When you think about all the basketball analytics out there, along with the dozens of variables that factor into them, coming to an overall conclusion based upon one single analytic is just asking for ridicule. No reason to let THAT stop me!
So in my overly-simplistic way of looking at the game, the only thing that really matters is scoring more points than the other team. And the one analytic that seems (to me) to capture that best is points per possession (PPP). If our team PPP is better than that of the other team, we probably win (understanding that offensive rebound differential can skew this).
Now that Scottie has finished his year-end player reviews, I thought it’d be fun to see which ones had the most positive impact on team/opponent PPP (based upon Scottie’s numbers).
Offense: As a Team, Arkansas had at least an even or better Offensive PPP with these 4 players on the court:
+0.20 - Jimmy Whitt
+0.07 - Isaiah Joe
+0.04 - Desi Sills
+0.00 - Mason Jones
With the all the points Mason put up, I was surprised to find Arkansas’ Net Offensive PPP was zero!
Defense: As a Team, Arkansas had at least an even or better Defensive PPP with these 4 players on the court:
-0.11 - Isaiah Joe
-0.10 - Jeantal Cylla
-0.03 - Adrio Bailey
-0.02 - Mason Jones
I never realized our opponents found scoring so difficult with Cylla in the game.
My “Most Valuable 5” (okay, 6) based upon Player Net PPP (Team Offensive PPP - Team Defensive PPP):
+0.13 - Jeantal Cylla
+0.11 - Isaiah Joe
+0.09 - Jimmy Whitt
+0.08 - Mason Jones
+0.08 - Desi Sills
+0.08 - Adrio Bailey
(next best was +0.05)
Well, one result certainly surprised me.
Individual Awards:
+1.03 - Highest (best) Offensive PPP (Jimmy Whitt)
-0.84 - Lowest (best) Defensive PPP (Jeantal Cylla)
Probably meaningless stuff, here … but gotta entertain myself somehow now that the NV governor shut down private golf clubs.