breaking down shawn bradley's season - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

aexchange · 01-30-2003, 04:41 PM

just some numbers crunching i've done while at work here. i wanted to take a look at the true impact of shawn bradley and what his numbers could tell us.

against teams with formidable front lines (again, i'm using some subjective analysis as to what i think is formidable, but most would agree: portland, san antonio, LA Lakers, Clippers, Indiana, and Houston)

Games Played: 14 (Mavs Record: 9-5)
Mins/Game: 23.6
FGM/FGA: 32/64 = 50%
FTM/FTA: 17/21 = 80.9%
Off. Rebounds/Game: 2.36 (33 Off. Rebounds Total)
Def. Rebounds/Game: 4.21 (59 Def. Rebounds Total)
Assists/Game: 8/14 = .57
Steals/Game: 12/14 = .86
Blocks/Game: 35/14 = 2.5
Turnovers/Game: 13/14 = .93
Fouls/Game: 56/14 = 4.0
Points/Game: 81/14 = 5.79

i didn't include bradley's game against the shaq less lakers b/c well, they're shaqless and pathetic. i did include the game where shaq was playing however.

now looking at bradleys numbers against the other teams without the formidable front lines.
Games Played: 29 (Mavs Record: 25-4)
Mins/Game: 25.4
FGM/FGA: 83/162 = 51.2%
FTM/FTA: 72/90 = 80%
Off. Rebounds/Game: 2.38 (69 Off. Rebounds Total)
Def. Rebounds/Game: 5.10 (148 Def. Rebounds Total)
Assists/Game: 18/29 = .62
Steals/Game: 23/29 = .79
Blocks/Game: 85/29 = 2.93
Turnovers/Game: 25/29 = .86
Fouls/Game: 91/29 = 3.14
Points/Game: 238/29 = 8.21

Bradley missed/sat out one game due to injury, so I didn't factor that in. Digest this, and I'll post my thoughts in a few.

madape · 01-30-2003, 04:49 PM

You mean one of our players performs better against bad teams than he does good teams?

I don't beleive you.

TripleDipping · 01-30-2003, 04:51 PM

Interesting... not much of a difference. But what's more interesting is that you got the time to do this while at work. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

aexchange · 01-30-2003, 04:54 PM

nowhere in the post did i indict bradley for his play.

however, since you brought it up, i will say that good players should step it up when they play better teams. if people are to say that bradley is a beast, then he should play like it when it matters, not when we are playing a bunch of also rans.

bradley's averages arent that far off from each other in general with the exception of the points category, which he really isnt needed for anyways. bradley is extremely foul prone, which isnt all that surprising, however his blocks still seem to be roughly the same as well as other tangible aspects of his performance.

just some stats to point out.

MavKikiNYC · 01-30-2003, 05:08 PM

<< Interesting... not much of a difference. >>

Yeah.

If I were being uncharitable and trying to instigate, I'd say that the word that comes to mind is 'inconsequential'.

But I'm not.

LRB · 01-30-2003, 05:13 PM

<< i will say that good players should step it up when they play better teams. >>

So AE doest this correltate to good teams also. Does this mean good teams should have better stats against other good teams than nongood teams. But wait that can't be true because if a good teams has better numbers against another team, then the other team cannot be good for not stepping up. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] I just don't buy that argument. Good players should give a harder effort against the better teams. However since they are playing against stiffer competition, their numbers will often be down on a per minute basis because they are playing against tougher competition. You will generally run much slower uphill than downhill even if you give more effort to running uphill.

That Shawn's numbers are so close says a lot in his favor IMO.

Usually Lurkin · 01-30-2003, 05:37 PM

Those stats look pretty close to me.
I don't think a half a block , 1 rebound, a foul, and 3 points difference from Bradley is the key to the mavs losses against contenders.
He's still up near the 6-7 points, 6-7 boards, and 2-3 blocks that most of us were asking from him for the season.

but as irrefutable proof against my "Bradley is doing his job" argument, here's a quote from Bill "basketball genius" Walton:
"* Why does Shawn Bradley only play well against teams that aren't any good?"
Walton at ESPN

I'd like to see the difference in play for the other mavs in the games listed.

TripleDipping · 01-30-2003, 05:43 PM

AEX can you please email this interesting stat to Bill Walton.

LRB · 01-30-2003, 05:49 PM

UL I have 2 comments for Mr. Walton.

1. He is the worlds biggets idiot.
2. How can he watch the games to tell what Shawn or anyone is doing when all Walton does is kiss peoples butts.

superheadcat · 01-30-2003, 06:13 PM

can anyone do some other number crunching to see how other centers in the league (include yao and shaq, pls) fare in the same category?

then maybe we can talk about if these stats are consequential or not.

superheadcat · 01-30-2003, 06:17 PM

<< however, since you brought it up, i will say that good players should step it up when they play better teams. if people are to say that bradley is a beast, then he should play like it when it matters, not when we are playing a bunch of also rans.
>>

maybe i am a bit picky here, but by your standard, who in the mavs' uniform can be called a "good player", if at all?

aexchange · 01-30-2003, 06:24 PM

ok, im not saying that bradley only plays well against bad teams.

i'm saying if you want to consider him a great player, then he needs to step up his production. i have never said he was a great player, and frankly i am pretty happy with the way he's played.

LRB · 01-30-2003, 07:20 PM

<< i'm saying if you want to consider him a great player, then he needs to step up his production. >>

AE are you talking about overall production or just against the good teams?

Evilmav2 · 01-31-2003, 01:06 AM

Good stats Aex... But what is the point? How is it surprising that Bradley would play better against stronger frontcourts featuring all-star calibre opposition? Even with the modest difference in stats for these games (stats that are incidentally skewed by Raefs return to the lineup for some of those games) Bradley will still end up leading the league in blocks this year, while playing substantially fewer minutes than any of his shot-blocking competitors. And that kind of defensive impact will continue to help us win yet more games, and hopefully help us earn homecourt advantage through much or all of our playoff drive...

OutletPass · 01-31-2003, 01:31 AM

Statistically 'inconsequential'. is putting it mildly.

Great study, AEX... sometimes hard work just doesn't prove a point one way or the other...but I appreciate the work that you put into it.