In the National Basketball Association, the line separating a win and a loss can be an extremely narrow margin. A missed cut, an improper rotation, waiting half a second too long on a shot, anything could either save or ruin your season. The little nuances of the game make the margin between winning and losing nearly unquantifiable, however, in an age of data and statistics we most certainly can try. So, as the Cavaliers continue their magical season let’s take a look at some of how Kenny Atkinson has been able to coach this team to the top seed in the NBA.
In the modern era of basketball to win games your team must not only be scoring-driven but scoring-dependent. Luckily for fans in Cleveland, the Cavaliers currently lead the NBA with an average of 123.4 points per game (ppg) 3.1 points higher than the Grizzlies who are second in that category. Notably, the Cavaliers have done this with their highest scorer, Donovan Mitchell, averaging 24.4 ppg which puts him 16th in the NBA. The Cavaliers’ ability to put up points in a hurry isn’t solely dependent on a single star like other teams, but rather relies on spreading the ball to multiple key players as evidenced by the 6 players on the team currently averaging over 10ppg.
The Cavs’ success in scoring points isn’t due to their players just taking a high volume of shots, but rather by making shots at a high percentage. The Cavaliers currently lead the NBA in both field goal percentage (52%) as well as three-point percentage (41.5%). The common thought may be that the Cavs just have a stable of good shooters, but in this era of the NBA, every player can shoot the basketball at a high rate. Instead, the recognition for this achievement should go to Kenny Atkinson, as his schemes have created opportunities for his players to take high-percentage shots with consistency. Atkinson’s scheme is operating with such efficiency that many times players can avoid contested shots altogether as evidenced by the Cavs’ current average free throws attempted per game (20.1) which ranks fourth lowest in the league.
Scoring at such a high percentage can alter other statistical categories, however, as the Cavaliers are concerningly in the bottom half of the league (19th) in rebounds. Teams that make deep runs in the playoffs need to be able to rebound to extend and control possessions. While the Cavs haven’t been successful overall in rebounding, they currently rank 9th in defensive rebounds per game (34), only 1.9 defensive rebounds per game behind first in that category. The discrepancy here owes to the simple fact that when you score at such a high percentage there are significantly fewer opportunities for rebounds on the offensive side of the ball. So, while the total rebounding numbers may appear concerning, they are truly just a reflection of the team’s offensive efficiency.
Atkinson’s efficient offense is reliant on the ability of players to spread the ball around and find open players. As such, the Cavaliers have been able to generate a high level of assists per game as they currently sit 6th in the league at 28.4. With accelerated levels of passing, oftentimes teams also tend to turn the ball over. The Cavs, however, currently rank the 6th lowest in average turnovers per game at 12.3, while being tied 4th for the most average steals in a game at 9.2.
While the Cavaliers high efficiency offense is most often on display on a nightly basis the quality of their defensive play cannot be understated. Many teams have strayed away from focusing on the defensive side of the game, it’s harder to sell a defensive powerhouse to fans. Despite this, the Cavaliers have three high-quality defenders Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and most importantly Isaac Okoro. Okoro acts as this team’s version of a lockdown defender who can guard every position on the court with skill. The Cavs’ investment in defense has not gone unseen either, as they are 11th in the league in opponents ppg (111.1) and 10th in opponents field goal percentage (45.6%).
The only area defensively where the Cavaliers have struggled is in defending the three-point shot. The Cavs currently rank 28th in the league in opponent three-point field goal percentage (37.8%) and this was ultimately their demise in their sole loss as the Celtics were able to score 22 threes throughout the course of the game. Perimeter defense is one of the most important aspects of a team’s play since the league shifted to heavily favor the three-point shot following the success of the Warriors. The Cavaliers need to sure up this part of their game if they are going to have a shot at making a deep run in the playoffs, especially with the Celtics standing as their most likely obstacle to winning a championship.
While statistics can paint a picture of how a team has fared in comparison to all 29 other teams, games are played between teams and their opponents. When looking at the differential between the Cavaliers and their opponents per game averages, the Cavs lead in almost every major statistical category. Simply put, this team has dominated across the board and has only ever faltered in a one-possession loss to the reigning NBA champs. The expectation in statistics is that as teams play more games, they’ll reach a more natural average, but nothing about this season has been normal for the Cavaliers. As the saying goes, “stats don’t lie” and the stats tell us that the Cavs are undoubtedly the best team in the NBA. While there is plenty of season left to play, there is legitimate reason to believe that this team will be a contender for the NBA Championship this season. So, as we enjoy our Thanksgiving turkey, feel free to let your family members know what the stats say: the Cavs are good, and they aren’t going anywhere.
The post The Stats Behind The Wins – A Dive Into The Cavaliers Statistics This Season And What We Can Learn From Them appeared first on Cleveland Sports Talk.