FiveThirtyEight: Spurs were the 2nd best team in the NBA this season

[Uriel]

FiveThirtyEight created a statistical formula called "Elo ratings" that ranked all NBA teams across history.

Unsurprisingly, the '14-'15 Warriors were the top rated team in the NBA. But who was the #2 ranked team for the 2014-2015 season? Not the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, or even the Los Angeles Clippers. No, the 2nd best team in the league this year was the San Antonio Spurs.

That fluke Clippers series is the gift that keeps on giving.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/...g-to-elo/#fn-5

[Seventyniner]

This year's Spurs had an ELO rating of 1711 (#38 all time out of 1485 team-seasons in the list), but the Clippers had a 1701 (#53 all time) and a 10-point ELO difference is pretty small. Home court likely swung the series; I believe that most computer models had the Clippers winning in 7 because of that.

If you didn't read the article, 1500 is average, 1800 is all-time great, 1200 is all-time awful.

I think this is a good argument to bring back the same squad again, actually. With better health the Spurs would have easily been the #2 seed in the West. I still think they would have fallen to the Warriors in 6. But the "OMG first round exit break up the team now" stuff is overblown. If the Spurs can get an All-Star like Aldridge or M. Gasol without breaking up the team's core, you have to consider it. Don't do it as a desperation move because such desperation is currently unwarranted.

[Beaverfuzz]

Game 6. There shouldnt have been a game 7. Spurs shat all over themselves in that one.

[Dex]

Home court likely swung the series; I believe that most computer models had the Clippers winning in 7 because of that.

The frustrating part is that the Spurs certainly had their chances. Coming back to San Antonio after the Game 2 win, a poor showing in Game 6, ...even up in the waning minutes of Game 7.

If the Spurs were striking on all cylinders and executing the way they are fully capable of...they win that series. Unfortunately, that seemed to be lacking all season. We were just a step behind, and that allowed the Clippers to get a leg up.

[TampaDude]

Parker and Splitter being not at 100% hurt, too.

[BillMc]

Parker and Splitter being not at 100% hurt, too.

This

[Poolboy5623]

Game 6. There shouldnt have been a game 7. Spurs shat all over themselves in that one.

That was the game rivers looked like mj, correct?? Lol and some still think the Spurs should have moved on..

[kobyz]

This was the year to win it all, We had the team and a great oportonity to get another le, it's unacceptable how Pop ed up the season, too bad that's our swang song, that was our last chance, next year thunder will come back, cavs and warriors will be more experience with better form, there will be no more opportunities for us!

[Sean Cagney]

This year's Spurs had an ELO rating of 1711 (#38 all time out of 1485 team-seasons in the list), but the Clippers had a 1701 (#53 all time) and a 10-point ELO difference is pretty small. Home court likely swung the series;

HC did swing that series no doubt, so much for Home Court does not matter and seeding etc., it did.

That was the game rivers looked like mj, correct?? Lol and some still think the Spurs should have moved on..

That was game 4 I believe.

[Budkin]

Game 6. There shouldnt have been a game 7. Spurs shat all over themselves in that one.

This. Just an embarrassing performance all around. This game showed us all that the Spurs didn't give a about repeating.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Still got 5

[kobyz]

Power of will, spurs didn't have enough of and this what let the le to get away from us, it's so ugly to lose nba le because of it...

[FkLA]

That fat Enrique doomed us. I have no doubt that a Paddy/CoJo combo at PG would have us in the WCF right now. Honestly, who knows if we even get past OKC and experience 5 if that fat doesn't quit at halftime of Game 6.

[Budkin]

Still got 5

Always, best ing le ever.

[K...]

That fat Enrique doomed us. I have no doubt that a Paddy/CoJo combo at PG would have us in the WCF right now. Honestly, who knows if we even get past OKC and experience 5 if that fat doesn't quit at halftime of Game 6.

I really think splitter is the biggest loss. We can replace offense but we can't replace splitter for pick and roll defense. Blake featured on Barnes and that got him hyper confident. One more body to slow him down could have made the difference. Better coaching could have made the difference. Parker is probably the third biggest reason we lost

[SupremeGuy]

If we bench porker, we win. It's that ing simple. Pop's loyalty is what doomed us...

[RD2191]

That fat Enrique doomed us. I have no doubt that a Paddy/CoJo combo at PG would have us in the WCF right now. Honestly, who knows if we even get past OKC and experience 5 if that fat doesn't quit at halftime of Game 6.

If we bench porker, we win. It's that ing simple. Pop's loyalty is what doomed us...

[tholdren]

This year's Spurs had an ELO rating of 1711 (#38 all time out of 1485 team-seasons in the list), but the Clippers had a 1701 (#53 all time) and a 10-point ELO difference is pretty small. Home court likely swung the series; I believe that most computer models had the Clippers winning in 7 because of that.

If you didn't read the article, 1500 is average, 1800 is all-time great, 1200 is all-time awful.

I think this is a good argument to bring back the same squad again, actually. With better health the Spurs would have easily been the #2 seed in the West. I still think they would have fallen to the Warriors in 6. But the "OMG first round exit break up the team now" stuff is overblown. If the Spurs can get an All-Star like Aldridge or M. Gasol without breaking up the team's core, you have to consider it. Don't do it as a desperation move because such desperation is currently unwarranted.

This is the reason to NOT bring back the same team. Spurs need to build for 2 teams LAC and GSW. Those who said terrible matchup = correct. However, that matchup will happen again.

[Mugen]

When do we raise the "FiveThirtyEight 2nd Best NBA Team 2015" banner?

[SpurPadre]

This year's Spurs had an ELO rating of 1711 (#38 all time out of 1485 team-seasons in the list), but the Clippers had a 1701 (#53 all time) and a 10-point ELO difference is pretty small. Home court likely swung the series; I believe that most computer models had the Clippers winning in 7 because of that.

If you didn't read the article, 1500 is average, 1800 is all-time great, 1200 is all-time awful.

I think this is a good argument to bring back the same squad again, actually. With better health the Spurs would have easily been the #2 seed in the West. I still think they would have fallen to the Warriors in 6. But the "OMG first round exit break up the team now" stuff is overblown. If the Spurs can get an All-Star like Aldridge or M. Gasol without breaking up the team's core, you have to consider it. Don't do it as a desperation move because such desperation is currently unwarranted.

If TD, Manu, and TP were all in their 20's, I'd agree with you but they are not and they are all past their primes to go along with other aging players. There is no fountain of youth formula and we can't expect our old legends to continue carrying the team on their backs. Yes Kawhi is a budding superstar but as we just witnessed in these playoffs, he's not quite ready to take the team on his back for an entire playoff run. We need to get younger and we need to get better while other teams in the league look to make upgrades. End of story.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

When do we raise the "FiveThirtyEight 2nd Best NBA Team 2015" banner?

I'm free this weekend. Preferably after 6 pm.

[spurs10]

I've got a question. Who are the champs??

[james evans]

This year's Spurs had an ELO rating of 1711 (#38 all time out of 1485 team-seasons in the list), but the Clippers had a 1701 (#53 all time) and a 10-point ELO difference is pretty small. Home court likely swung the series; I believe that most computer models had the Clippers winning in 7 because of that.

If you didn't read the article, 1500 is average, 1800 is all-time great, 1200 is all-time awful.

I think this is a good argument to bring back the same squad again, actually. With better health the Spurs would have easily been the #2 seed in the West. I still think they would have fallen to the Warriors in 6. But the "OMG first round exit break up the team now" stuff is overblown. If the Spurs can get an All-Star like Aldridge or M. Gasol without breaking up the team's core, you have to consider it. Don't do it as a desperation move because such desperation is currently unwarranted.

home court had nothing to do with it. we beat them TWICE on their court, they beat us TWICE on ours. Home court advantage would not make parker pass the ing ball when he's bricking. Home court would not make danny green hit a fuking open jump shot.

[Skull-1]

HC did swing that series no doubt, so much for Home Court does not matter and seeding etc., it did.

All I can say is:

82

[Sean Cagney]

All I can say is:

82

Pistons game, Cavs game they blew and the lowly Knicks.... Before that Portland game they blew 3 times to lose in triple OT... Memphis game they blew. Is there
any more???