NBA Stat Central #6: Is That Even Possible?
Welcome to NBA Stat Central, our weekly column where we delve deeper into NBA statistics. We’re here with a different theme every Friday, so check out the archives and be sure to check back every Friday!
This week, our theme refers to statistical improbabilities that don’t even seem possible or make any sense.
The 1982-83 Los Angeles Lakers shot 10.4% as a team from the three-point line!
What’s just as amazing is that the team went 58-24 and scored 115 points per game. They had the No. 1 rated offensive team in the NBA. They would go on to the NBA Finals and lose, but the three-point percentage seems impossible.
The team leader made just five three-point shots for the ENTIRE season. The league averaged just 23.8%. The basket hasn’t changed in height or circumference since then, but teams are much more prolific. How could they have been so poor?
| Rk | Player | Age | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 35 | 79 | 79 | 2554 | 722 | 1228 | .588 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 278 | 371 | .749 | 167 | 425 | 592 | 200 | 61 | 170 | 200 | 220 | 1722 |
| 2 | Jamaal Wilkes | 29 | 80 | 80 | 2552 | 684 | 1290 | .530 | 0 | 6 | .000 | 203 | 268 | .757 | 146 | 197 | 343 | 182 | 65 | 17 | 150 | 221 | 1571 |
| 3 | Magic Johnson | 23 | 79 | 79 | 2907 | 511 | 933 | .548 | 0 | 21 | .000 | 304 | 380 | .800 | 214 | 469 | 683 | 829 | 176 | 47 | 301 | 200 | 1326 |
| 4 | Norm Nixon | 27 | 79 | 79 | 2711 | 533 | 1123 | .475 | 0 | 13 | .000 | 125 | 168 | .744 | 61 | 144 | 205 | 566 | 104 | 4 | 237 | 176 | 1191 |
| 5 | James Worthy | 21 | 77 | 1 | 1970 | 447 | 772 | .579 | 1 | 4 | .250 | 138 | 221 | .624 | 157 | 242 | 399 | 132 | 91 | 64 | 178 | 221 | 1033 |
| 6 | Bob McAdoo | 31 | 47 | 1 | 1019 | 292 | 562 | .520 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 119 | 163 | .730 | 76 | 171 | 247 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 68 | 153 | 703 |
| 7 | Michael Cooper | 26 | 82 | 3 | 2148 | 266 | 497 | .535 | 5 | 21 | .238 | 102 | 130 | .785 | 82 | 192 | 274 | 315 | 115 | 50 | 128 | 208 | 639 |
| 8 | Kurt Rambis | 24 | 78 | 77 | 1806 | 235 | 413 | .569 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 114 | 166 | .687 | 164 | 367 | 531 | 90 | 105 | 63 | 145 | 233 | 584 |
| 9 | Mike McGee | 23 | 39 | 7 | 381 | 69 | 163 | .423 | 1 | 7 | .143 | 17 | 23 | .739 | 33 | 20 | 53 | 26 | 11 | 5 | 27 | 50 | 156 |
| 10 | Dwight Jones | 30 | 32 | 0 | 491 | 62 | 132 | .470 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 32 | 48 | .667 | 28 | 86 | 114 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 35 | 82 | 156 |
| 11 | Clay Johnson | 26 | 48 | 0 | 447 | 53 | 135 | .393 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 38 | 48 | .792 | 40 | 29 | 69 | 24 | 22 | 4 | 25 | 62 | 144 |
| 12 | Mark Landsberger | 27 | 39 | 4 | 356 | 43 | 102 | .422 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 25 | .480 | 55 | 73 | 128 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 48 | 98 | |
| 13 | Eddie Jordan | 28 | 35 | 0 | 333 | 40 | 132 | .303 | 3 | 16 | .188 | 11 | 17 | .647 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 80 | 31 | 1 | 54 | 52 | 94 |
| 14 | Steve Mix | 35 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 10 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | |
| 15 | Billy Ray Bates | 26 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 16 | .125 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| 16 | Joe Cooper | 25 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 4 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2012.
Walt Bellamy led the NBA in games played in 1968-69 with 88…in an 82 game season!
I could see a player getting traded to a team that had played one or two fewer games, but this was the perfect storm. First, Bellamy was good enough that he played in every game for both teams. Second, he was fortunate enough to escape injury that would have derailed this feat.
In an interesting twist, this season was the only within a seven-year stretch that he didn’t play in the playoffs. Good thing, because he would have been exhausted.
| Season | Age | Tm | Lg | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-69 | 29 | TOT | NBA | 88 | 35.9 | 6.4 | 12.5 | .510 | 4.6 | 7.0 | .649 | 12.5 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 17.4 | |||||||||
| 1968-69 | 29 | NYK | NBA | 35 | 32.5 | 5.8 | 11.5 | .507 | 3.6 | 5.8 | .619 | 11.0 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 15.2 | |||||||||
| 1968-69 | 29 | DET | NBA | 53 | 38.2 | 6.8 | 13.2 | .512 | 5.2 | 7.8 | .663 | 13.5 | 1.9 | 3.7 | 18.8 | |||||||||
| Career | NBA | 1043 | 37.3 | 7.6 | 14.7 | .516 | 4.9 | 7.8 | .632 | 3.4 | 6.2 | 13.7 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 20.1 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2012.
Steve Nash has more blocked shots than Kobe Bryant for the 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers
Nash has played a grand total of 50 minutes and isn’t exactly known for his defensive prowess. Bryant has played 441 minutes and has been named to the All-Defensive team 12 times, including each of the last seven seasons.
It makes no sense whatsoever, but Bryant has a grand total of zero blocks. Nash has one. Even Jose Calderon and his 42 career blocks (three this year) make Bryant look bad on this one. Kobe gets the last laugh, though, as he leads the league in scoring.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2012.
No player has averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists since 2004-05
With great all-around players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant in the league and in or nearing their primes, it’s hard to believe this one. The last player to averaged 20-10-5 was Kevin Garnett for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Durant is currently averaging 25.4/10.1/4.7 while James is at 24.8/9.1/6.6.
Since the 1979-80 season, only Garnett (three times), Larry Bird (five times), Charles Barkley and Chris Webber have accomplished the feat.
| Totals | Shooting | Per Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Season ▾ | Age | Tm | Lg | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | 3P | 3PA | FT | FTA | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS | FG% | 3P% | FT% | PTS | TRB | AST | WS |
| 1 | Kevin Garnett | 2004-05 | 28 | MIN | NBA | 82 | 82 | 3121 | 683 | 1360 | 6 | 25 | 445 | 549 | 247 | 861 | 1108 | 466 | 121 | 112 | 222 | 207 | 1817 | .502 | .240 | .811 | 22.2 | 13.5 | 5.7 | 16.1 |
| 2 | Kevin Garnett | 2002-03 | 26 | MIN | NBA | 82 | 82 | 3321 | 743 | 1481 | 20 | 71 | 377 | 502 | 244 | 858 | 1102 | 495 | 113 | 129 | 229 | 199 | 1883 | .502 | .282 | .751 | 23.0 | 13.4 | 6.0 | 15.6 |
| 3 | Chris Webber | 2002-03 | 29 | SAC | NBA | 67 | 67 | 2622 | 661 | 1433 | 5 | 21 | 215 | 354 | 160 | 544 | 704 | 364 | 106 | 88 | 215 | 204 | 1542 | .461 | .238 | .607 | 23.0 | 10.5 | 5.4 | 6.9 |
| 4 | Kevin Garnett | 2001-02 | 25 | MIN | NBA | 81 | 81 | 3175 | 659 | 1401 | 37 | 116 | 359 | 448 | 243 | 738 | 981 | 422 | 96 | 126 | 229 | 184 | 1714 | .470 | .319 | .801 | 21.2 | 12.1 | 5.2 | 12.8 |
| 5 | Charles Barkley* | 1992-93 | 29 | PHO | NBA | 76 | 76 | 2859 | 716 | 1376 | 67 | 220 | 445 | 582 | 237 | 691 | 928 | 385 | 119 | 74 | 233 | 197 | 1944 | .520 | .305 | .765 | 25.6 | 12.2 | 5.1 | 14.4 |
| 6 | Larry Bird* | 1984-85 | 28 | BOS | NBA | 80 | 77 | 3161 | 918 | 1760 | 56 | 131 | 403 | 457 | 164 | 678 | 842 | 531 | 129 | 98 | 248 | 208 | 2295 | .522 | .427 | .882 | 28.7 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 15.7 |
| 7 | Larry Bird* | 1983-84 | 27 | BOS | NBA | 79 | 77 | 3028 | 758 | 1542 | 18 | 73 | 374 | 421 | 181 | 615 | 796 | 520 | 144 | 69 | 237 | 197 | 1908 | .492 | .247 | .888 | 24.2 | 10.1 | 6.6 | 13.6 |
| 8 | Larry Bird* | 1982-83 | 26 | BOS | NBA | 79 | 79 | 2982 | 747 | 1481 | 22 | 77 | 351 | 418 | 193 | 677 | 870 | 458 | 148 | 71 | 240 | 197 | 1867 | .504 | .286 | .840 | 23.6 | 11.0 | 5.8 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Larry Bird* | 1981-82 | 25 | BOS | NBA | 77 | 58 | 2923 | 711 | 1414 | 11 | 52 | 328 | 380 | 200 | 637 | 837 | 447 | 143 | 66 | 254 | 244 | 1761 | .503 | .212 | .863 | 22.9 | 10.9 | 5.8 | 12.5 |
| 10 | Larry Bird* | 1980-81 | 24 | BOS | NBA | 82 | 82 | 3239 | 719 | 1503 | 20 | 74 | 283 | 328 | 191 | 704 | 895 | 451 | 161 | 63 | 289 | 239 | 1741 | .478 | .270 | .863 | 21.2 | 10.9 | 5.5 | 10.8 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2012.
No team has shot worse than 40% from the field since 1979-80
No team, not even the historically horrid 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats team, has ever shot worse than 40 percent in a season. The 1998-99 Chicago Bulls (year after Michael Jordan retired) gave it a shot with a .401 shooting percentage.
Currently, the Washington Wizards are also giving it a shot. As of now, they would be the worst shooting team in the history of the three-point era, at an even .400. Words don’t truly do their shooting woes justice, so just enjoy the table below.
| Rk | Player | Age | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jordan Crawford | 24 | 10 | 3 | 231 | 41 | 103 | .398 | 12 | 37 | .324 | 25 | 31 | .806 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 35 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 17 | 119 |
| 2 | Bradley Beal | 19 | 10 | 8 | 270 | 35 | 104 | .337 | 14 | 42 | .333 | 27 | 30 | .900 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 111 |
| 3 | Kevin Seraphin | 23 | 9 | 1 | 206 | 48 | 97 | .495 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | .600 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 31 | 102 | |
| 4 | A.J. Price | 26 | 10 | 9 | 306 | 37 | 103 | .359 | 18 | 55 | .327 | 9 | 10 | .900 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 58 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 101 |
| 5 | Trevor Ariza | 27 | 10 | 9 | 260 | 32 | 97 | .330 | 8 | 30 | .267 | 15 | 19 | .789 | 13 | 45 | 58 | 19 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 87 |
| 6 | Emeka Okafor | 30 | 10 | 9 | 226 | 30 | 76 | .395 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 23 | .609 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 9 | 16 | 74 | |
| 7 | Trevor Booker | 25 | 9 | 7 | 217 | 29 | 64 | .453 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 3 | 5 | .600 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 61 |
| 8 | Martell Webster | 26 | 9 | 0 | 180 | 19 | 46 | .413 | 10 | 26 | .385 | 13 | 14 | .929 | 4 | 28 | 32 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 61 |
| 9 | Chris Singleton | 23 | 10 | 0 | 142 | 20 | 37 | .541 | 1 | 6 | .167 | 6 | 12 | .500 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 23 | 47 |
| 10 | Jan Vesely | 22 | 10 | 3 | 148 | 12 | 28 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | .250 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 27 | |
| 11 | Cartier Martin | 28 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 9 | 20 | .450 | 6 | 14 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 | |
| 12 | Jannero Pargo | 33 | 7 | 0 | 102 | 8 | 32 | .250 | 3 | 20 | .150 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 21 |
| 13 | Earl Barron | 31 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 9 | 14 | .643 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .333 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 19 | |
| 14 | Shaun Livingston | 27 | 3 | 1 | 63 | 7 | 20 | .350 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| 15 | Nene Hilario | 30 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 5 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | .800 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2012.
Thanks for visiting HoopsHabit.com! We’d love to hear your opinion in the comments section below!
Please visit our sponsors and like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our Youtube feed and tell your friends!
HoopsHabit’s Regular Column Schedule:
Monday – NBA Awards Watch
Wednesday – NBA Power Rankings
Friday – NBA Stat Central
Sunday – Your NBA Fix Podcast