Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Daily Dictionary: Defensive Rating

Defensive Rating


This post will make the jump back to team-level analysis.  Defensive Rating, while flawed, offers a more complete understanding of a team's overall defensive efficiency.  The statistic is extremely simple - it is merely a measure of how many points a team will allow per 100 possessions.

Below are the teams with the 5 best and 5 worst Defensive Ratings:

1t. Chicago Bulls - 100.3
1t. Boston Celtics - 100.3
3. Orlando Magic - 101.8
4. Milwaukee Bucks - 102.5
5. Miami Heat - 103.5

26. Golden State Warriors - 110.7
27. Minnesota Timberwolves - 111.1
28. Detroit Pistons - 111.7
29. Cleveland Cavaliers - 111.8
30. Toronto Raptors - 112.7

Defensive Rating is not adjusted for pace, which limits its utility.  Despite this limitation, it is still a superior metric for team level defense, as by converting the unit to a point per possession basis, it automatically adjusts for the frequency a team will allow 3 point shots and free throws.

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