Fri, Dec 6th, 2019

The age of confusing stats

December 06, 2019

Friday, December 6th, 2019

  • Non-household names are matching statistical seasons with some of the best players ever.

  • The Nets are doing just fine without Kyrie Irving

  • Nikola Jokic’s production has fallen off a cliff

  • We cranked up the random bet machine for tonight’s games

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Tonight's must-watch games

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The lead: Trae Young has nothing in common with Michael Jordan, except his stats 

Five years ago, to average a triple-double, like Oscar Robertson did in 1961-62, seemed unreplicable. In 2019, it’s been weaponized as an insult: Russell Westbrook shot 7-for-30 earlier this week in a loss, but, hey, at least he got that triple-double!Such is life in the asterisk era. Since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger -- we’re throwing the 1960s out the window -- it’s never been easier for stars to break records (hello, Westbrook and James Harden), and it’s never been easier for decent and undecorated players to put up statistics on par with lauded seasons of the past.For example, compare these two seasons: 

  • Player A: 18.9 PPG | 13.2 RPG | 5 APG

  • Player B: 18.4 PPG | 13 RPG | 3.7 APG

Player A is Bill Walton during his 1978-79 MVP season, when he briefly transcended early limitations before breaking his foot and never returning to All-Star form.Player B is Domantas Sabonis, a solid but not remarkable player who no one would categorize with Walton, through 20 games this season.Since the 1975 season, only 10 players have averaged 18-13-3.5: Shaq, Kevin Garnett, Kareem, Hakeem, Dave Cowens, Charles Barkley, Walton, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Sabonis (so far this season).Three of those have come since the start of last season; Sabonis, if he sustains that production, will likely be the first non-Hall of Famer to do so.Another example: 

  • Player A: 28.7 PPG | 8.4 APG | 39.3 3-PT percentage 

  • Player B: 32.5 PPG | 8 AST | 27.6 3-PT percentage

Player A is Trae Young through 21 games this season.Player B is Michael Jordan, in 1988-89, during one of his best statistical seasons ever. Anyone want to make the case Young has MJ-level potential?Last example:Before this year, the highest Player Efficiency Rating season, post ABA-NBA merger (PER = all encompassing stat designed to measure overall impact), was Michael Jordan’s 31.71, in 1987-88.This year, both Giannis (33.94) and Luka Dončić (31.88) are currently on pace to break that.We’re living in the wild west of stat-breaking.[READ: It’s never been easier to score 50 points in an NBA game]

 2. By the numbers 📊 

37 points

The Knicks lost to the Nuggets last night by 37 points, and it wasn’t even their worst loss of the week. Milwaukee put a 44-point beatdown on them on Monday. David Fizdale’s firing is coming any day now.[READ: The Knicks may oust David Fizdale, but that won’t solve anything]

  7-3 record

The Nets are 7-3 in 10 games without Kyrie Irving; they were 4-7 with him. Last year, the Celtics were 12-3 without him. The year before that, Boston without Kyrie was 14-8.In 10 games without him, Spencer Dinwiddie’s scoring has jumped from 17.1 in the first 11 games to 24.9. The passes per game are up, as well, from 246.5 with Irving to 278.3 without.

  0-22 from deep

Celtics rookie Grant Williams has played 19 games and taken 22 3-pointers, of which he’s made zero.

  332 passes

Last year, the Warriors were second in the league in passes per game, at 320.1. This year, they’re even better through 23 games, leading the league with 332 passes per game.The difference is, last year, through 23 games, the Warriors were 15-8 and snoozing through another title defense. This year, they’re 4-19.

 3. What’s up with Nikola Jokic? 

At 14-5 with an interesting game tonight in Boston, the Nuggets, at least record-wise, are chugging along fine, but their best player, Nikola Jokic, has taken a surprising step back 19 games into the 2019-20 season.His points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and field goal attempts have all shrank from last year.His offensive rating, at 109.2, is also way down from his 113.3 mark last year.

4. The rookie with a statement dunk

Pelicans rookie center Jaxson Hayes with the flush over Cheick Diallo in last night's Suns 139-132 overtime loss to the Suns.

5. Three random bets to consider for tonight's games

  • Boston (-165) at home to win straight up against Denver, parlayed with the Lakers (-190) to win straight up on the road in Portland. $100 wins $150. 

  • Washington (+400) to win straight up in Miami, parlayed with the Clippers (+150) to win straight up in Milwaukee. $100 wins $1000. 

  • Detroit (+110) to beat Indiana at home straight up, parlayed with Cleveland (+155) to beat Orlando at home straight up, parlayed with Charlotte (+125) to beat Brooklyn at home straight up, parlayed with Golden State (+168) to beat Chicago straight up on the road, parlayed with Sacramento (+168) to beat San Antonio straight up on the road. $100 wins $2000. 

  

  • Duncan Robinson took an unlikely path from small-town New Hampshire to NBA starter [The Boston Globe]

  • Draymond Green is growing. But some things never change [The New York Times]

  • Like father, like son: Bronny James, LeBron’s kid, is the biggest draw in high school hoops [The Washington Post]