Stats and Trivia 2014-15

[Scraptor]

I put this in the game thread last night, but Val became the first Raptor to hit 18 points and 12 rebounds in 21 minutes. Next closest was Bosh in 22 minutes.

[Scraptor]

Thanks to CalgaryRapsFan for posting this in the game thread, from ESPN Stats and Information:

The Toronto Raptors got a good win, showing their legitimacy by winning on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-93 on Saturday night.

The Raptors are 11-2, their best 13-game start in team history.

Cavs Can't Keep it Up
By Quarter Tonight vs Raptors
1st 2nd-3rd
Pt diff +13 -27
FG pct 63.6% 32.6%
Opp FG pct 28.6% 52.4%
Ast 10 10
Teams that start 11-2 are almost always legit. Three did last season -- the Spurs, Trail Blazers and Pacers. One did in 2012-13 -- the Grizzlies. Those four teams averaged 57 wins.

Over the previous four seasons, nine teams started 11-2 or better. They finished with a combined record of 489-217, which equates to 57 wins over an 82-game season.

Since trading Rudy Gay Dec. 9, the Raptors are 52-24, 4 ½ games better than the next-best team in the Eastern Conference (the Bulls) during that span.

The Raptors won this one by dominating the Cavaliers in the middle two quarters, outscoring them 64-37.

Difference-Maker: Lou Williams
Lou Williams finished with a career-high 36 points for the Raptors. In the 29 minutes and 26 seconds in which Williams was on the floor, the Raptors outscored the Cavaliers by 37 points.

Williams went 15-for-15 from the free throw line on a night in which the Raptors shot 38-of-42 (90.5 percent) from the stripe. That’s the best they’ve shot in a game with at least 40 free-throw attempts in franchise history.

Why are the Raptors winning?
The Raptors have been successful in three areas this season. They have the league's second-most efficient offense (110.4 points per 100 possessions, the second-fewest turnovers per game (11.2) and have forced the third-most turnovers per game (17.5).

Their +6.3 turnover differential per game is second-best in the NBA, trailing only the Mavericks (+6.4).

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/po...ciency-defense

[Scraptor]

Lou's 36 last night was the second most points by a Raptor bench player in history, after Donyell Marshall's 12 3-pointer night when he scored 38 in total in a 2005 win over Philly.

[Scraptor]

In Phoenix Val tied Bosh, Jarrett Jack, and... Andrea Bargnani for the most points scored on 11 or fewer FGA with 27.

He is now shooting 77.4% TS over his last 5 games, and 66.1% on the season. That's good for 7th in the league.

[Scraptor]

According to NBA.com, we lead the league in pull-up jumpers per game, defined as a shot where a player takes one or more dribbles before shooting outside 10 feet. We are 11th in EFG% on those shots.

We have the third fewest catch and shoot attempts per game.

We have the fourth fewest "close touches" (within 12 feet) per game.

It will be interesting to see how our offense holds up as time goes on.

[Scraptor]

Terrence Ross is third among regulars in the NBA in points per touch, behind only Shabazz Muhammad and Klay Thompson.

[Scraptor]

Courtesy of Ed Kupfer's twitter... Our strength of schedule is easiest the rest if the way (with all the usual caveats).

[Nilanka]

Courtesy of Ed Kupfer's twitter... Our strength of schedule is easiest the rest if the way (with all the usual caveats).

Something doesn't add up. We've had an "easy" start to the schedule, yet we have the easiest schedule the rest of the way.

The only logical conclusion is that we have 82 games of easy contests :|

[Scraptor]

Something doesn't add up. We've had an "easy" start to the schedule, yet we have the easiest schedule the rest of the way.

The only logical conclusion is that we have 82 games of easy contests :|

Just speaks to how bad the East is, and how bad our division is, too, I think.

[Fanchie]

Stats and Trivia 2014-15

Nope, it's just that we don't have to face the 15-4 Raps, while other teams do!

[MACK11]

Courtesy of Ed Kupfer's twitter... Our strength of schedule is easiest the rest if the way (with all the usual caveats).

Interesting lol how do we have the easiest schedule remaining? When we already had an easy schedule?

Time to rack up them W's

[Scraptor]

14 of the easiest 15 schedules remaining belong to Eastern teams. As those teams play each other the numbers will change. But if you believe that most teams are as good as their records to date, then this is pretty accurate. If we only play 30 games vs the west, like last year, then we'd only have 22 games remaining against the west.

[Scraptor]

From reddit, our offense is the best (most efficient) in 35 years.

[enlightenment]

From reddit, our offense is the best (most efficient) in 35 years.

Just wow.

[Scraptor]

Just wow.

It boggled my mind too. We take a bunch of seemingly inefficient shots (lead league in pull up jumpers), but our free throw draw rate is so good and we make them at such a high rate that it helps make up for it. Our 3-point shooting has also come around in a big way.... We're now 5th in the league in %.