Offense, Defense & Everything In-Between

[Jestor]

Great article.
We always criticize DDS but the fact such article can be generated on strategies proves it is still a good game.

I have also a question for you guys : what’s the negative aspect of full court pressure?
I assume it means easier basket if the defense cannot steal the ball and it put your frontcourt as risk for fouls?

Fouls, quicker energy depletion, and greater injury risk for guards I believe

[GreenBear]

Awesome article, and loved the cheerleader pics!

I'm curious though, Jace. Why do you put so much stock into PPSA (over something like TS%)?

[Cyrisnyte]

Very interesting and informative article. Enjoy reading these to see how different GMs value different aspects of the game. Well done!

[emplep7]

Thats a pretty awesome article right there and not just because we were mentioned a few times. I know you and me agree on how to build a team (even though you have a dominant big to build around to my dominant guard) and I still try to build around that each year. This year has been frustrating for me because my team is very different from years past and its showing in my record so I am trying to get back to what worked. I'm big on guys who grab offensive rebounds though, which is why players like TT and Drummond I feel add so much value to a team (which most GMs still don't see by the offers I get for TT). Looking forward to some others articles coming out from you like this.

[Ocons]

Yeah, really good stuff man. I love the arrogant, Jace. Since I've been here you've had a pretty good team but clearly you have confidence in this team after nabbing Curry so your presence is even stronger on here. It's not for good reason, you know your shit.

I'm just an old school basketball guy, with no DDS access, and just try to put together what I think is a good basketball team based on principles. It gets me by as competitive but because I don't know the system or run it like an actual sim engine and computer, I'll never get very far. I just can't manipulate the program the way some know how. I don't have a system or try to run one, just try to assemble a talented squad and see what happens. My brain doesn't think that way, I'm in sales! We're dumb!!!! lol

This stuff is always interesting to see, though. Love getting other peoples perspectives. We were very fortunate (see: lucky) to make the WCF last year and I don't know that I'll ever be back there.

[Sun Scorched]

Awesome article, and loved the cheerleader pics!

I'm curious though, Jace. Why do you put so much stock into PPSA (over something like TS%)?

It actually started in oCSL when I single posted Stoudemire. He was a beast due to his DRFL, but didn't shoot an amazing %. I had to figure out a different way to think about point production, and then it hit me: usage.

I only have so many shots to go around, a player's ability to generate more points per possession is more valuable to me than the % they shoot, specifically because foul generation (looking at you, Harden) can be such a powerful tool. In addition to getting you high percentage shots, you also have the additional benefit of putting people into foul trouble.

Now, all that being said, players like Courtney Lee and Trevor Ariza are not great, PPSA-wise, even though they kill it from distance. (1) they don't take enough shots and (2) they don't generate any trips to the charity stripe. Still, they are important defensively and for the purpose of spreading the floor.

So I guess what I'm saying is PPSA is VERY important for your one or two stars, and less important for people not utilizing as much usage. Bledsoe vs. Okaro, as an example.

[lakeshowak7]

Awesome article, and loved the cheerleader pics!

I'm curious though, Jace. Why do you put so much stock into PPSA (over something like TS%)?

I think we, well most, should know that TS% is currently the best statistic available to determine a players overall shooting efficiency. I.e. It can show that power forward X might shoot "elite" from the field, but his horrific three point shooting and free throw shooting means he's not actually a more efficient scorer than shooting guard Y.

That's where PPSA comes in - to separate those players from the catch all TS%, and as Jace mentioned, it's just another layer to use to separate your high-usage players.

[andrei]

Amazing read Jace

One particular stat I'd like to point out that often gets overlooked is per36.

I hear GMs on a few occasion pointing out how per36 stats are useless but, to quote the great Pat Riles, ''you gotta have perspective''.

Sure, if you are trying to say that a bench player producing 9 points in 12 minutes can go out and produce 27 in 36 that may not be an accurate statement. But look at this differently.

I say that I want my PG position to force at least 4 TOs per game. How do I measure it? I have 2 players in there Larkin and Beverley playing the point. They don't play exactly the same amount of minutes every game but I need to see what is their impact per comparable time. Adding their averages or whatever is not going to work. I can either calculate the TOs forced per minute and multiply by 48 or use the game to do the calculation for me. Logic dictates, that if each are forcing 3 TOs per 36 then, at PG as a position, we should be forcing 4 for the game (or per48). This is inspired by Moneyball btw.

So I use the per36 stat for this and a few others quite often even though I know most GMs don't like it. It does not tell me what a player can do if he played 36 minutes. Instead, it is there to show what is happening on the court.

One stat I also find completely useless is On Off or +/-. Since this one is usually in the minus for losing teams and in the plus for winning teams. It shows individual stats for a team related performance which makes little sense.

[WillyJakkz]

Excellent article and from reading it and the replies from some of the more heralded gm's, tactically I have a long way to go.

Getting players, styles, and reading/ studying ratings is more of my lane, lack of game and cpu access to install it on hurts competitively as they can sim ahead and run schemes to see what works and doesn't work.

Gonna read this article consistently, thx.

[Rizzo]

Excellent article and from reading it and the replies from some of the more heralded gm's, tactically I have a long way to go.

Getting players, styles, and reading/ studying ratings is more of my lane, lack of game and cpu access to install it on hurts competitively as they can sim ahead and run schemes to see what works and doesn't work.

Gonna read this article consistently, thx.

That's exactly what I thought when I read this article and I actually own the game.

[GreenBear]

lack of game and cpu access to install it on hurts competitively as they can sim ahead and run schemes to see what works and doesn't work.

GMs with the game cannot SIM ahead to determine schemes that work or don't work. Only the simmers have the true file, so that this can't happen.

[KW]

Great article SS. Definitely some things to think about.

[GreenBear]

Awesome article, and loved the cheerleader pics!

I'm curious though, Jace. Why do you put so much stock into PPSA (over something like TS%)?

It actually started in oCSL when I single posted Stoudemire. He was a beast due to his DRFL, but didn't shoot an amazing %. I had to figure out a different way to think about point production, and then it hit me: usage.

I only have so many shots to go around, a player's ability to generate more points per possession is more valuable to me than the % they shoot, specifically because foul generation (looking at you, Harden) can be such a powerful tool. In addition to getting you high percentage shots, you also have the additional benefit of putting people into foul trouble.

Now, all that being said, players like Courtney Lee and Trevor Ariza are not great, PPSA-wise, even though they kill it from distance. (1) they don't take enough shots and (2) they don't generate any trips to the charity stripe. Still, they are important defensively and for the purpose of spreading the floor.

So I guess what I'm saying is PPSA is VERY important for your one or two stars, and less important for people not utilizing as much usage. Bledsoe vs. Okaro, as an example.

Okay, I see where you're coming from. I understand how PPSA works, but my biggest issue with it revolves around the FTs. It basically counts FTs as free points toward PPSA, when in reality they shouldn't be. When a player gets fouled and goes to the line for 2 FTs, that team loses possession after those FTs (just like a shot from the field). So to me, ~2 FTAs should be equated to a shot attempt, which TS% accounts for.

This is an exaggerated example, but I give it to show my point: Player 1 scores 20 points by going 10-20 from the field (0 threes or FTAs). Player 2 scores 20 points by going 5-10 from the field (0 threes) and 10-20 on FTs. Both players score 20 points on 20 possessions. Player 1 takes 20 shots from the field; Player 2 takes 10 shots from the field and 20 FTAs, which equates to 10 shots if we assume that there were no and-1s or techs (this is why I said ~2 FTAs earlier equal a shot attempt and not exactly 2, but TS% accounts for all of this).

So to me, on a pure offensive efficiency standpoint, both players should be roughly equal. But with PPSA, Player 1 has a PPSA of 1.0, while Player 2 has a PPSA of 2.0. It can be very misleading and is heavily slanted towards players that shoot FTAs, and that's my biggest issue with it. Just my personal opinion though, and I like that different GMs put more value in different statistics though. It makes for a league with high diversity, which is a lot more fun.

[Jestor]

Fantastic article.

A couple things: Like bt pointed out, a 3 point shot doesn't affect your STP %. It is, however, absolute hell on your PA/SF if you'r guarding him, which is one of the reasons why PA/SF are higher for guards than bigs). PA/SF for big men does come with the caveat that excellent shotblockers will have a better PA/SF than their actual defense would indicate (I'm looking at you, Hassan Whiteside). While STP % *is* grain of salt with high zone teams, that's because of the fewer drives faced and not anything to do with 3 point shooting.

PPSA is an interesting stat - although one I myself haven't looked at much, though traditionally my teams like high DRWFL players, particularly in the paint (which is something I got away from until recently, and explains some of our comparative lack of success.

Re: the Guests It would be Ish, because McConnell went in the original Parsons trade. I still hate Jokic, BTW. He was shit in NLL for me, and he was shit here. Nor do I think he's been as good as a lot of people say he has with the Hornets. He still needs a *lot* of pref work, and he's been just awful defensively (1.06 PA/SF). Nor can he rebound. Personally, I think he's way overpaid, should lose a ton of weight, and move to SF.

Also, you take people to task for not price driving RFAs and blasted us for not spending cap. What were we doing with that cap before? That's right - price driving RFAs (and the occasional superstar UFA). WRT Sanders, we actually *did* have plans for him. I was hunting all offseason for a rebounding/defensive center to put next to Randle, so I could move Julius to the better fitting PF slot. I don't splash 10 million on a player I don't think fits the team. I would have just price driven RFAs again if I didn't think he was a key missing piece. Besides which, before that, I was superstar chasing.

To end on a positive note, great work on the poor PPSA for the guards. It explained for me why I've always felt Lawson dramatically underachieves in DDS 3 and could never figure out why I had that feeling. That puts a light on it. And great pics, obvs.

[Rizzo]

To end on a positive note, great work on the poor PPSA for the guards. It explained for me why I've always felt Lawson dramatically underachieves in DDS 3 and could never figure out why I had that feeling. That puts a light on it. And great pics, obvs.

Hey hey hey can we leave Lawson out of this?!?

[Marcos_Beck]

Great article.
We always criticize DDS but the fact such article can be generated on strategies proves it is still a good game.

I have also a question for you guys : what’s the negative aspect of full court pressure?
I assume it means easier basket if the defense cannot steal the ball and it put your frontcourt as risk for fouls?

First of all, agree with the first and second statements. How boring would be a league without any kind of strategies? That's my biggest letdown on FBB, the limited amount of ways you can make your team play.

For your question, I guess the answer is:
It makes players way more tired than normal. Leads to bad performances offensively, rough shooting nights, less minutes played and some other bad stuff. But it's well worth it if you have depth and pressure Ds to proc.
I don't know about the easy basket stuff. Players pick up the others at full court and then if the steal does not happen the half court offense starts to run. Maybe high Pace will lead to a quick drive and easy bucket, so would be a way of countering the FCP strats, and also speeding up the game when you have so many tired players at the other side. But other than that, Rhox has played FCP since we started this and CP3 at his teams has a STP% of around 98%. That's freaking huge. If FCP would allow easy baskets all the time due to gambling, CP3 would allow way more drives per game. But of course, other people could prove me wrong or complement that better, I'm going basically with what I've seen so far.