Vital Signs.....

Team statistics are analogous to a patients vital signs. Sure the win-loss columns are like a visual and physical exam, but there's more information to be had if one troubles themselves to take a look. Since many on this board are concerned about the Spurs viability in the long run, I thought it necessary to take a look at those vitals and see where the team is currently. It's not all doom and gloom as you can clearly see.....

http://www.nba.com/statistics/sortab...able1.html#top

1) Don't look now, but the Spurs are #2 in point differential. They trail only Boston.

2)They are second in assist differential, a relative indicator of team play. Since the Spurs have so many scoring options who don't necessarily create for themselves, this is a good sign that the chemistry is finally coming together.

3) They rank 5th in scoring defense and 10th in opponent FG%. Not too shabby for a team whose fanbase is constantly deriding the teams defense. The new paradigm is "bend but don't break" so to speak. We aren't a defensive juggernaut anymore. One look at the personnel on this team should tell you that. Get over it.

4) The team is 9th in the league in scoring offense. I take this with a grain of salt however. Teams like Memphis, Toronto, Sacto, and GS are ahead of them. The offensive output thus far seems adequate enough to offset any defensive liabilities we may have (the Dallas game nonwithstanding :lol)

5) Finally, in the most important stat line the Spurs trail the best team in the league by a whopping 4 games. They trail the best in the East by a whopping 2 games, and all of this while integrating 4 substantial new pieces into the mix. They are 3-1 against +.500 teams in their last four as well. Say what you want about Pop and the coaching staff, at the end of the day the Spurs are right there just as they always have been since the arrival of 5-Oh....

So keep your heads up and brush that dirt off your shoulders. The Spurs have and the drive for five is still alive.

:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

Edit : Those of you concerned about turnovers - They rank 2nd WORST in TO differential still and 10th overall. Room for improvement, but a substantial jump over where this team was just 12 games ago.

great post! thanks a lot!

Good job Agloco...The season is really only beginning with the spurs. All is well in spursland.

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Originally Posted by Agloco

5) Finally, in the most important stat line the Spurs trail the best team in the league by a whopping 4 games. They trail the best in the East by a whopping 2 games, and all of this while integrating 4 substantial new pieces into the mix. They are 3-1 against +.500 teams in their last four as well. Say what you want about Pop and the coaching staff, at the end of the day the Spurs are right there just as they always have been since the arrival of 5-Oh....


:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

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Nice post! I was looking at the standings and thinking the same thing.
If a lot of the Spurs fans on this board are complaining about the Spurs performance, I wonder what other fans of teams below the Spurs are thinking about their teams performance?

If you'd read some of the post without knowing the standings, you'd think we were headed for the lottery!

BELIEVE!!!

I'm thrilled with our progress! I'm excited to see this team get even better!

Good stuff.

How are our turnover rates looking, both our own and those forced? That was a pretty big concern of mine back in November.

Nice post!!

We should all just be confident in our wonderful team!

Good post, hopefully this team is coming along just like the 2003 team did.

Also, point differential has always been a very important, if often undervalued stat. It's a very good indicator and it doesn't matter which teams you beat by a lot. I know people say we've only been able to blow out the bad teams, but this is exactly the norm - obviously every year the teams with the best PD have generated it mainly against the inferior opponents, however, historically this has been a good indicator for contenders.

Yes. Now if we can stop the dumb turnovers we will really be something to see. Good to see our spurs playing some ball.

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Originally Posted by Stump

Good stuff.

How are our turnover rates looking, both our own and those forced? That was a pretty big concern of mine back in November.

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They rank 2nd in turnover differential and 10th overall. This is an improvement over the earlier part of the season.

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Originally Posted by Agloco

They rank 2nd in turnover differential and 10th overall. This is an improvement over the earlier part of the season.

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Are those numbers over the entire season or just the last few weeks.

If the former, I am beyond surprised.

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Originally Posted by Stump

Are those numbers over the entire season or just the last few weeks.

If the former, I am beyond surprised.

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Thru 37 games :tu

Wow. Thanks for the research!

A man after my own heart on these stat categories...categories I look at all the time, also. The Opp. FG% is still a concern but with the offensive fire-power boost this season, it's not as uncomfortable. The Spurs were able to get by with this kind of Opp. FG% in '07 but not without help from Golden State ousting Dallas in the playoffs. That gave the Spurs a clearer shot through the conference to the Finals.

Where this inadequacy shows is in crunch time. Getting stops against quality opponents in close games. I'm still concerned about Richard Jefferson's on-ball defense at end of games. He ended up on Westbrook at the end of regulation and end of OT in OKC game. Westbrook got plenty of space to shoot and send the game to OT and again on his last shot that hit iron. Same issue with McDyess. So Pop may need to tweak the end-game lineups a bit more...or tweak RJ some more.

BTW, on a humorous note, at first glance of your thread title before opening it, I saw "Vital Signs....." and thought...."hmmmm, who is Vital?"

Our rebounding has been very good as well - we're top 3 - this is something that makes me very excited about our chances, as we've really struggled in that department against LA and Dal in the playoffs in recent years.

i clicked on here thinking some foreigner was signed to a team. haha

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Originally Posted by Solid D

A man after my own heart on these stat categories...categories I look at all the time, also. The Opp. FG% is still a concern but with the offensive fire-power boost this season, it's not as uncomfortable. The Spurs were able to get by with this kind of Opp. FG% in '07 but not without help from Golden State ousting Dallas in the playoffs. That gave the Spurs a clearer shot through the conference to the Finals.

Where this inadequacy shows is in crunch time. Getting stops against quality opponents in close games. I'm still concerned about Richard Jefferson's on-ball defense at end of games. He ended up on Westbrook at the end of regulation and end of OT in OKC game. Westbrook got plenty of space to shoot and send the game to OT and again on his last shot that hit iron. Same issue with McDyess. So Pop may need to tweak the end-game lineups a bit more...or tweak RJ some more.

BTW, on a humorous note, at first glance of your thread title before opening it, I saw "Vital Signs....." and thought...."hmmmm, who is Vital?"

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+1

I see the same things. Especially with McDyess, since I think he should be defending a lot better at this point than he actually is. Unfortunately it's going to take RJ a bit longer to shake off the defensive rust and get back to respectability, if he ever does. You're right, Westbrook had an awful lot of room to shoot and we're lucky he didn't the game winner. It was a good look.

RJ still tends to be a bit loose when handling the ball in traffic, almost as if he's in slow motion when he's about to bring the ball up over his head. The result? A 1 for 2 trip to the line vs an and-one opportunity. Cleaner play from him would make me smile a lot, he need not score anymore than he does necessarily.

But you're beginning to see the small things come together (RJ's game winner, McDyess hitting his shots consistently, less sloppy play, etc.), and it's an additive effect which will make the team a contender down the road.

As for Vital? Perhaps I'll make a troll by that name :lol

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Originally Posted by Agloco

Team statistics are analogous to a patients vital signs. Sure the win-loss columns are like a visual and physical exam, but there's more information to be had if one troubles themselves to take a look. Since many on this board are concerned about the Spurs viability in the long run, I thought it necessary to take a look at those vitals and see where the team is currently. It's not all doom and gloom as you can clearly see.....

http://www.nba.com/statistics/sortab...able1.html#top

1) Don't look now, but the Spurs are #2 in point differential. They trail only Boston.

2)They are second in assist differential, a relative indicator of team play. Since the Spurs have so many scoring options who don't necessarily create for themselves, this is a good sign that the chemistry is finally coming together.

3) They rank 5th in scoring defense and 10th in opponent FG%. Not too shabby for a team whose fanbase is constantly deriding the teams defense. The new paradigm is "bend but don't break" so to speak. We aren't a defensive juggernaut anymore. One look at the personnel on this team should tell you that. Get over it.

4) The team is 9th in the league in scoring offense. I take this with a grain of salt however. Teams like Memphis, Toronto, Sacto, and GS are ahead of them. The offensive output thus far seems adequate enough to offset any defensive liabilities we may have (the Dallas game nonwithstanding :lol)

5) Finally, in the most important stat line the Spurs trail the best team in the league by a whopping 4 games. They trail the best in the East by a whopping 2 games, and all of this while integrating 4 substantial new pieces into the mix. They are 3-1 against +.500 teams in their last four as well. Say what you want about Pop and the coaching staff, at the end of the day the Spurs are right there just as they always have been since the arrival of 5-Oh....

So keep your heads up and brush that dirt off your shoulders. The Spurs have and the drive for five is still alive.

:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

Edit : Those of you concerned about turnovers - They rank 2nd in TO differential and 10th overall. Room for improvement, but a substantial jump over where this team was just 12 games ago.

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Nice work. One more stat on the defensive improvement. Effective FG % factors in the effect of the 3pt shot. The Spurs are 4th in the NBA in opponent eFG% (they are second to Phx in their own eFG%).

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Originally Posted by Agloco

They rank 2nd in turnover differential and 10th overall. This is an improvement over the earlier part of the season.

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Please recheck these numbers. The Spurs are dead last in turnovers created and are at -66 in turnover differential for the season to date. They are much worse than 2nd overall in turnover differential.

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Originally Posted by Stump

Wow. Thanks for the research!

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You're quite welcome. Just trying to do my part to improve the board. :toast

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Originally Posted by Mel_13

Nice work. One more stat on the defensive improvement. Effective FG % factors in the effect of the 3pt shot. The Spurs are 4th in the NBA in opponent eFG% (they are second to Phx in their own eFG%).



Please recheck these numbers. The Spurs are dead last in turnovers created and are at -66 in turnover differential for the season to date. They are much worse than 2nd overall in turnover differential.

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Hmmm.....

NBA.com says differently. Sort by Game Infractions. TO per game and TO diff are given.

finally, someone with something good to say about our team.

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Originally Posted by Agloco

Hmmm.....

NBA.com says differently. Sort by Game Infractions. TO per game and TO diff are given.

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Positive differential is bad in that stat. They are second worst, not second best.

:toast

great post....



Go Spurs Go!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Mel_13

Positive differential is bad in that stat. They are second worst, not second best.

:toast

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Yeap yeap yeap. Wrong as usual. :depressed:depressed

They are 10th overall in total TO no? Or am I upside down on that too?

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Originally Posted by Agloco

Yeap yeap yeap. Wrong as usual. :depressed:depressed

They are 10th overall in total TO no? Or am I upside down on that too?

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:lol

You're right on that. They have been steadily improving in that stat over the last month.

I check this page every day to get a sense of where the Spurs stand relative to the league. You get the raw numbers and then various ratings that adjust for pace:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/.../NBA_2010.html

Seems like a lot of the TOs are just from bad handling of the ball while dribbling or careless or forced passing or even catching routine passes rather than from anything the other team does. Hopefully this is fixable.

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Originally Posted by wildbill2u

Seems like a lot of the TOs are just from bad handling of the ball while dribbling or careless or forced passing or even catching routine passes rather than from anything the other team does. Hopefully this is fixable.

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+1

It's primarily a chemistry issue, and one that the Spurs are improving on as evidenced by the other stats and their play over that last 12 games. TO are usually the last to come around I think.

If I remember correctly (and I'm too lazy to look up the stats right now) the Spurs have historically always been average in TO differential. It's more of a case of them being really really careful with the ball, as opposed to forcing opponent TOs over and above that team's season average.

So, while that may be important for other teams, I wonder how important it is as an indicator of the Spurs defensive prowess.

Agloco, I love "viewing" your post...sometimes multiple times.
Reading them's not bad either. :lol

Great post! Progress is being noted. Two great games in a row and a succession of steady improvements with room for more. I like it!

You mean the Spurs are better now than they were at the beginning of the season!!??!!?? :wow :rolleyes

This team is in a race with time -- to determine how best to play together and what combinations to use (that's the downside of having such depth and so many potential choices).

If they win the race, they have a chance at another ring.

If not they're just another year older (according to most, anyway) . . .

Nice data.

Good post.