Defensive Stars: Duncan, Leonard, Ginobili
MVP: BOBAN! :pop:

[SAGirl]

Thanks for doing these Rasuo.
Much much appreciated.
:bobo

[ducks]

Leonard does better with patty because he is more the go to go with patty in there and is playing against other teams bench

[SAGirl]

Wanted to point out specially for some bench guys the samples are really small, and involve a lot of garbage time for some guys, or a mix of real games and garbage time.

The more significant results are probably for our SL and our rotation 1-9. Simmons/Anderson alternated in December, and some games Simms played more while at others he was just between 2-8 minutes if there wasn't garbage time. Anderson played against some weaker teams and had a few good games, but outside of that, played a lot of garbage time as well. Boban was just spectacular with anyone in any pairing, but he had to have done the best with Manu/Diaw as they really know how to set him up for shots.

REally interesting thanks again.

[spurraider21]

Boban + Ginobili tho :wow

[rasuo214]

Wanted to point out specially for some bench guys the samples are really small, and involve a lot of garbage time for some guys, or a mix of real games and garbage time.

The more significant results are probably for our SL and our rotation 1-9. Simmons/Anderson alternated in December, and some games Simms played more while at others he was just between 2-8 minutes if there wasn't garbage time. Anderson played against some weaker teams and had a few good games, but outside of that, played a lot of garbage time as well. Boban was just spectacular with anyone in any pairing, but he had to have done the best with Manu/Diaw as they really know how to set him up for shots.

REally interesting thanks again.

Yea that's why I looked at the ytd version over just the December version because of the larger sample size, but still interesting to look at.

[YGWHI]

Nice job. :toast Thanks!


Pop, Please stop playing these guys together:
Leonard and Parker - Okay maybe not the worst pairing, and this isn't a call to switch up lineups, BUT they are the worst SL pairing and to add fuel to the Parker vs Kawhi fire Kawhi does do significantly better with Patty...
Mills and Parker - While Parker and Mills do make a decent offensive pairing it isn't much of a surprise that they are among the worst defensive pairings on the team.

Kawhi's playing the whole 1st quarter, almost 5-6 minutes with Patty in that quarter, but he re-enters the game with just 4-5 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter to play with Parker and the starters.

I'd like to see him playing more minutes in the 2nd quarter with the bench and less with Parker in the 1st.

[thiste]

I think it'd be interesting to categorize every opponent player in a game as 1st, 2nd and 3rd stringers. Then do stats relative to that. You could then evaluate how Boban for example fairs against 2nd unit players vs 3rd unit players, or even 1st unit players, and see where he'd best be used. I think it'd be interesting for every player in our squad tbh.

That's a brain fart I had the other day but I realize it's a lot of work and I don't have time to do it, so I don't know if anyone wants to try it.

[daledondale]

Great post. Thanks.

[$pursDynasty]

Wrong thread

[Dingle Barry]

Duncan is God.

[rasuo214]

december tables look tiny

I didn't want too many tables taking up space but you can click on the table to get a larger image.

[Raven]

it's pretty nice to see that Anderson is an above average player when with the starters. It makes perfect sense also, his length and smarts on D coupled with leonard and green make it impossible for any team to pursue a slow offense.. It's ether take chances and be fast, or you're fukked

[Hoops Czar]

This version includes YTD (doesn't include the Houston game) and for the month of December.

November Edition: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255193

Description for those that don't already know what numbers are all about:


Players are listed in the same order as last version because it's easier that way.

Green: The player in the column improved the impact of the player in the row.
Red: The player in the column worsened the impact of the player in the row.
Blue: The player in the column had neither a positive or negative impact on the player in the row.

YTD:

http://i.imgur.com/D7gONpb.jpg



I thought I understood player pairs but maybe I don't. How could the Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions when Leonard is on the court with Green. But when Green is on the floor with Leonard, get outscored by the same 10.7 points?

[From Downtown]

I thought I understood player pairs but maybe I don't. How could the Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions when Leonard is on the court with Green. But when Green is on the floor with Leonard, get outscored by the same 10.7 points?
Basically when Green is on the court with Leonard Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points,which is better than the Spurs average when Green is on the court (10.4 points)
When Kawhi is on the court the Spurs outscore their opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions,hence why that 10.7 is in red and not in green like Green's (:lol) case

[ace3g]

Numbers support the chemistry Kawhi/Simmons have on the court.

[rasuo214]

I thought I understood player pairs but maybe I don't. How could the Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions when Leonard is on the court with Green. But when Green is on the floor with Leonard, get outscored by the same 10.7 points?

This:


Basically when Green is on the court with Leonard Spurs outscore their opponents by 10.7 points,which is better than the Spurs average when Green is on the court (10.4 points)
When Kawhi is on the court the Spurs outscore their opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions,hence why that 10.7 is in red and not in green like Green's (:lol) case

It really depends on how you're looking at it. Left to right indicates whether the pairing results in a better or worse differential for Kawhi (or whichever player you're looking at), whereas up and down indicates whether it's a better or worse pairing for the player paired with Kawhi.

So Kawhi with Green they are a +10.7, that's worse than Kawhi's +16.5, so if you're looking at it left to right you'll see that it's red. The +10.7 is better than Green's +10.4 so if you're looking at it up and down you'll see that it's green in Kawhi's column.

Hope that makes it clearer.

[SAGirl]

The numbers support that Danny has been poor with either starters or bench.

[sasaint]

The numbers support that LMA ain't no Tim Duncan. That's the elephant in the room.

[SAGirl]

The numbers support that LMA ain't no Tim Duncan. That's the elephant in the room.
Boban does have an impressive impact on both ends. I kind of want him to play in the bench even though it will mean parting with one of Diaw/West. It seems inconceivable, but he makes the bench much better defensively and they have real issues protecting the rim, despite Wests toughness.
Maybe Boban is projected as a starter?
We really don't know about Tim next season, or whether he should play in the bench?
Too many issues. Lamarcus is most definitely a PF. Makes your defense elite, but he needs a real center with him.

[cutewizard]

May be Anderson could be the point forward of the starting lineup:

Duncan, LMA, Leonard, Green Lantern and Slowmoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Make it happen Pop, hehehehe

[cutewizard]

Or Boban, LMA, Leonard, Green and Slow Mo

[will_spurs]

The issue with pairings is that it's hard to say whether player 1 made player 2 better/worse, or the reverse. It only shows that a specific pair is generally over or underperforming...

[DrSteffo]

Thank you OP. Duncan, Manu and Leonard are probably the three best team players.

[gambit1990]

less parker please.

[sasaint]

Numbers support the chemistry Kawhi/Simmons have on the court.

Absolutely. We need to pair them as often as possible. Tbh, it just confirms my eye test. But the numbers also seem to support that Simmons is really improving. His December "green" column is better than his YTD "green" column. Can't wait to see his January data.