On yesterday’s version of Locked on Sports I presented the question do the Jazz have a fouling problem. The data was presented on the www.thefansports.com. We had a nice discussion about the issue and got Larry H. Miller’s point of view.
One of the listeners asked, does sending someone to the free throw line make a team a bad defensive team.
I have compiled the last 4 years of NBA teams, or 120 data points. I have charted them on a graph with the X-axis being free throw attempts allowed and the y axis being defensive efficiency. There is in fact a direct correlation.
Click here to see the charts and the data points
One chart has the data points are in 10% increments. In other words, the first point is the top 10% of teams not allowing free throws, the second is top 20% and the last is all 120 data points.
The next has the same with the bottom 50% then the bottom 40% and so on to the bottom 10% added on to the chart.
Finally you can see all 120 data points.
Bottom line, teams that allow free throws have bad defensive efficiency ratings or it can be said that allowing free attempts makes you a bad defensive team.
If the Jazz simply hold their position, with their arms straight up in the air (rather than slapping down), while the offensive player drives then I think you'll see a decrease in the number of fouls called against them. Now whether or not that helps their defensive efficiency would remain to be seen.
Post a comment (login required)