How Teams win Titles

[DJ Tabooh]

Was doing some research going back 20 years essentially to the 2003-04 season when the Pistons won the NBA Title. I was looking through efficiency metrics offensively and defensively for those years. Every NBA champion has been top 10 in defensive rating and 18/20 (Except 04’ Pistons and last year’s Warriors) were top 10 in offensive rating.

Can’t say I’m all that surprised considering basketball is a sport where players have to play both ways and it’s a constant game of back and forth, offense/defense. I bring this up for a few reasons. Right now Denver is 13th in defensive rating while the Suns currently sit in 17th in offensive rating.

That should go up as we close the regular season with KD in the fold but something to keep an eye on as a trend. Golden State was 16th on offense last year but Curry missed a bunch of time, as did Draymond but they rounded into form come playoff time.

Right now, only four teams are in the top 10 in both categories: Cleveland, Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia….All Eastern Conference teams. Lots of ball left but something to keep your eye on when you think about team’s who can win a title.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

For what it's worth, they are 6th in both offensive and defensive rating in their last 3 games with Durant.

 

[Phrazbit]

Was doing some research going back 20 years essentially to the 2003-04 season when the Pistons won the NBA Title. I was looking through efficiency metrics offensively and defensively for those years. Every NBA champion has been top 10 in defensive rating and 18/20 (Except 04’ Pistons and last year’s Warriors) were top 10 in offensive rating.

Can’t say I’m all that surprised considering basketball is a sport where players have to play both ways and it’s a constant game of back and forth, offense/defense. I bring this up for a few reasons. Right now Denver is 13th in defensive rating while the Suns currently sit in 17th in offensive rating.

That should go up as we close the regular season with KD in the fold but something to keep an eye on as a trend. Golden State was 16th on offense last year but Curry missed a bunch of time, as did Draymond but they rounded into form come playoff time.

Right now, only four teams are in the top 10 in both categories: Cleveland, Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia….All Eastern Conference teams. Lots of ball left but something to keep your eye on when you think about team’s who can win a title.

Yep.

Last year, 4th in offense, 3rd in defense, 1st (by a decent margin) in net rating. That collapse still confounds us all.

As for this year, we're certainly better with Durant, but we were the top team in the West prior to a ridiculous cascade of injuries. Outside of Bridges and Craig, basically every other contributor on the roster missed a huge amount of playing time.

If there is a way to track those stats from one date, going forward, I'd be interested. I suspect we've been one of the elite teams in the league since Cam Johnson came back... and have followed through with that since the trade.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

For what it's worth, they are 6th in both offensive and defensive rating in their last 3 games with Durant.

Totally. Curious to see where they end up over the end of the regular season but great start with KD in the fold. In seeing this, it looks like us or Denver coming outta the West. Honestly, anyone but GS and I’d be fine. I know the Mavs rivalry is alive and well but I’m tired of GS lol. Respect Curry but wanna see new blood in the Finals personally.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Was doing some research going back 20 years essentially to the 2003-04 season when the Pistons won the NBA Title. I was looking through efficiency metrics offensively and defensively for those years. Every NBA champion has been top 10 in defensive rating and 18/20 (Except 04’ Pistons and last year’s Warriors) were top 10 in offensive rating.

Can’t say I’m all that surprised considering basketball is a sport where players have to play both ways and it’s a constant game of back and forth, offense/defense. I bring this up for a few reasons. Right now Denver is 13th in defensive rating while the Suns currently sit in 17th in offensive rating.

That should go up as we close the regular season with KD in the fold but something to keep an eye on as a trend. Golden State was 16th on offense last year but Curry missed a bunch of time, as did Draymond but they rounded into form come playoff time.

Right now, only four teams are in the top 10 in both categories: Cleveland, Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia….All Eastern Conference teams. Lots of ball left but something to keep your eye on when you think about team’s who can win a title.

Wow I did not know Cleveland was playing that good of defense this year

 

[Covert Rain]

For what it's worth, they are 6th in both offensive and defensive rating in their last 3 games with Durant.

Yeah, I don' think you can judge the Suns with such a massive trade that changes the makeup of your team. This is NOT the same team that has been playing all season long.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, I don' think you can judge the Suns with such a massive trade that changes the makeup of your team. This is NOT the same team that has been playing all season long.

Yes but for much of this season we were missing between 4 and 7 of our top 8 players, can't judge that team either. All told, this trade has improved our starting group and weakened our reserves. But if our main players stay healthy, the postseason schedule should allow our starters to log even more minutes (when necessary) and it should take some of the burden off our questionable bench.