ESPN: Clippers' second unit putting up impressive numbers
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:31 pm
Exactly how good have they been?
According to NBA.com’s advanced stats tool, the Clips’ bench scores 103.4 points per 100 possessions, a number that would rank tenth among all starting lineups in the NBA, just behind the Houston Rockets (105.2 offensive rating) and Golden State Warriors (104.7 offensive rating).
And perhaps even more impressive is the second unit’s defensive performance thus far. The Clippers’ second five is allowing only 83.2 points per 100 possessions, a rate that would blow away the first place Indiana Pacers’ starting lineup, which manages a 95.7 defensive rating.
A significant part of second unit’s success has been their ability to force turnovers (12.5 steals per 48 minutes), get out and finish in transition (27.7 fastbreak points per 48 minutes), and pound the paint in the half court (55.9 points in the paint per 48 minutes).The lineup’s plus-minus rating of +74 is the fourth most effective lineup in the NBA (Memphis Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers each have a lineup in the top 3). In fact, L.A.’s bench is much more effective than its starting lineup (+23), or the recent crunch time lineup of Odom-Blake Griffin-Matt Barnes-Jamal Crawford-Chris Paul (+23).The lineup features the right combination of shooters, scorers, slashers, defenders and rebounders and when matched against opponents’ second units allows the Clippers to continue to put tremendous pressure on the opposition throughout the game.
Jovan Buha, ESPN Los Angeles