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23rd February, 2009 - 11:13 am
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| Current Features |
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TEAM RANKINGS: NBA Team Rankings For The Week Of November 4th
Kevin Garnett is back, Rajon Rondo is signed, Rasheed Wallace has arrived and Paul Pierce is as bad as ever. The Celtics are very, very easily ranked first in our first rankings of the 09-10 season. How do the other 29 teams compare?
SCOOP DU JOUR: Statistical Analysis Board, Rondo, Yankees On The Verge & More
Rajon Rondo's surprising extension, RealGM's new forum, locker room wresting, Brandon Jennings and more.
STANDING 10: PER Makes Offseason Decisions By Detroit Look Odd
The Pistons had a positive net PER at three positions during the 08-09 season, which were the three positions Joe Dumars attempted to improve in free agency and the draft.
MOCK DRAFT: 2009 NBA Mock Draft, Version 11.0 (Draft Day Edition)
How will the 2009 NBA Draft shake out? We're only hours away from finding out.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn’t overlooking Orlando…
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
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By Jon Nichols
In the future you will see me frequently reference something called Composite Score. Composite Score (CS) is a statistic I’ve developed that rates players based on both their offensive play and their defensive play. More specifically, it is split into Offensive Composite Score (OCS) and Defensive Composite Score (DCS).
OCS is calculated by combining the z-scores of three different offensive statistics: Player Efficiency Rating (developed by John Hollinger of ESPN.com), Offensive Rating (developed by Dean Oliver and available at Basketball-Reference), and offensive plus-minus (available in many places, but I prefer 82games.com).
DCS is calculated by combining the z-scores of three different defensive statistics: Counterpart Player Efficiency Rating (available at 82games), Defensive Rating (available at Basketball-Reference), and defensive plus-minus (at 82games).
Composite Score is simply the sum of Offensive Composite Score and Defensive Composite Score.
What makes CS a great stat in my mind? The beauty is in its simplicity and the fact that it’s like a majority opinion. It does not include only one methodology but rather combines the methods of multiple different advanced stats. Each of these statistics carries its own unique benefits, while of course leaving some weaknesses as well. However, by combining them, I minimize those problems.
Now, I’ll move on to Composite Score’s top 25:
1. LeBron James
No doubt about this one. According to my numbers he’s the second best offensive player in the league (behind Chris Paul) and the best defensive player in the league. Combine the two and you’ve got a guy that blows away the competition.
2. Chris Paul
As I just mentioned, Paul is the best player in the league on offense. His defense is also good enough to make him a clear number two. Simply put, LeBron and CP3 are far and away the best two players in the NBA.
3. Dwight Howard
Another player who excels on both ends of the floor, Howard is clearly the best big man in the league. He’s young and getting better.
4. Ray Allen
Do I believe Allen is the fourth best player in the NBA? Of course not. But he’s a highly efficient offensive player who plays tough defense on a great defensive team, so Composite Score is in love with him.
5. Dwyane Wade
Wade probably deserves the number four spot. After struggling mightily last season, he’s rebounded to become a dominant offensive player and a decent enough defender. If he could improve his defensive numbers, he’d be right up there with James and Paul.
6. Kevin Garnett
Composite Score loves great players on great teams, and Garnett fits the bill. He’s become quite unpopular among many folks, but he’s one heck of a defensive anchor.
7. Jameer Nelson
Seventh best player in the league? Maybe not, but still a good one. It’s a shame that he’s out for the season, because Composite Score shows just how well Nelson was playing before he got hurt. I’m a fan of Rafer Alston, but there is no way he can match this production.
8. Delonte West
West is more proof that Composite Score likes great players on great teams. West and Mo Williams provide a solid guard combination that LeBron has never had before.
9. Andre Iguodala
Iggy’s a pretty solid offensive player (and carries most of the workload for Philadelphia now that Elton Brand is out), but his defense is his calling card. He’s strong, athletic, and quick.
10. Kobe Bryant
You can now exhale. Kobe’s OCS is among the very best, but his DCS lags behind. This is either a result of the numbers lying or people having too high of expectations for his defense. I think we’ve all seen enough of him to say that the numbers may not be doing him justice.
11. Nene Hilario
I’ve always been a fan of Nene. He’s a legitimate center who’s pretty adept on the offensive end. His contract is large, but lately he’s been showing that he’s well worth the money.
12. Yao Ming
Speaking of centers, Yao is a great one. Besides his soft touch on offense, his size is enough to make him a considerable force on the defensive end.
13. Manu Ginobili
Check out the historical CS numbers and you’ll see that Ginobili is a popular guy in these parts. Like Allen, he’s efficient on offense and his defense is underrated.
14. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Already the third Cavaliers' player on this list (and there’s more to come), Big Z has been a solid running mate for the King for quite a while now. His OCS is actually nothing special this year, but his DCS ranks near the very top in the NBA.
15. Rajon Rondo
As much hype as he’s been getting lately, I would argue that he’s still better than you might think. He makes up for his lack of shooting ability with a knack for the ball and an ability to set up his teammates. Defensively, he’s a menace.
16. Rashard Lewis
Some people argued that he did not deserve his All-Star selection, but he’s improved his defense enough to warrant the selection in my mind.
17. Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas may not be what it once was, but Dirk’s still a great player. He has some defensive limitations but he’s nearly impossible to guard.
18. Andrei Kirilenko
The second bench player on this list, Kirilenko is a defensive force. He’s had that reputation for a while and the numbers back it up.
19. Paul Pierce
It should be obvious why the Celtics are so good by now. Pierce is the fourth Boston player on this list. The fifth starter, Kendrick Perkins, is pretty good as well.
20. Gerald Wallace
CS loves two-way players and Wallace is a great defender. His offensive numbers aren’t spectacular but they’re solid.
21. Ben Wallace
The Cavaliers just tied the Celtics with their fourth player on the list. I’m shocked that Cleveland wanted to trade Wallace for Shaquille O’Neal. He’s been a great defender and a key to their success thus far.
22. Lamar Odom
Perhaps this will quiet down the Lakers fans that have been calling for his head for a while. LO’s defense is underrated.
23. Marcus Camby
He doesn’t get much publicity because his team is so bad, but Camby’s having a great year. The former Defensive Player of the Year is showing that he’s still got it.
24. Paul Millsap
Carlos Boozer who? Millsap has been a revelation for the Jazz. He’s got a motor that never stops.
25. Tim Duncan
He’s the most underrated player by Composite Score in my mind. His offense is as smooth as ever and he’s a presence in the paint on the defensive end.
Click here to see a sortable version of Composite Score that includes data from 2003-08
My expertise extends beyond Composite Score and I love to analyze the NBA in an objective way. This often leads to opinions you may not hear elsewhere, but they are always based on fact. In addition, I will be revealing another system I’ve developed called Position-Adjusted Classification (PAC) in an upcoming edition in this space. |
