How Are Stats Determined?

[TMagic]

I've always wondered how certain stats are tallied.

Here's a few that I wonder about:

• What is an assist exactly? Is it a certain amount time span that a player needs to score for a player to be given an assist? Does it change if the player has to dribble? What if the pass didn't really help the player score at all? Or is all this under one man's discretion?
• Rebounds: If one man tips an offensive rebound out to another man on the perimeter, who gets credit for the rebound? Same for defensive rebounds. I mean, if it's clear that the player works hard and his intention was clearly tipping it out, does he get credit? Or is it the person who gets the possession, even though he really didn't do anything to get it.
• Steals: Kind of the same thing here. Say CP3 strips a driving man. Then the ball comes to Peja. Who gets the credit for the steal?
• Turnovers: If one man passes the ball to another, and the reveiving man drops it, even if the pass is on the mark, who gets the turnover?

And is PPG really a fair stat? Really?

If you go by PPG here are the top scorers:

1. Dwayne Wade
2. LeBron James
3. Dirk Nowitski
4. Devin Harris
5. Chris Bosh
6. Kobe Bryant
7. Joe Johnson
8. Danny Granger
9. Kevin Durant
10. Amare Stoudamire

But if you go by per 48 minutes:

1. Dwayne Wade
2. LeBron James
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Devin Harris
5. Tony Parker
6. Dirk Nowitski
7. Danny Granger
8. Manu Ginobli
9. Kevin Durant
10. Chris Bosh

Wouldn't the per 48 minute anything be more telling? You have some teams that are blowing out the opposition and don't even need to play as much time on the floor. Or teams that have a little more depth and don't need to play as much.

Just a few questions I have about stats.

[J.R. Locke]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

Wouldn't it be better to go by points per 100 possessions since some teams play at a different pace?

Statistics are not the be all end all.

[Fiasco West]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

All the colors! Makes me want to reply!!!

But...I think that tip outs, obvious tip outs should be credited to the guy who tips it out. I also think the guy that disrupts the play or tips a pass...should get the steal, not the guy who gets it.

I like the Per stats better though, I do think they are more telling.

[Tha_Kid]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

But...I think that tip outs, obvious tip outs should be credited to the guy who tips it out. I also think the guy that disrupts the play or tips a pass...should get the steal, not the guy who gets it.

Both calls go to the player that establishes possession and I think thats how they should be handled.

[Fiasco West]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

Both calls go to the player that establishes possession and I think thats how they should be handled.

Yeah but why?

I feel that the guy who worked for position to get the tip out, he's doing more work. All the other guy does is catch the ball. Not only that more players would do that if they knew they were getting rebounds credited.

I also feel the guy who disrupts the pass, or tips the ball. He actually makes the play. The other guy he just happens to be in the right place (probably because of hustle...something he should do regardless).

I say that because I'd like the guy who made the play to get credit for it.

[HHHRVD55]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

I believe that the rule for assists is a pass that leads directly to a basket. So, if D-Will passes the ball to AK-47 on the wing, AK drives in the second he touches the ball, puts in on the floor once, and scores, it's an assist. But if AK gets the ball, holds it for a couple seconds, starts to drive, spins, dribbles a couple times, and then scored, it's not an assist. At least, that's the way I've always thought of it.

As for the turnover question, the person who first passed the ball would get the TO, I believe. It's like an INT in football. If a QB throws the ball and the WR tips it but the CB grabs it, the QB still gets credit for the INT, even though the WR was the last one to touch it.

[J.R. Locke]

Re: How Are Stats Determined?

I don't have any links for this but I remember back in 2004 hearing that assists and steals are at the discretion of the official stat keeper at the game. Meaning there are no hard rules as to how assists or steals are recorded.

There are obvious things that were mentioned but some stat keepers give steals to the guy who knocks the ball out and others give it to those who secure it.

Assists have discretion too. Like if a player takes one dribble before the shoot it may or may not be an assist.

There was a long discussion about this on some broadcast I was watching on NBA TV a few years back.