With a quarter of the 2015-2016 NBA regular season now played, you can look at the top players in the five major statistical categories (average points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks per game) and get a good idea who will be receiving votes for the next All-Star Game in Toronto, Ontario.
These players have already been glorified by the public as the best in the game this season.
None of these players are playing for the San Antonio Spurs, who have the second best record in the league.
Why is there such a disconnect between individual and team ranking for the men in Silver & Black?
While most fans will point to the Spurs’ well-rounded team play – for which the Spurs organization and players are considered the league’s gold standard – I think back to the wise words of Spurs’ own #44, George “Iceman” Gervin.
When asked how he felt about the league’s current superstars, Gervin criticized their lack of efficiency. In so many words, he claimed that he could turn them from great to legendary players if he could teach them how to be efficient with their shots.
It doesn’t surprise me that this focus on efficiency has stayed with the Spurs and turned great players into San Antonio legends.
If we look at the stats related to efficiency…
Kawhi is 1st in the league at three point field goal percentage and 4th in player efficiency rating (PER) while Tony Parker is 5th in the league at field goal percentage.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry is the ‘Golden Child’ from behind the arc, but attempts three times as many as Kawhi. Taking 246 shots in six weeks from long range not only represents the ultimate green light, but also an obvious lack of regard to any disciplined strategy. So far the formula is working and the Warrior’s have a perfect record, but that would all change if Steph got hurt.
Moving on from such inevitabilities, I’d like to focus on Tony’s placement in the top five: the other four make their living dunking the ball. This is just a byproduct of Tony’s new role being better for the team than for his individual accolades. Though player efficiency is called a herky-jerky statistic by some, it is nice to see that the Spurs are in better hands with Kawhi at the helm than Cleveland is with LeBron (ranked 5th in PER).
Who is leading the pack out of the gate? Is it the reigning MVP? Is it the OKC duo who is also dominating the game? Is it “The King”?
Seeing the games played so far like the first turn of an 800-meter dash, I’d say ‘The Klaw’. One statistic that is never talked about because it hasn’t been invented yet is how a baller ranks as a two-way player. In the alternate reality where there is such a stat, the Spurs’ #2 would be ahead of all others by several strides. When it comes to a complete game in this early season, he is the only player in the league who has come close to achieving a rare 5×5 (ending up just one steal short of the mark).
Honestly, all of this analysis is ephemeral. It’s akin to seeing the trees but not the forest. Maybe I’m making mountains out of molehills. Team chemistry, health and luck are always more important than forecasting by nerds who live by the numbers.
Don’t be fooled by seeing the sprint instead of the marathon that is the NBA season. A smart athlete knows how to pace his efforts at the beginning, while saving the concentrated energy he’ll need to finish the race first.
