Re: Efficiency measurement is bogus

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Jim Meninno wrote:

> I don't understand your complete rejection of the concept of  scoring
> efficiency.  FG% ignores ability to get to the line and hit free throws and
> three pointers.  Points per game or minute depend heavily on the number of
> shots a player takes.  The idea of scoring efficiency is to evaluate how
> many points a player generates, on average, when a play ends in him taking a
> shot.  It's not a great stretch to conclude that the player who generates
> more points should be given more plays.  It would astound me if coaching
> staffs did not make these kinds of calculations, given the computer systems
> they now have.  And, I'm sure it goes beyond efficiency for players. I'm
> sure certain plays are more likely to generate more points than others and
> the coaches will use that to determine how often to run which plays.  I do
> admit, though, that it is very difficult to find the statistics necessary to
> make a true efficiency calculation in the newspaper.

I agree with Alex/El Jim on this. I'm quite sure incidentally, that Pitino has
mountains of organized video data not only on Celtics players (who are graded in
about a dozen categories ever game as I understand it) but also on players he
likes on other clubs. How else is Pitino going to know the difference between a
Michael Curry and a Vindaloo Curry?  His interest in Tony Delk, I can understand
(the UK connection).

Incidentally, I think Ron Mercer's "scoring efficiency" will improve (even
dramatically) over his career. Last season was just plain weird, and Mercer hurt
himself more than he helped himself by forcing so many shots. There is no
reason, for example, that he won't develop into a solid three-point shooter one
of these days. In the McDonald's High School All Star Game, he was one of three
finalists in the 3-point shooting contest (virtually everyone participated) and
he opened the game itself with three straight (NCAA range) 3-pointers along with
a sweet Elgin Baylor sweeping scoop shot. Obviously, a lot of people were raving
about him back then.

Surprisingly, I believe Kevin Garnett was also one of the three 3-point contest
finalists. A 6-2 Michigan guard named Louis Bullock won the trophy.

Joe

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