7 strange stats from US women's basketball at Olympics...

[DavidinNaples]

Here are the 7 strangest statistics (so far) from the U.S. women's basketball team in Rio.

1. Sue Bird has an amazing 10.0 assist to turnover ratio. She has 30 assists and only 3 turnovers.
2. Diana Taurasi is shooting 60% from 3 pt range, but only 33% from closer in. Back up Dee...
3. Canada scored fewer points vs the United States team than Senegal and China.
4. Stewie has made more free throws (16) than DT and Maya have attempted, combined (13).
5. USA has 152 assists on 202 baskets. That's 75.2%. They average 30+ per game.
6. Five opponents have scored a combined 69 points in the first period vs USA's defense.USA scored 145 pts.
7. UConn players are leading in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, fewest turnovers, made 3's, minutes played, free throws and field goal %.

Go Team USA..!!

 

[EricLA]

Always love your stats David! It's one reason why you have 4X as many likes as you do posts! Keep 'em coming!!

 

[Sonny44]

View attachment 14964

Here are the 7 strangest statistics (so far) from the U.S. women's basketball team in Rio.

1. Sue Bird has an amazing 10.0 assist to turnover ratio. She has 30 assists and only 3 turnovers.
2. Diana Taurasi is shooting 60% from 3 pt range, but only 33% from closer in. Back up Dee...
3. Canada scored fewer points vs the United States team than Senegal and China.
4. Stewie has made more free throws (16) than DT and Maya have attempted, combined (13).
5. USA has 152 assists on 202 baskets. That's 75.2%. They average 30+ per game.
6. Five opponents have scored a combined 69 points in the first period vs USA's defense.USA scored 145 pts.
7. UConn players are leading in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, fewest turnovers, made 3's, minutes played, free throws and field goal %.

Go Team USA..!!

I like strange.

 

[Kaizen]

8. Women basketball team is playing way better than men basketball team

 

[S1836]

What is strange (& so popular) is that Naples can express boring stats in a way that gives them a new life!!

 

[HGN]

8. Women basketball team is playing way better than men basketball team

You are correct...................... And if the Men aren't very careful they could get knocked-off in the medal rounds.

 

[warbler1055]

Somebody will say US men BB is good for BB!!!! They won by 1 basket!!!

 

[Justavisitor]

The men have several elite players that have opted out of the Olympics, most notably Lebron and Steph Curry.
The men also play stiffer competition, as the NBA has become a much more national league, not to mention much more parity that the women's game with a limited number of star players.

 

[Wally East]

The men have several elite players that have opted out of the Olympics, most notably Lebron and Steph Curry.
The men also play stiffer competition, as the NBA has become a much more national league, not to mention much more parity that the women's game with a limited number of star players.

On the first point, yes, obviously.

On the second point, no. In fact, FiveThrityEight even expressed the idea that men's national team is facing weaker competition than in previous years.

 

[MilfordHusky]

View attachment 14964

Here are the 7 strangest statistics (so far) from the U.S. women's basketball team in Rio.

1. Sue Bird has an amazing 10.0 assist to turnover ratio. She has 30 assists and only 3 turnovers.
2. Diana Taurasi is shooting 60% from 3 pt range, but only 33% from closer in. Back up Dee...
3. Canada scored fewer points vs the United States team than Senegal and China.
4. Stewie has made more free throws (16) than DT and Maya have attempted, combined (13).
5. USA has 152 assists on 202 baskets. That's 75.2%. They average 30+ per game.
6. Five opponents have scored a combined 69 points in the first period vs USA's defense.USA scored 145 pts.
7. UConn players are leading in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, fewest turnovers, made 3's, minutes played, free throws and field goal %.

Go Team USA..!!

Nice work, David.

1. Sue is still the best PG in the world. People who questioned her making the team were flat out wrong. Yeah, her play dipped for a few years because she wasn't 100% physically, but she's playing as well as ever this year. With all the finishers that the U.S. has, we don't need a scoring PG, though Geno et al. want Sue to shoot a little more. So do I.

2. Dee has shot the ball incredibly well. Most of her misses have looked good too. The downside is that she stole Maya's 3-point shot and won't give it back.

3. Maybe because Canada plays at a slower pace. Or because Kia didn't start the game.

4. Just another veiled attempt to say that Maya doesn't get the FT line enough. Actually, it shows that Stewie is now playing all over the floor and not averse to contact. Plus she makes her FTs.

5. 75.2% is unreal. I've seen that percentage for a game from time to time, but it's amazing for a 5-game stretch. Everyone on the team is willing to pass, and most are good passers. And everyone receiving the pass is a good finisher. The team includes 8 of the top 27 in assists in the WNBA.

6. Our best players play the majority of the first quarter. And 4 of the 5 are former Huskies. All were NPOYs, and 3 of them were MVPs.

7. Not only does a UConn player lead each of those categories, but UConn players rank:

1, 2, 4, and 5 in scoring

1 and 3 in rebounding

1, 2, 3, and 6 in assists

1, 3, 4, and 5 in steals

1, 3, 4, and 5 in made threes

1, 2, 3, and 4 in minutes played

1 and 2 in FTs made

1, 4, and 7 and in FG percentage

 

[Justavisitor]

On the first point, yes, obviously.

On the second point, no. In fact, FiveThrityEight even expressed the idea that men's national team is facing weaker competition than in previous years.

But it's no where near as weak as the opponents our ladies face, not even close.

 

[JordyG]

The men have several elite players that have opted out of the Olympics, most notably Lebron and Steph Curry.
The men also play stiffer competition, as the NBA has become a much more national league, not to mention much more parity that the women's game with a limited number of star players.

Now I understand why the American men consistently play isolation ball in the half court. You've also explained why so many of the men play so poorly off the ball and stink at ball reversal.

 

[EricLA]

The men have several elite players that have opted out of the Olympics, most notably Lebron and Steph Curry.
The men also play stiffer competition, as the NBA has become a much more national league, not to mention much more parity that the women's game with a limited number of star players.

I'd love to see a list of NBA players on other teams compared to the women. Most of the women's teams have several WNBA player - probably at least as much as the men. Additionally, some of the women who don't play in the W certainly could (Cambage for example).

Canada - Achonwa, Fields
Australia - Mitchell, Taylor, Cambage (she is good enough to be), Phillips
Belarus - Harding
Brazil - Santos, Souza
China - none play in the US, but a few could
Brazil - Gruda (used to)
Japan - Tokashiki
Senegal - None - most play in France or Spain
Serbia - Petrovic I think used to
Spain - Romero, and Torrens/Cruz/Ndour all used to I believe
Turkey - none

So that's 16 current or past WNBA players. I did not count how many are on the men's side, but to imply that the competition is not that good is unfair IMHO. Look at all the competitive games out there (when USA is not involved) and the solid basketball being played by these foreign teams. It's not like watching a pair of division III teams. I think the reason team USA is blowing everyone out is because we are just that good. When you have the best players in the world at 3 or 4 out of 5 starting positions, some games won't be close...

Side note - look at the quarters, or even halves, that we play that are very close. Several teams have given us an excellent game for a good period of time.

And just because men's Team USA is missing Lebron and Steph (altho granted they are MVP's), look at all the great players not on the US National Team (women) who made up the select team, or are having great seasons in the WNBA. I think WBB is a huge outlet for young women and there are TONS of resources and opportunities for young girls in the USA to get started and blossom...

Lastly, for me, the WNT has been a joy to watch. I love watching UCONN WCBB but the WNT plays at an otherworldly level and it's simply beautiful basketball.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Ana Dabovic from the Sparks plays for Serbia. She's good.

Sancho Little would be playing for Spain if not injured. She's really good too.

Some of the players who "used to" play in the W will be back. They took this year off to focus on the Olympics. It's not as if they are over the hill.

On the men's side, there are a bunch. I'm not sure if there are more or fewer, but Pau Gasol, Boris Diaw, and Tony Parker are all familiar names.

 

[sarals24]

There are more than 40 NBA players outside the US playing in the Olympics. So there are more, although they are concentrated on a few teams (Australia, France, Argentina, Spain). However, there are 30 NBA teams and only 12 WNBA teams, so it stands to reason there would be more NBA players than WBNA in general represented in the Olympics.

 

[MilfordHusky]

There are more than 40 NBA players outside the US playing in the Olympics. So there are more, although they are concentrated on a few teams (Australia, France, Argentina, Spain). However, there are 30 NBA teams and only 12 WNBA teams, so it stands to reason there would be more NBA players than WBNA in general represented in the Olympics.

Good info and good points. Thanks!

 

[Wbbfan1]

Just like in the USA College system, there's more potential for upsets in the Men's Olympic Games then the Women. There are so many more men players that on a given day a player on a team not favored to win can take over a game to pull off an upset. The talent level between the elite men's players and the next lower level is much smaller then it is on the Women's side.

Australia is the only team that has a starting lineup that can compete with Team USA. IMHO the only reason they are able to compete is because of Liz Cambage. If she's able to play 30+ minutes and stay out of foul trouble then Australia can stay within reach of Team USA. They also have to hit a high percentage of their 3 point shots. I am surprised that Australia has had difficulty in putting away team in their Group. Thought they would win games by 20+ points.

 

[UcMiami]

Just like in the USA College system, there's more potential for upsets in the Men's Olympic Games then the Women. There are so many more men players that on a given day a player on a team not favored to win can take over a game to pull off an upset. The talent level between the elite men's players and the next lower level is much smaller then it is on the Women's side.

Australia is the only team that has a starting lineup that can compete with Team USA. IMHO the only reason they are able to compete is because of Liz Cambage. If she's able to play 30+ minutes and stay out of foul trouble then Australia can stay within reach of Team USA. They also have to hit a high percentage of their 3 point shots. I am surprised that Australia has had difficulty in putting away team in their Group. Thought they would win games by 20+ points.

I think this is really a false narrative - the college men's game is more competitive because the most talented players in the men's game are one and done, so they are less well coached and trained in the game, while the slightly less talented players are two or three years older, have been coached in the system for longer and have played with their teammates for those two or three years longer. A UCLA like program has no chance to develop and stock pile three years of talent into a single team in the modern men's college universe - imagine a Kentucky squad coming into this year with the following players - 2016 NBA draftees #7, #28, #34; 2015 draftees #1, 6, 12, 13, 44, 48; and 2014 #7, #17, and whatever freshman they have coming in. Because that is what Uconn brings to the court every year on the women's side, they dominate. And it isn't just the talent, but the training and teamwork that gets developed during those four years.
And the Olympic teams have similar issues:
Women - every top player who isn't injured is available every two years for Olympics/WC, and most try to make training camps a few times each year as well. Men - half of the top players are unavailable every two years, and I am not aware of them even trying to hold training camps prior to getting together the week before a WC or Olympics.
Women - 11 of 12 players have played on at least one WC or Olympic team and all have showed up for training camps in the last 4 years. 8 have been with the team since the 2010 WC when Geno started coaching, and 9 were on the last Olympic team. The only rookie to competition on the NT is EDD the reigning WNBA POY.
Men - to lazy to check, but I know they have less continuity.

I really don't think the men's competition in the world has gotten better than the women's competition - the USA still produces the best players regardless of gender and by a wide margin the most talent. But the approach to the NT for the two genders is just vastly different, and that produces a much tighter international competition.

The other issue that people mention all the time that really does have an effect is the nature of the men's pro (and college) game - it is predicated on individual superstar play. Some of that I think has to do with men sort of outgrowing the physical dimensions of the court, a lot has to do with individual talents being rewarded more than team performance, and a lot has to do with the training inherent in four years of college no longer being a part of the equation.

NB - I do not believe the NBA has ever had a foreign MVP - the WNBA has. And in the top 25 players of the last 20 years there would likely be fewer foreign players on the men's list than on the women's list. Just a small comparison of international talent.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'd love to see a list of NBA players on other teams compared to the women. Most of the women's teams have several WNBA player - probably at least as much as the men. Additionally, some of the women who don't play in the W certainly could (Cambage for example).

Canada - Achonwa, Fields
Australia - Mitchell, Taylor, Cambage (she is good enough to be), Phillips
Belarus - Harding
Brazil - Santos, Souza
China - none play in the US, but a few could
Brazil - Gruda (used to)
Japan - Tokashiki
Senegal - None - most play in France or Spain
Serbia - Petrovic I think used to
Spain - Romero, and Torrens/Cruz/Ndour all used to I believe
Turkey - none

Look at this list and tell me how many of these players could have made the US team. Cambage is probably the only one, so we cannot pretend that the women are facing the same caliber of opponent that the men are.

 

[UcMiami]

Look at this list and tell me how many of these players could have made the US team. Cambage is probably the only one, so we cannot pretend that the women are facing the same caliber of opponent that the men are.

If you look at the men's Olympians on other teams, do you see any that would make a dream team? Same situation - and yeah, I think Taylor and Cambage could make a USA team and the recently retired jackson would certainly have. Not sure there have been any in the history of the men's olympic team vs the best of the NBA (who do not always sign up for an Olympic or WC team.)

 

[wallman]

View attachment 14964

Here are the 7 strangest statistics (so far) from the U.S. women's basketball team in Rio.

1. Sue Bird has an amazing 10.0 assist to turnover ratio. She has 30 assists and only 3 turnovers.
2. Diana Taurasi is shooting 60% from 3 pt range, but only 33% from closer in. Back up Dee...
3. Canada scored fewer points vs the United States team than Senegal and China.
4. Stewie has made more free throws (16) than DT and Maya have attempted, combined (13).
5. USA has 152 assists on 202 baskets. That's 75.2%. They average 30+ per game.
6. Five opponents have scored a combined 69 points in the first period vs USA's defense.USA scored 145 pts.
7. UConn players are leading in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, fewest turnovers, made 3's, minutes played, free throws and field goal %.

Go Team USA..!!

Oooh someone got something right for TEAM USA, but will the Uconn haters acknowledge, I doubt it, they will probably come back with well our suzie could have done just as well.

The question could be how many players from the USA would be on the other nations teams, a lot, we have an enviable amount of talent here, we should enjoy it but that doesn't mean they could all be thrown on a team to make the TEAM that would play the best TEAM basketball. These are some really great stats that show some great TEAM basketball is being played.

 

[easttexastrash]

If you look at the men's Olympians on other teams, do you see any that would make a dream team? Same situation - and yeah, I think Taylor and Cambage could make a USA team and the recently retired jackson would certainly have. Not sure there have been any in the history of the men's olympic team vs the best of the NBA (who do not always sign up for an Olympic or WC team.)

Taylor is not going to beat out any of the players on the USA team.

Do this. Remove DT, Sue, BG and Maya from the women's team and add four other players.

Remove four players from the men's team and add LeBron, Steph, Davis and Westbrook.

Which team do you think would become exponentially better and which one would become exponentially un-better? It is hard to criticize the men when the equivalent of DT, BG, Maya and Bird are sitting at home.

 

[sarals24]

I don't know that any of the foreign NBA players would make the US team. Maybe Ginobili in his prime, or Tony Parker in his prime, or Pau Gasol in his prime? But even then...I don't think so.

And speaking of parity...Serbia just beat Australia in the quarterfinals. That's a pretty big upset.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I do not believe the NBA has ever had a foreign MVP - the WNBA has. .

Steve Nash was NBA MVP and was Canadian, but I believe played college basketball in the United States.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Steve Nash was NBA MVP and was Canadian, but I believe played college basketball in the United States.

Steve played at Santa Clara and was a 2-time NBA MVP.

Dirk Nowitzki was also NBA MVP.