Tracking the Cavs' Metrics Through the Playoffs

[theSTEREO.]

I did something similar throughout the regular season, and I thought this would be interesting to watch as we march through the playoffs.

Here's a chart of where the Cavs rank in each of these categories amongst the 16 playoff teams. The taller the bar, the better we are.

Also, I'm going to add in the rankings of our current opponent too for comparison.

If you want a key stat, Net Rating is really the most important stat. That is essentially how much we are outscoring our opponent per 100 possessions. So a high Net Rating means we are succeeding both offensively and defensively.

I'll work on updating this (hopefully) every day after each batch of games is played, as best that I can.

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[theSTEREO.]

So for instance, through 3 games, the Cavs offense is the best among all the playoff teams. #1 in Off Rating and TS%, #2 in eFG%. Yet we are almost near the bottom in Assist Ration, and middle of the pack in pace.

Basically, the Cavs have a very high scoring, efficient offense, we don't play too fast or too slow, but we aren't sharing the ball very much.

Really, the most important stat is Net Rating, and we are killing it in that stat. If we stay near the top in Net Rating, we will be in tremendous shape.

 

[Just Checkin]

I know Blatt pretty much sticks to his guns with gameplanning based on matchups but I'd still like to see that assist ratio get up just a tad bit more.

It is also a good sign to see how the Cavs can manage a pass oriented system with tons of spacing on the defensive end as well. Hopefully everyone else doesn't gun those mid range shots like the Celtics have been.

 

[Evgeni]

Also the speed / distance travelled is the lowest of all playoff teams. This is hardly surprising. Our players barely move on offense. Maybe that's how we need to play Boston, but hopefully it won't look like this in other series.

 

[Jscc]

Also the speed / distance travelled is the lowest of all playoff teams. This is hardly surprising. Our players barely move on offense. Maybe that's how we need to play Boston, but hopefully it won't look like this in other series.

Might have something to do with the fact that we are the physically heaviest and tallest team in the NBA on average.

 

[Evgeni]

Might have something to do with the fact that we are the physically heaviest and tallest team in the NBA on average.

Probably not. Players like Perkins add to this statistic even if they don't play. Our rotation is neither especially tall nor heavy. I do think the low speed is mainly an indicator of our stagnant (even if very efficient) offense.

 

[Adam]

Dont you get it! our Iso offense is design to get our guys extra rest before the next round. Genius move by blatt, letting love get rest on the court by letting him stand in the corner

 

[tocov]

I have no problem with our offense looking like whatever, as long as it wins us games.
If it stops working and no adjustments are made, then we'll talk. So far it's been pretty succesfull in 2015.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

I know Blatt pretty much sticks to his guns with gameplanning based on matchups but I'd still like to see that assist ratio get up just a tad bit more.

It is also a good sign to see how the Cavs can manage a pass oriented system with tons of spacing on the defensive end as well. Hopefully everyone else doesn't gun those mid range shots like the Celtics have been.

It'd be interesting if these types of stats are kept in the Euro leagues. I know before the season I read several articles about Blatt's offensive system stating that it's most effective with two ball-dominant guards. I was just curious if the low assist rate is unique to the Cavs because their two best offensive players are ball-dominant perimeter players that can get their own shot at will, or if it's a larger product of Blatt's system?

 

[Evgeni]

It is tracked. Last year Maccabi had about the same assist average as Cleveland this season (about 22). However in Europe not everything is counted as assist as in the NBA. So the assist average for Maccabi was actually higher.

 

[Just Checkin]

The Maccabi team last year ran a lot of the same things. They weren't the Spursian team that everyone wants the Cavs to be.

 

[tocov]

It'd be interesting if these types of stats are kept in the Euro leagues. I know before the season I read several articles about Blatt's offensive system stating that it's most effective with two ball-dominant guards. I was just curious if the low assist rate is unique to the Cavs because their two best offensive players are ball-dominant perimeter players that can get their own shot at will, or if it's a larger product of Blatt's system?

Sure these stats exist.

Last year Maccabi under Blatt had 17.3 assists per game, that is 20.8 per 48 minutes (Euroleague quarter is 10 minutes).
That is 4th highest in the Euroleague that season.
A season before that Maccabi had 15.2 per game, that is 18.3 per 48. That was 9th high in the Euroleague.

 

[gourimoko]

Really, the most important stat is Net Rating, and we are killing it in that stat. If we stay near the top in Net Rating, we will be in tremendous shape.

The low assist ratio is really telling of our very high reliance on isolation... Again, against the better defensive teams in the league, like the Warriors, Hawks, Spurs, or even the Bulls, we really should employ greater ball movement.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Updated the charts with last night's game.

The Houston / Dallas track meet bumped us down a slot in a couple areas, especially pace.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

The low assist ratio is really telling of our very high reliance on isolation... Again, against the better defensive teams in the league, like the Warriors, Hawks, Spurs, or even the Bulls, we really should employ greater ball movement.

While I don't necessarily disagree with you, how much of it is just Blatt and the team playing to the strengths of the players? The Cavs by far ran the most number of plays in isolation this season and scored the second most PPP on iso's.

Teams that have great shooters are always going to do what they can to exploit that advantage. I might be concerned if the Cavs were just a middle of the pack team in terms of converting on isolations, but they have two of the best finishers in the league.

The iso stuff also opens up a lot of things in the offense. The attention that LeBron and Kyrie both draw in isolation opens up rebounding lanes and helps to create space for other players. Based on our personnel, perhaps this is simply the best way to win this year. I would venture to guess that we'll see much more ball movement next season. That's when this team should really be clicking on all aspects.