The NBA Playoffs are upon us and players are laying it all on the line for the ultimate goal, an NBA Championship. Hustle plays, average speed and defensive impact can change the momentum of the game. These are stats that do not show up in the book that will ultimately decide who gets to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy over their head. But what if I told you there was a way to view these stats and take a deeper look into the statistical analytics of NBA games?
Introducing “Player Tracking,” the latest innovative piece of technology that will allow fans to take basketball statistics to the next level. With this tool, we will be able to see who is having a greater impact on the game and who the unsung heroes of the NBA Playoffs are. The main piece of software that is used in Player Tracking is SportVU, which uses six cameras installed in the catwalks of every NBA arena. It tracks the movements of every player and the basketball 25 times per second. The statistics that this piece of technology provides range from speed and distance, defensive impact and rebounding opportunities just to name a few. Let’s take a look at some of these statistics and see who is having the greatest impact on the game.
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It is an old adage that defense wins championships and this year in the playoffs, no player has been more efficient so far on the defensive side of the ball than New Orleans Pelican’s forward Anthony Davis. While on defense, Davis averaged the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage at the rim (33.3%) and averaged the lowest field goals made by an opponent (2.50). Unfortunately, his team got swept in the first round of the playoffs by the top seeded Golden State Warriors, but there is no doubt that Davis poured his heart out to win. The future is bright for this young man and he could arguably be the next face of the NBA.
This year, Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler has set career highs in points per game, 3 point percentage and free throw percentage. This also marks the first year he made it to the all-star team. His head coach, Tom Tibodeau, is known for playing his starters extended minutes. It is no wonder why Butler is leading the playoffs in distance traveled per game at 3.10 miles and total distance traveled 12.20 miles. The Chicago bulls need him out there on the court producing at a high rate and so far he has delivered.
Another player who is amongst the top of the list in this category is Los Angeles Clippers guard, J.J. Reddick. Known for his sharp shooting, Reddick is constantly moving around trying to free himself from the defender to try and get a clean look at the basket. His distance traveled per game is 2.90 miles and his total distance for the playoffs is at 11.40 miles.
Butler’s teammate, Pau Gasol, is also amongst the top players in one of the other statistical categories provided by SportVU. Gasol is in the top 5 when it comes to Percentage of rebounds per chance and he is number one when it comes to total rebounds in the playoffs. Blake Griffin, Draymond Green, Deandre Jordan and Dwight Howard round out the top 5 in this category.
The NBA has given us a tool that provides us with a deeper understanding of the game of basketball. Not only will fans be able to appreciate this piece of technology as a new interactive way to view player’s stats, but it could also be used by coaches to provide a deeper, more in-depth scouting report for their players. Fans, now a days, are always looking for the deepest interactive experience when viewing a sporting event. With this piece of technology, the NBA has shown a key willingness to adapt to the trend of more technologically savvy fans.