Sport For Thought: The Brooklyn Nets Playoff Debacle

"I think we match up well against them" were the words Brooklyn Nets shooting guard, Joe Johnson said when asked about their semifinals matchup against the Miami Heat after struggling to beat the young and promising Toronto Raptors in seven games following an improbable last second block by Paul Pierce. After finishing the regular season 4-0 against the two-time reigning champions, many speculated the Brooklyn Nets would have a legitimate chance of defeating the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2014 NBA playoffs in their pursuit of a championship.

Advanced Statistics are Important in the NBA

In the 2010-2011 NBA season, Kevin Durant averaged 6.8 rebounds per game, a respectable but not staggering number. It was not good enough to put him in the top 40 rebounders for that season, however, he might have been the most ferocious rebounder in the whole league. What very few fans know is that Kevin Durant led the league in rebounding percentage, which is defined as percentage of rebounds gathered when within 3.5 feet of the ball. His percentage was 73% which is a staggering number. The NBA is changing due to knew stats and player tracking and for the teams who do not jump on board fast, they will have a tougher time catching up.