RealGM

Was just doing some deep diving on stats, thought I’d share, as it sort of speaks to the state of the team. It’ll be interesting to see how the roster changes and player development changes things for next year. Anyway…

Offense Four Factors:

eFG% — .547 (16th)
TOV% — 13.0 (20th)
ORB% — 26.2 (11th)
FT/FGA — .192 (13th)

Looks like an average offense, and it was. A big step up from recent years, though. Too many turnovers, particularly from Cade and Ivey, but average efficiency offense and drawing fouls, with above average rebounding. If we can improve offensively despite the loss of Beasley, we’ll have a good year.

Defense Four Factors:

eFG% — .539 (11th)
TOV% — 13.3 (9th)
DREB% — 76.0 (8th)
FT/FGA — .214 (27th)

Strong defense, with one big caveat — we foul WAY too much. Comparing the two sets of factors, note that we actually had a better eFG% than our opponents, which I’m guessing hasn’t been true for quite a while. We also out-rebound our opponents significantly, and surprisingly, force more turnovers on a per-possession basis than we allow. But yeah, opponents shot quite a few more free throws to even things out a little.

So there you have it. Average offense, above average defense equals winning season. Clear things to work on in defensive foul rate and offensive turnover rate. With the return of Ivey, solid roster changes, and more experience for the youngsters in a very depleted Eastern Conference, I’m expecting 50 wins and finishing 4th for a HCA playoff series we can hopefully win.

Thoughts?

Oh, another simple evaluation tool is to add the two ranks in each category. 31 is league average, lower total is better:

eFG — 27
TOV — 29
REB — 19
FTA — 40

Imagine our defense if we could ever find a way to play Ausar and Ron together

MotownMadness wrote:Imagine our defense if we could ever find a way to play Ausar and Ron together

Your best-case defensive scenario is both becoming shooters, Ausar therefore enabling himself to operate as the primary roll man -- there would be complications to that if he's a non-shooter -- and Stew consequently becoming viable as starting center, in which event the Pistons would have two All-Defensive-caliber players in the starting lineup alongside whatever Ron ultimately becomes.

How about ausar as primary ball handler with cade and ivey as off ball movers. This would be once in the front court. They kinda did this throughout the second half with cade and ausar. Add ivey to mix and we might be onto something. Run ron and duran as rim runners

Agree that cutting down turnovers and defensive fouls will help a ton, but I'm also concerned about what the team will look like anytime Cade is off the floor.

Schroeder is gone; Ivey had a few good games leading the bench, but has been the poster child of inconsistency; Lavert is a good bench player, but a bit too much of a chucker with tunnel vision to lead it; young guys like Sasser and Jenkins look like 3rd stringers to me

If I was a betting man, I think Cade's on/off numbers will be huge this season. Hoping we can snag a vet backup PG at the TDL (again!)