Comments on: NBA HD: A New Way to Look at Basket Protection

By: Wrangled: Mavericks 122, Bulls 116 » By The Horns

Wrangled: Mavericks 122, Bulls 116 » By The Horns — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:29:10 +0000

[...] most of the season. In fact, they’re currently ranked 8th overall in Defensive Efficiency. As Tom Haberstroh of Hardwood Paroxysm put it, the Bulls don’t foul and they protect the rim. But that defense has been [...]

By: Crow

Crow — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:12:33 +0000

The point is minimizing opponent high point payoffs. Basket protection and foul behavior captures that for the inside game.

But then you still have a somewhat lesser issue with payoff from the 3 point line.

The best defense is the one that optimizes in the face of this three part challenge with forcing turnovers and preventing offensive rebounds.

By: Crow

Crow — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:04:29 +0000

Or maybe it should be

(Team Inside shots allowed * team inside shot FG% allowed)

– (League average Inside shots allowed* League average inside shot FG% allowed)

- ( (Team Inside shots allowed – League average Inside shots allowed) * (Team FG% allowed for non-inside shots- League average FG% allowed for non-inside shots))

So everybody is measured for the amount of points allowed compared to average for the same number of shots.

I’ve looked at this some before but graphing it against points allowed at the line is a good idea.

By: Crow

Crow — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:35:58 +0000

I like the chart and the direction.

(Team Inside shots * team inside shot FG%) – (League average Inside shots * League average inside shot FG%) on one axis vs FTA/FGA (or pehaps FTM allowed) would be an even more comprehensive look at “basket protection” vs fouling.

By: Mike Prada

Mike Prada — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:11:40 +0000

Also, while Haywood is great, it’s obviously a team responsibility to protect the rim. It’s hard to protect the rim well when none of your teammates can stop dribble penetration.

Also worth noting: the Wizards played a lot of zone.

By: finzent

finzent — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:50:02 +0000

“It’s interesting that many analysts believe Brendan Haywood is the post presence that the Mavericks desperately needed when one considers that the Wizards allowed by far the highest at rim FG% in the NBA. While they don’t give up a high percentage of shots from that area, they add to their post defense woes by fouling at a moderate rate.”

But shouldn’t the number of shots taken at the rim factor in? I mean, can’t you be considered a good rim-defending team if you don’t let the opponent take shots from there, even if the shots they do take are converted at a high rate?