The impact of NBA Evolution: a 7-week numerical comparison
Adam Silver and the NBA owners, it seems, were trying to liven up this season’s product through legislative intervention – rule changes regarding freedom of movement and the re-set of the shot clock to 14 seconds following an offensive rebound. Through seven weeks and 354 games of the 2018-19 season, they spiced things up to the tune of about 10 points, five per team per game.
Here are the per-game “vital statistics” of the average NBA team through 49 playing dates for last season and for this season:
Observations:
A squad takes about three-and-a-half more FG’s this year, two-and-a-half of them treys. Notice that the usage rate (3PAr) for three-point shots is the same as the connect rate – if that holds up for the rest of the season (and unless I’m quite mistaken), this would be the first time ever that 3PAr would equal or exceed 3FG%.
Here’s a good one – the one-and-a-half increase in Total Rebounds is split pretty evenly between O-boards and D-boards ... probably accounts for the boost in OR%.
Free-throw attempts have been up about one-and-a-half per team per game all season. (And, no, I don’t know what half a free throw looks like, maybe Markelle Fultz?)
In a couple of more possessions each game, teams are committing one fewer Turnover apiece.
Final Thought
When is a small sample size no longer a small sample size?
Here are the per-game “vital statistics” of the average NBA team through 49 playing dates for last season and for this season:
2017-18 2018-19
39.0 – 85.2 FG 40.8 – 88.8
.458 FG% .459
10.4 - 28.8 3FG 10.9 – 31.2
.363 3FG% .351
.338 3PAr .351
16.9 – 22.0 FT 17.9 – 23.5
.768 FT% .764
9.6 – 43.4 OReb-TReb 10.4 – 44.9
.222 OR% .231
15.2 TO’s 14.3
.138 TO% .126
105.3 Points 110.4
98.2 Poss/Pace 100.6
Observations:
A squad takes about three-and-a-half more FG’s this year, two-and-a-half of them treys. Notice that the usage rate (3PAr) for three-point shots is the same as the connect rate – if that holds up for the rest of the season (and unless I’m quite mistaken), this would be the first time ever that 3PAr would equal or exceed 3FG%.
Here’s a good one – the one-and-a-half increase in Total Rebounds is split pretty evenly between O-boards and D-boards ... probably accounts for the boost in OR%.
Free-throw attempts have been up about one-and-a-half per team per game all season. (And, no, I don’t know what half a free throw looks like, maybe Markelle Fultz?)
In a couple of more possessions each game, teams are committing one fewer Turnover apiece.
Final Thought
When is a small sample size no longer a small sample size?