Courtside Analyst NBA Power Index (11/20)

Below is the latest edition of the objective NBA power rankings I feature on this blog.

The rankings are a direct comparison of each team according to the team’s average points allowed and points scored compared to the number of points the rest of the NBA would be expected to score and allow in the same number of possessions against the same schedule.  For example, tonight the Bucks are playing the Thunder.  Let’s say there will be 95 possessions for each team in the game.  Currently, in a 95 possession game against the Thunder, the NBA is scoring 102.9 points and allowing 102.4 points.  If the Bucks score 88 points and allow 82, their offense will have scored poorly on the power index (-14.9), while their defense will have scored exceptionally well (+20.4).  When reading defensive numbers, a “+” number means the team is allowing fewer points than the NBA average.  Its not logical, but a reader requested it, and if you’re reading the chart, it makes things easier.

You will notice tonight I add parenthetical information that tells (1) where each team ranked last week, (2) where their offense ranks, and (3) where their defense ranks.

The highest mover this week are the aforementioned Oklahoma City “Zombie Sonics” who advanced 7 spots in the rankings.  The biggest drop is attributed to the Houston Rockets, who fell 6 spots in the rankings.

The Bucks have the unusual distinction of having the best defense in the NBA by far, and the worst offense.  While that is odd to be sure, I don’t think it is totally unprecedented in these rankings.   It seems to me the Charlotte Bobcats had something like that “All D/No O” mix working a few seasons ago, but I cannot remember for certain.  That was about three blogs ago.

Its interesting, whenever I have done these rankings, the overall “Team PVOA” numbers always move to zero around the 15th spot, as you would expect, but only about 12 teams are ever on the “+” side of PVOA defense, whereas almost 18 to 20 are always on the “+” side of PVOA offense.  I’m sure there’s a sensible explanation for it, but its the weekend and I don’t feel like doing anymore thinking.  I guess if I were a team, and I had my druthers, I’d rather be on the defensive “+” side, because it is almost impossible to win a championship without an above average defense.  Of course, I wouldn’t want the extreme dichotomy the Bucks currently have.

One last note.  The Miami Heat are currently catching flack from various internet subjective NBA rankings, but this ranking, like most objective rankings, views them as the best team in the Association by far.  I don’t see any direction for the Heat but up, up, up.

NBA Power Index 11-20-10	Overall PVOA	Offense	Defense
1. Miami Heat (2)	+10.9	+7.0 (2)	+3.9 (2)
2. New Orl Hornets (1)	+8.4	+4.9 (5)	+3.5 (4)
3. Los Ang Lakers (3)	+7.6	+8.9 (1)	-1.3 (15)
4. Boston Celtics (4)	+6.9	+4.0 (7)	+2.9 (5)
5. San Ant Spurs (7)	+6.5	+4.0 (7)	+2.5 (7)
6. Dallas Mavericks (5)	+6.1	+3.7 (9)	+2.4 (8)
7. Orlando Magic (11)	+4.9	+1.0 (13)	+3.9 (2)
8. Chicago Bulls (6)	+4.3	+1.7 (12)	+2.6 (6)
9. Utah Jazz (13)	+2.7	+1.0 (13)	+1.7 (9)
10. Phoenix Suns (10)	+2.3	+5.2 (3)	-2.9 (23)
11. Denver Nuggets (9)	+1.9	+3.7 (9)	-1.8 (18)
12. Milwaukee Bucks (8)	+1.8	-4.4 (29)	+6.2 (1)
13. Port TrailBlazers (12)	+0.9	+2.2 (11)	-1.3 (15)
14. Atlanta Hawks (14)	+0.7	+5.1 (4)	-4.4 (26)
15. OKC Thunder (22)	+0.6	+4.4 (6)	-3.8 (25)
16. Indiana Pacers (17)	+0.4	-0.0 (19)	+0.4 (11)
17. Gold St Warriors (20)	-0.7	+0.3 (18)	-1.0 (13)
18. Toronto Raptors (19)	-1.7	+0.9 (15)	-2.6 (20)
19. Memphis Grizzlies (16)	-1.8	-2.3 (25)	+0.5 (10)
20. New Jersey Nets (18)	-1.8	-0.7 (21)	-1.1 (14)
21. Houston Rockets (15)	-2.0	+0.8 (16)	-2.8 (22)
22. Phil Sixers (21)	-3.1	-2.7 (26)	-0.4 (12)
23. New York Knicks (23)	-3.8	+0.8 (16)	-4.6 (28)
24. Cleveland Cavs (26)	-4.0	-1.4 (23)	-2.6 (20)
25. Charlotte Bobcats (24)	-4.7	-0.2 (20)	-4.5 (27)
26. Washington Wizards (25)	-5.2	-3.5 (28)	-1.7 (17)
27. Detroit Pistons (28)	-5.6	-2.1 (24)	-3.5 (24)
28. Minnesota Wolves (29)	-6.9	-4.4 (29)	-2.5 (19)
29. Sacramento Kings (30)	-8.5	-1.2 (22)	-7.3 (30)
30. LA Clippers (27)	-9.0	-3.2 (27)	-5.8 (29)