Most Improved teams

[DJT]

Most Improved
Jan 8, 2008
Posted by: John Schuhmann

You always hear players and coaches talking about getting better every day. But how about from year to year? Obviously, a trade or draft pick will change a team's fortunes, and obviously the Celtics have had their fortunes changed the most since June, but what about the other 29 teams?

Here are the teams that have improved and fallen off the most from last season, according to their record....

BY RECORD 2006-07 2007-08
Team W L Pct. W L Pct. Diff.
1. Boston 24 58 .293 29 3 .906 .614
2. Portland 32 50 .390 21 13 .618 .227
3. New Orleans 39 43 .476 23 11 .676 .201
4. L.A. Lakers 42 40 .512 21 11 .656 .144
5. Orlando 40 42 .488 22 13 .629 .141
26. New York 33 49 .402 8 24 .250 -.152
27. L.A. Clippers 40 42 .488 10 21 .323 -.165
28. Chicago 49 33 .598 13 19 .406 -.191
29. Minnesota 32 50 .390 4 29 .121 -.269
30. Miami 44 38 .537 8 26 .235 -.301


Obviously, James Posey and Jason Kapono were more valuable to the Heat than Kevin Garnett was to the T-Wolves. (That's a joke. I don't want a bunch of comments about Shaq falling off or how KG is the MVP.)

Oh, and the Celtics improvement percentage is currently better than the straight winning percentage of 20 teams.

The team that is closest to their 2006-07 performance? The champs. At 23-10, the Spurs are just -.010 off their 58-24 pace of last season. The Nets (+.015) and Sixers (-.015) are also close.

But a team's record doesn't tell the whole story. So let's look at what teams have changed the most on each end of the floor, by calculating their offensive and defensive ratings (points scored and points allowed per 100 possessions) for last season and this season...

OFFENSE 2006-07 2007-08
Team Off. Rat. Off. Rat. Diff.
1. Boston 104.7 111.6 +6.9
2. Detroit 110.3 114.5 +4.2
3. Orlando 106.5 109.5 +3.0
4. Portland 106.4 109.2 +2.8
5. Golden State 108.8 111.5 +2.7
New Orleans 106.4 109.1 +2.7
26. Milwaukee 108.5 104.7 -3.9
27. New Jersey 107.5 103.2 -4.3
28. Chicago 106.6 102.0 -4.6
29. L.A. Clippers 106.6 99.9 -6.7
30. Seattle 108.6 101.6 -7.0


For most of these teams, figuring out why their offense is better or worse is pretty simple. Boston brought in KG and Ray Allen. Detroit moved Antonio McDyess into their starting lineup. Orlando got Rashard Lewis and New Orleans got healthy. Portland and Golden State are interesting though, because they both got rid of big scorers, Zach Randolph (23.6) and Jason Richardson (16.0 PPG) and didn't necessarily replace them with the same.

On the bottom end, the Clippers (no Elton Brand) and Sonics (no Lewis or Allen) have legit excuses, but the other three really don't. Both New Jersey and Chicago have started to show improvement though.

The team that has changed the least offensively is Toronto (-0.3).

On the other side of the ball...

DEFENSE 2006-07 2007-08
Team Def. Rat. Def. Rat. Diff.
1. Boston 108.5 97.1 -11.4
2. L.A. Lakers 110.3 105.6 -4.7
3. Washington 112.1 107.5 -4.6
4. New Orleans 108.1 104.4 -3.7
5. Seattle 111.8 108.6 -3.2
26. Minnesota 109.5 112.2 +2.7
27. San Antonio 101.5 104.8 +3.3
28. Dallas 104.8 108.3 +3.5
29. Chicago 104.8 108.3 +3.5
30. Cleveland 102.8 108.3 +5.5


Forum Blue & Gold does a great job of breaking down the Lakers' improvement on defense (and inspiring this post). I'm not sure I've read any mention of how the Wizards have improved, but it's not a great endorsement for our favorite blogger.

Tom Thibodeau has received a lot of credit (and deservedly so) for improving the Celtics' D, but perhaps P.J. Carlesimo should get some love too. He has the Sonics playing better D, and his absence seems to have hurt the Spurs on that end of the floor.

Charlotte, Orlando and Phoenix are all tied (at +0.2) for the distinction of being the team that has changed the least defensively. Orlando is interesting because they changed coaches and added Lewis.

Note that the Bulls are the only team on the wrong end of both of these lists.

Pretty interesting read. Boston clearly on top of all the teams.

 

[Mexi]

Boston should be ahead of everyone. look who they brought in...
i like where the lakers are in this...