NBA 1st Half Stats: What to Know
Contents
- NBA 1st Half Stats: What to Know
- What the Stats Mean
- How the Stats are Used
- The Significance of the Stats
- The Different Types of Stats
- The Benefits of Knowing the Stats
- The Consequences of Ignoring the Stats
- The Importance of Stats in the NBA
- The Relevance of Stats in Other Sports
- The Future of Stats in the NBA
It’s been a wild first half of the NBA season and there are plenty of stats to prove it. Here’s a look at some of the most important numbers from the first half of the season.
NBA 1st Half Stats: What to Know
The NBA season is now more than halfway over, and teams are starting to settle into their positions for the playoffs. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some key stats from the first half of the season.
One stat that stands out is Andre Drummond’s rebounding numbers. Drummond is averaging a whopping 15 rebounds per game which is 3 more than the next highest player. This has helped the Pistons stay in contention for a playoff spot, as they are currently the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference
Another player who has been putting up big numbers is Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets Walker is averaging 25 points per game which is good for 5th in the league. He’s also shooting a career-high 43% from three-point range The Hornets are currently 9th in the East, just behind the Pistons.
Finally, we have James Harden of the Houston Rockets Harden is leading the league in scoring, averaging 30 points per game He’s also second in assists, with 8 per game. The Rockets are currently 6th in the West and look like they will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.
What the Stats Mean
There are a lot of statistics that NBA teams keep track of during the course of a game. While some of these stats may not seem important at first glance, they can actually give you a pretty good idea of how a team is performing. Here are some of the most important stats to look at during the first half of an NBA game
Field goal percentage: This stat measures how often a team makes a basket, regardless of whether it is a two-point shot or a Three-Point Shot A higher field goal percentage means that the team is making more shots, and is therefore more likely to win.
Three-point percentage: This stat measures how often a team makes a three-point shot A higher three-point percentage means that the team is better at making long-range shots, and is therefore more likely to win.
Rebounds: This stat measures how many times a team gets the ball back after an opponent misses a shot. A higher rebounding total means that the team is doing a better job of controlling the tempo of the game, and is therefore more likely to win.
Turnovers: This stat measures how often a team gives the ball away to the other team. A lower turnover total means that the team is doing a better job of take care of the ball, and is therefore more likely to win.
How the Stats are Used
Numbers never lie, right?
But when it comes to the NBA, stats can be very misleading.
For example, let’s look at points per game The league leader in points per game is Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets with 26.5.
Is he the best player in the league?
No way. In fact, he’s not even close.
So why is he the leader?
Because he plays on a bad team and he has to score a lot of points to try to keep them competitive. When you’re Playing 40 minutes a night and taking 20 shots, you’re going to score a lot of points.
The best players in the league are usually at or near the top of the scoring list because they play a lot and they’re very efficient. But there are other factors that go into making a great player than just scoring points.
The Significance of the Stats
The first half of the NBA season is now in the books. All-Star Weekend has come and gone, and teams are preparing for the final push towards the playoffs. As we take stock of what has happened so far, let’s take a look at some of the key stats from the first half and what they might mean for the second half of the season.
One stat that stands out is Pace, which measures the number of possessions a team has per game. The league-wide Pace has increased from last season, meaning that teams are playing at a faster pace and there are more possessions in games. This can be attributed to several factors, including an increase in transition points and an emphasis on guard play.
What does this mean for the second half of the season? It could mean that we see even more high-scoring games and offensive explosions. It will be interesting to see if teams can keep up this pace or if they start to slow down as we head into the stretch run.
Another notable stat is True shooting percentage (TS%), which measures a team’s shooting efficiency taking into account two-point field goals three-point field goals, and Free throws The league-wide TS% has increased slightly this season, indicating that teams re shooting better overall.
What does this mean for the second half of the season? We could see even more close games as teams are able to convert more of their shots. This will be especially important in crunch time when every possession matters.
As we head into the final months of the season, keep an eye on these key stats and how they might impact the playoff race.
The Different Types of Stats
Basketball, like any sport, is full of statistics. But what do they all mean? Below is a list of the different types of stats and what they signify.
Field Goal Percentage (FG%)- This stat signifies what percentage of shots a player makes while they are on the court.
Three Point Percentage (3PT%)- This stat signifies what percentage of three pointers a player makes while they are on the court.
Free throw percentage (FT%)- This stat signifies what percentage of Free throws a player makes while they are on the court.
Points Per Game (PPG)- This stat signifies how many points a player scores on average in one game.
Assists Per Game (APG)- This stat signifies how many assists a player has on average in one game.
Rebounds Per Game (RPG)- This stat signifies how many rebounds a player has on average in one game.
The Benefits of Knowing the Stats
While some people may think that knowing the statistics of each team and player in the NBA is pointless, there are actually many benefits to understanding this information. For one, it can help make predictions about which teams are more likely to win or lose upcoming games. Additionally, looking at past performance can give insight into how a team or player may fare in the future.
This data can also be helpful for people who want to place bets on NBA games By analyzing the statistics, individuals can make informed decisions about which teams are more likely to succeed and generate a profit. In addition, those who are attending games can use this information to make strategic decisions about which players to root for.
Overall, understanding the statistics of the NBA can be beneficial for anyone who wants to learn more about the sport or has a vested interest in its outcome.
The Consequences of Ignoring the Stats
Many people believe that stats don’t matter in the NBA, but they couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, stats can tell us a lot about a team’s performance and how they are likely to fare in the second half of the season.
For example, take a look at the Cleveland Cavaliers They have one of the worst records in the league, but their stats show that they are actually a pretty good team. They rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency and their Point Differential is better than nine other teams.
What this means is that the Cavs are much better than their record indicates, and they are likely to make a run in the second half of the season. So if you’re ignoring the stats, you’re doing so at your own peril.
The Importance of Stats in the NBA
While many people believe that the NBA is all about ability and talent, stats show that there is a lot more to it than that. Good teams tend to have good players, but they also tend to have players who work well together and understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses.
In the first half of the season, the Golden State Warriors have the best record in the league. They also have the best offense, averaging 115 Points per game But they are not the only team with a great offense; the Houston Rockets are second in the league, averaging 112 points per game So what separates these two teams?
The answer lies in their defense. The Warriors are second in the league in defensive efficiency, allowing just 101 points per 100 possessions. The Rockets, on the other hand, are only average defensively, allowing 105 points per 100 possessions.
This difference is even more striking when we look at how these teams fare against other good teams. Against teams with a winning record, the Warriors are an impressive 12-3. The Rockets, on the other hand, are just 8-7 against winning teams.
So what does this all mean? It means that stats can tell us a lot about a team’s success, and that defense is often just as important as offense when it comes to winning games
The Relevance of Stats in Other Sports
Comparing apples to oranges is never easy, but in the World of Sports it happens all the time. We constantly ask ourselves things like, “How good is player X really?” and “Is this team better than that team?”. However, with so many different sports and variations within those sports, it can be difficult to find a way to compare them. One way that we can try to compare apples to oranges (or in this case, football to basketball) is by looking at stats.
The Future of Stats in the NBA
In the first half of the 2019-2020 NBA season teams are on pace to set records for Three-point shooting The Houston Rockets have made 402 three-pointers, the most in a season, while the Brooklyn Nets are on pace to make 1,218 three-pointers, which would shatter the record for most threes in a season by over 300. The Golden State Warriors are also on pace to break their own single-season record for threes made, as they currently sit at 1,077.
This surge in Three-Point Shooting has led to a corresponding increase in the importance of three-point shooting statistics. In fact, ESPN’s Real Plus Minus (RPM) now includes a “three-point shooter” category for the first time ever. This category captures a players’ contributions on offense beyond just their raw point totals.
While it is still early in the season, it is clear that three-point shooting is having a major impact on the game of basketball With this in mind, it is likely that we will see an even greater emphasis placed on three-point shooting statistics in the future.