Phoenix Mercury Coach Corey Gaines is leading his team to a record shattering scoring pace in the playoffs and in the process could be changing how the league approaches the game of basketball. Photo by Max Simbron
The Phoenix Mercury are 3-1 and are averaging a blistering 100 points per game (on 46.5% shooting and 44.4% from three) through the first four games of the 2009 WNBA playoffs. Those numbers are up from the regular season where the Mercury set a WNBA record with 92.8 ppg (on 42.4% shooting 38.6% from three).
100 points per 40 minute game is simply an unbelievable scoring pace. It is even more amazing when you consider that it translates to 120 points per 48 minute NBA game. When was the last time an NBA team averaged 120 points per game in the playoffs? (seriously, when? I can't find the answer)
The other day at practice Mercury Coach Corey Gaines mentioned that his team was defying standard basketball logic with its increased post season scoring. Typically we see games slow down and scoring to drop in the playoffs. At the time I thought the sample size was a bit small (and 4 games is still only 4 games) but so far what Gaines and the Mercury are doing is defying the gravitational laws of professional basketball.
If the Mercury can keep up this pace, or anything close to it, through the rest of what they hope will be another championship run then they will have to be considered among the all time great offensive basketball teams in any league. That will surely change the way the game is played in coming years as teams seek to adapt to a fan-friendly style that also wins playoff games.
We saw how the 04-08 Phoenix Suns changed the NBA with Mike D'Antoni's Seven Seconds of Less. Scoring has picked up across the NBA as has the pace of the game. The defensive slug fests of the 90's were replaced with a more athletic game that emphasized skill over brawn. The Suns weren't able to win a ring with that style (due in no small part to untimely injuries) but they're impact on the sport was lasting.
The Phoenix Mercury are on pace to take that to a whole new level and that will surely have a similar impact on the WNBA. Teams naturally follow a winner and the result could be a big benefit to the WNBA as it tries to grow its "swish appeal".
0 recs | 7 comments
I was curious whether the Mercury's record setting scoring
was primarily the result of increased offensive efficiency or increased possessions per game (pace). I was a little surprised when I ran the numbers from this regular season last week to find that it was entirely pace. Here’s the Mercury’s offense and defensive efficiency as well as there pace stats for the four years they’ve led the WNBA in offensive efficiency and pace (Their defense was 3rd worst in 2006 and 2007, last in 2008).
Scotter - September 24, 2009
The Mercury's best offensive year if we adjust for pace was actually 2006.
They only scored 87.1 pts/g that season compared to 92.8 this season. But, the 2006 team averaged 80 possessions per game compared to 87 possessions in 2009 (83 in 2007 and 2008).
Even if the Mercury aren’t any better offensively this regular season than previous seasons, that 87 possessions is truly remarkable. A four possession jump when you were already leading the league is impressive. In 2007 and 2008 they were equal to the fastest paced NBA team.
No NBA team since Paul Westhead’s awful 20-62 1990-91 Denver team has played a faster pace than the 2009 Mercury. And only 28 NBA teams since the79-80 season have played a similar or fast pace.
Scotter - September 24, 2009
Wow - great stuff
I know someone more “stat-y” would be able to do something with this!
Seth Pollack - September 24, 2009
Wondering if that increase in pace
is due to improved rebounding or simply…moving faster.
I have to say having watched the Warrior try and play up tempo in a style that doesn’t involve ball movement that I haven’t felt the Mercury have run “recklessly” this season. Sure, there are occasions were quick, bad shots are taken but they aren’t afraid to pull back and run a set.
I guess I am just trying to balance “faster pace” with what I’ve seen.
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
I looked at breakdowns for the last four seasons and it's clearly
rebounding that stands out as the clear difference.
The previous three seasons the Mercury were getting 66% of the rebounds on defense. Somewhere in the high 60s/low 70s is the league average. This season they rebounded 74% of their opponents missed shots, which is likely one of the best marks, if not the best, in the WNBA this season. A quick check to put that number in perspective revealed that through the 2008 season the Sparks and the Storm had never had a season that good, and the Shock had managed two seasons just slightly better than the Mercury this season on the defensive boards.
That significant defensive rebounding improvement has been coupled with an offensive rebounding drop off. The previous three seasons the Mercury rebounded between 22 and 30% of their missed shots. This season they only rebounded 18% of their missed shots. So you have a team that’s ending their opponents possessions quicker, and isn’t extending their own possessions as often. Rebounding is the primary difference, although I’m sure Johnson and Swanier pushing the ball hasn’t hurt the pace either.
Scotter - September 25, 2009
Balance
Yes, their pace and scoring are blistering until they hit the ‘defensive wall’ of Indiana, and, of course, Detroit. I comprehend the Barnum and Bailey pizzazz of torching 3 pointers and the need to sell the WNBA to fans of that lightening fast, in your face offensive one upsmanship, but I not only appreciate excellent defense, I cannot respect a team until they balance their offensive acumen with an equal amount of defensive finess. And yes, I do believe and insist that the WNBA develop both skill sets to a razor sharp edge.
lapis - September 25, 2009
I instinctively
agree and I am not personally a fan of “offense-only” basketball. Historically, it’s not worked.
I will say this, the Mercury are doing something a bit different in that the strategy is to use their pace and depth as a defensive weapon. All season long they’ve been able to turn up the intensity on the defensive end in the last 5 minutes of close games.
The pace allows them to do that. I am not a stats guy but having watched this team, they are better on the defensive end than the numbers give them credit for.
On the perimeter they are very good. Inside with LeCoe and Smith on the floor they are more limited but when they bring in Bonner and Ohlde they can be as good on the glass as almost anyone.
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
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