SWC75
Bored Historian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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For the last several years I’ve been making monthly posts for baseball keeping track of who is leading each league in base production, (total batting bases +walks + steals) and run production, (runs scored + runs batted in minus home runs so they don’t get counted twice). I’ve also used those stats for my series on the history of the sport to identify the most historically productive players. I’m going to be starting a similar series for basketball soon and I thought I’d start doing monthly NBA posts using my “net points” formula: points + rebounds +assists + steals + blocks – missed field goals –missed free throws – turnovers – fouls. Since we don’t have two leagues, I’ll keep track of the top 25 players. I’ve also decided to break out the players averages per 48 minutes of play, (the length of an NBA game).
Players don’t actually average 48 minutes per game, (BasketballReference.com keeps track of averages per 36 minutes as that’s closer to what a star player will average). But they could play that much in a tight game. These numbers represent what they are capable of doing when their team really needs them to produce. The players are ranked based on total net points. The averages are just a breakdown of their individual skills. I do show the NP per 40 minutes at the end of each line but I’ll ranked them based on the total NP because that’s not a projection based on a rate of production..
Here is a breakdown of what I’ve typed in each case with LeBron James in November as an example: LeBron played 15 games and 539 minutes in those games, an average of 35.9 minutes per game (m). He scored 353 points (p), grabbed 121 rebounds (r ), passed for 140 assists (a), stole 16 balls (s) and blocked 7 shots (b). He attempted 257 field goals and made 128, so he missed 129 (mfg). He attempted 100 free throws and made 72, missing 28 (mft). He had 58 turnovers (to) and 25 personal fouls (pf). I add the positives and subtract the negatives to get 397 net points. I divide 48 by the 539 minutes and multiply each stat by the result. I come up with this:
LeBron James CLE 35.9m 31.4p 10.8r 12.5a 1.4s 0.6b 11.5mfg 2.5mft 5.2to 2.2pf 397NP (35.5)
(The last figure in parenthesis is the NP per 48 minutes)
AFTER FEBRUARY
Russell Westbrook OKC 34.75m 43.1p 14.7r 14.2a 2.2s 0.5b 19.1mfg 2.4mft 7.7to 3.2pf 1829NP (41.3)
James Harden HOU……. 36.5m 37.8p 10.7r 14.9a 2.0s 0.6b 13.8mfg 2.2mft 7.6to 3.4pf 1809NP (39.0)
Kevin Durant GS….…….. 35.6m 36.3p 11.8r 6.9a 1.6s 2.4b 11.0mfg 1.1mft 3.2to 2.7pf 1678NP (40.7)
Anthony Davis NO……… 36.3m 37.2p 15.7r 2.9a 1.7s 3.2b 13.6mfg 2.3mft 3.4to 3.1pf 1617NP (38.2)
Karl-Anthony Towns MIN 36.6m 31.6p 16.0r 3.8a 0.9s 1.9b 11.0mfg 1.2mft 3.5to 3.9pf 1572NP (34.4)
LeBron James CLE…………37.5m 32.9p 10.0r 11.3a 1.8s 0.8b 10.4mfg 2.7mft 5.4to 2.2pf 1520NP (36.0)
DeMarcus Cousins SAC.. 34.1m 38.8p 15.2r 6.8a 2.0s 1.9b 15.4mfg 3.2mft 5.2to 5.2pf 1467NP (35.6)
G. Antetokounmopo MIL 35.5m 31.5p 11.7r 7.4a 2.4s 2.6b 10.2mfg 2.1mft 4.1to 4.4pf 1464NP (34.7)
Steph Curry GS……………. 33.5m 35.6p 6.3r 9.0a 2.5s 0.3b 13.7mfg 0.6mft 4.2to 3.2pf 1319NP (32.1)
John Wall WAS……………. 37.7m 29.7p 5.9r 14.2a 2.8s 0.8b 13.3mfg 1.5mft 5.7to 2.6pf 1292NP (30.1)
Isaiah Thomas BOS……… 34.5m 41.2p 3.8r 8.7a 1.1s 0.1b 15.0mfg 1.1mft 3.8to 3.0pf 1288NP (32.0)
Kawhi Leonard SA...……. 33.3m 37.1p 8.3r 4.8a 2.5s 1.0b 13.0mfg 1.1mft 3.0to 2.3pf 1264NP (34.4)
Jimmy Butler CHI.…………36.7m 31.3p 8.2r 6.7a 2.4s 0.4b 12.0mfg 1.6mft 2.7to 2.2pf 1258NP (30.4)
Rudy Gobert UTAH……… 33.5m 18.6p 18.3r 1.5a 1.0s 3.6b 3.6mfg 2.8mft 2.7to 4.3pf 1234NP (29.4)
DeAndre Jordan LAC…… 31.5m 18.7p 20.8r 1.8a 1.0s 2.6b 3.3mfg 3.8mft 2.4to 4.1pf 1214NP (31.4)
Hassan Whiteside MIA… 32.9m 24.3p 20.6r 1.0a 1.1s 3.0b 8.2mfg 2.8mft 3.0to 4.3pf 1190NP (31.5)
Kyle Lowry TOR…………… 37.7m 29.0p 6.1r 8.8a 1.8s 0.4b 10.6mfg 1.4mft 3.6to 3.7pf 1179NP (26.8)
Damian Lillard POR……… 36.0m 34.8p 6.7r 7.8a 1.0s 0.4b 14.7mfg 1.0mft 3.5to 3.0pf 1151NP (28.4)
Kemba Walker CHA……… 34.6m 31.7p 5.7r 7.6a 1.6s 0.4b 13.5mfg 1.0mft 3.2to 2.2pf 1142NP (26.9)
Andre Drummond DET… 30.5m 23.2p 21.8r 1.6a 2.6s 1.8b 8.9mfg 4.1mft 3.3to 4.6pf 1131NP (30.2)
DeMar DeRozen TOR…… 35.6m 37.6p 7.2r 5.0a 1.5s 0.2b 15.3mfg 1.8mft 3.2to 2.5pf 1129NP (28.7)
Eric Bledsoe PHO…………. 33.3m 30.6p 7.2r 9.2a 2.0s 0.7b 12.7mfg 1.5mft 4.7to 3.7pf 1107NP (27.0)
Nicola Jokic DEV………….. 26.9m 28.0p 16.2r 8.0a 1.3 s 1.4b 8.4mfg 0.9mft 3.8to 5.4pf 1080NP (36.4)
Gordon Hayward UTA…. 34.7m 31.1p 7.7r 4.8a 1.4s 0.4b 11.6mfg 1.3mft 2.6to 2.3pf 1060NP (27.7)
Jeff Teague IND………….32.6m 22.7p 6.2r 11.9a 2.0s 0.6b 9.1mfg 1.1mft 4.1to 3.2a 1058NP (26.0)
FYI:
Carmelo Anthony NY…… 34.3m 33.0p 8.4r 4.1a 1.2s 0.6b 15.1mfg 132mft 3.0to 3.8pf 1014NP (24.1)
Comments: Russell Westbrook is back ahead of James Harden, both in total net points and the average per 48 minutes. He scores more and rebounds more Harden misses fewer shots. Otherwise their numbers are similar. Actually it’s kind of appalling that a player would miss 19 shots and have 8 turnovers in a full game. But scoring 43 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and passing for 14 assists would tend to make up for it. Nicola Jokic is a new name who looks as if he should be playing more than 27 minutes a game. The fact that he commits more fouls than anybody on this list may be a reason why he doesn’t get more minutes. Carmelo Anthony has fallen back out of the Top 50 after barely making it last month.
Players don’t actually average 48 minutes per game, (BasketballReference.com keeps track of averages per 36 minutes as that’s closer to what a star player will average). But they could play that much in a tight game. These numbers represent what they are capable of doing when their team really needs them to produce. The players are ranked based on total net points. The averages are just a breakdown of their individual skills. I do show the NP per 40 minutes at the end of each line but I’ll ranked them based on the total NP because that’s not a projection based on a rate of production..
Here is a breakdown of what I’ve typed in each case with LeBron James in November as an example: LeBron played 15 games and 539 minutes in those games, an average of 35.9 minutes per game (m). He scored 353 points (p), grabbed 121 rebounds (r ), passed for 140 assists (a), stole 16 balls (s) and blocked 7 shots (b). He attempted 257 field goals and made 128, so he missed 129 (mfg). He attempted 100 free throws and made 72, missing 28 (mft). He had 58 turnovers (to) and 25 personal fouls (pf). I add the positives and subtract the negatives to get 397 net points. I divide 48 by the 539 minutes and multiply each stat by the result. I come up with this:
LeBron James CLE 35.9m 31.4p 10.8r 12.5a 1.4s 0.6b 11.5mfg 2.5mft 5.2to 2.2pf 397NP (35.5)
(The last figure in parenthesis is the NP per 48 minutes)
AFTER FEBRUARY
Russell Westbrook OKC 34.75m 43.1p 14.7r 14.2a 2.2s 0.5b 19.1mfg 2.4mft 7.7to 3.2pf 1829NP (41.3)
James Harden HOU……. 36.5m 37.8p 10.7r 14.9a 2.0s 0.6b 13.8mfg 2.2mft 7.6to 3.4pf 1809NP (39.0)
Kevin Durant GS….…….. 35.6m 36.3p 11.8r 6.9a 1.6s 2.4b 11.0mfg 1.1mft 3.2to 2.7pf 1678NP (40.7)
Anthony Davis NO……… 36.3m 37.2p 15.7r 2.9a 1.7s 3.2b 13.6mfg 2.3mft 3.4to 3.1pf 1617NP (38.2)
Karl-Anthony Towns MIN 36.6m 31.6p 16.0r 3.8a 0.9s 1.9b 11.0mfg 1.2mft 3.5to 3.9pf 1572NP (34.4)
LeBron James CLE…………37.5m 32.9p 10.0r 11.3a 1.8s 0.8b 10.4mfg 2.7mft 5.4to 2.2pf 1520NP (36.0)
DeMarcus Cousins SAC.. 34.1m 38.8p 15.2r 6.8a 2.0s 1.9b 15.4mfg 3.2mft 5.2to 5.2pf 1467NP (35.6)
G. Antetokounmopo MIL 35.5m 31.5p 11.7r 7.4a 2.4s 2.6b 10.2mfg 2.1mft 4.1to 4.4pf 1464NP (34.7)
Steph Curry GS……………. 33.5m 35.6p 6.3r 9.0a 2.5s 0.3b 13.7mfg 0.6mft 4.2to 3.2pf 1319NP (32.1)
John Wall WAS……………. 37.7m 29.7p 5.9r 14.2a 2.8s 0.8b 13.3mfg 1.5mft 5.7to 2.6pf 1292NP (30.1)
Isaiah Thomas BOS……… 34.5m 41.2p 3.8r 8.7a 1.1s 0.1b 15.0mfg 1.1mft 3.8to 3.0pf 1288NP (32.0)
Kawhi Leonard SA...……. 33.3m 37.1p 8.3r 4.8a 2.5s 1.0b 13.0mfg 1.1mft 3.0to 2.3pf 1264NP (34.4)
Jimmy Butler CHI.…………36.7m 31.3p 8.2r 6.7a 2.4s 0.4b 12.0mfg 1.6mft 2.7to 2.2pf 1258NP (30.4)
Rudy Gobert UTAH……… 33.5m 18.6p 18.3r 1.5a 1.0s 3.6b 3.6mfg 2.8mft 2.7to 4.3pf 1234NP (29.4)
DeAndre Jordan LAC…… 31.5m 18.7p 20.8r 1.8a 1.0s 2.6b 3.3mfg 3.8mft 2.4to 4.1pf 1214NP (31.4)
Hassan Whiteside MIA… 32.9m 24.3p 20.6r 1.0a 1.1s 3.0b 8.2mfg 2.8mft 3.0to 4.3pf 1190NP (31.5)
Kyle Lowry TOR…………… 37.7m 29.0p 6.1r 8.8a 1.8s 0.4b 10.6mfg 1.4mft 3.6to 3.7pf 1179NP (26.8)
Damian Lillard POR……… 36.0m 34.8p 6.7r 7.8a 1.0s 0.4b 14.7mfg 1.0mft 3.5to 3.0pf 1151NP (28.4)
Kemba Walker CHA……… 34.6m 31.7p 5.7r 7.6a 1.6s 0.4b 13.5mfg 1.0mft 3.2to 2.2pf 1142NP (26.9)
Andre Drummond DET… 30.5m 23.2p 21.8r 1.6a 2.6s 1.8b 8.9mfg 4.1mft 3.3to 4.6pf 1131NP (30.2)
DeMar DeRozen TOR…… 35.6m 37.6p 7.2r 5.0a 1.5s 0.2b 15.3mfg 1.8mft 3.2to 2.5pf 1129NP (28.7)
Eric Bledsoe PHO…………. 33.3m 30.6p 7.2r 9.2a 2.0s 0.7b 12.7mfg 1.5mft 4.7to 3.7pf 1107NP (27.0)
Nicola Jokic DEV………….. 26.9m 28.0p 16.2r 8.0a 1.3 s 1.4b 8.4mfg 0.9mft 3.8to 5.4pf 1080NP (36.4)
Gordon Hayward UTA…. 34.7m 31.1p 7.7r 4.8a 1.4s 0.4b 11.6mfg 1.3mft 2.6to 2.3pf 1060NP (27.7)
Jeff Teague IND………….32.6m 22.7p 6.2r 11.9a 2.0s 0.6b 9.1mfg 1.1mft 4.1to 3.2a 1058NP (26.0)
FYI:
Carmelo Anthony NY…… 34.3m 33.0p 8.4r 4.1a 1.2s 0.6b 15.1mfg 132mft 3.0to 3.8pf 1014NP (24.1)
Comments: Russell Westbrook is back ahead of James Harden, both in total net points and the average per 48 minutes. He scores more and rebounds more Harden misses fewer shots. Otherwise their numbers are similar. Actually it’s kind of appalling that a player would miss 19 shots and have 8 turnovers in a full game. But scoring 43 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and passing for 14 assists would tend to make up for it. Nicola Jokic is a new name who looks as if he should be playing more than 27 minutes a game. The fact that he commits more fouls than anybody on this list may be a reason why he doesn’t get more minutes. Carmelo Anthony has fallen back out of the Top 50 after barely making it last month.
