Sonics worst defense ever?

[Buckley]

It wasn't supposed to be like this in Seattle. Coming off a 52-win season that saw the SuperSonics give the eventual champion Spurs all the Texans could handle in the second round, the Sonics were looking forward to continuing their winning ways in 2005-06.

Yes, they were a poor defensive team, but they could score in bunches. Thanks to their potent 3-point shooting and ferocious offensive rebounding, the 2004-05 Sonics had the NBA's third-most efficient offense. Thus, even with a defense that ranked a mere 25th out of the league's 30 teams in defensive efficiency (my measure of a team's points allowed per 100 opponent possessions), the Sonics scored enough to win on most nights.

This year, that equation changed in a major way. The Sonics still had the great offense. Through Wednesday's games, the Sonics ranked fourth in the NBA in offensive efficiency and were just a hair behind Detroit for third, which would be a repeat of last year's performance.

Defensively, however, things went from bad to worse. Or worst, I should say. Not as in "worst in the NBA," although that certainly applies. No, I mean worst as in worst defense ever.

You heard me.

Worst.

Defense.

Ever.

Wow I knew they were bad at defense but I didnt know they could be the worst ever.

Your thoughts?

[j.23]

could be worse, they could be the knicks.

at least their offense makes up for it, sort of.

the knicks are horrible on both ends

[The_Flying_Tomato]

yeah, give the sonics D to the knicks and you have probably the 'worst. team. ever.'

[Axel]

The Sonics are a far worse defensive team than NY. They're probably the worst defensive team I've ever watched.

[DaTruth36]

Knicks have the worst defense. No need to back myself up here, because there's no need to argue.

Nuff said.

[cklitsie]

Knicks have the worst defense. No need to back myself up here, because there's no need to argue.

Nuff said.

You, my friend, are a moron. Just because the Knicks suck big time, doesn't mean you can call them the worst in every category and get away with it by saying "I'm right, no need to argue".

I don't know, they might have the worst defense, they might not (let's wait for benji ). But you're just plain dumb.

[Buckley]

Knicks give up 102.6
Sonics give up 106.2

But the Knicks suck becuz they have a bad offense too.

[DaTruth36]

The knicks actually do have the worst, (if not, then the 2nd worst) defense in the league. Yes, they're team sucks. But why do you think they suck so bad? They make up plays, and they never get down and defend because they can't get shit in the hoop.


So, no, I'm no moron. You can think what you want. I have no problem with that.

[Jackal]

Nuff said.

Don't use that, my penis has a patent on it, it used that line and since then you've been using it.

"Ha ha, i kid only joke ha ha."

Retard.

[shadowgrin]

my penis has a patent on it

It's still pending, so technically it's not yet yours.

[benji]

The knicks actually do have the worst, (if not, then the 2nd worst) defense in the league.

Or 26th. (Out of 30 teams.) From ESPN two seconds ago.

Code: Select all

26 NYK 108.4
27 ATL 108.5
28 TOR 109.0
29 POR 109.0
30 SEA 112.4

In the 33 years since the NBA has been tracking turnovers (thus making it possible to track teams on a per-possession basis), none has ever been as bad, relative to the league, as this year's Sonics. Nobody has even been close to this bad. Seattle's 112.4 defensive efficiency mark is more than nine points worse than the league average of 103.2.

The nearest any team has come to the Sonics' defensive ineptitude came in the 1998-99 season, when both the Clippers and Nuggets set new standards of ineptitude. The Clips were 7.8 points worse than the league norm, while the Nuggets were 7.6 worse.

But the Clippers' mark was set in a 50-game season, thanks to the 1998-99 lockout. In an 82-game NBA season, the all-time worst belongs to the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, who were 7.5 points worse than the league norm. So the Sonics aren't just breaking the 82-game record here, they're destroying it by more than 20 percent. Basically, they're the Wilt Chamberlains of bad defense.

The Knicks are a 23 win team so far this season. (82*(6723^14/(6723^14+7182^14)) = 23.3)

Give them the Sonics defense and they become a 16-66 team.

Take a look at the 1993 Dallas Mavericks. They were last on offense, and last on defense. Being 9.1 points worse than average on offense and 7.5 points worse than average on defense. -16.6 per 100 possessions. -15.2 points per game. The 9-73 1973 Sixers were only -12.1 points per game. (1998 Nuggets, 11-71, 28th on both offense and defense, -11.8 points per game)

Just for a fun, a team with the Suns pace (first, 98.1 possessions per 48 min), the Sonics defense and Blazers offense would be a 9-73 team. At Memphis' pace (last, 88.5 possessions per 48 min), 11-71.

Portland is far and away the worst team in the league this season as can be seen here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistic ... &split=901

[Laxation]

(82*(6723^14/(6723^14+7182^14)) = 23.3)

oh ok, those numbers explain why knicks have won 23.3 games

[alexboom]

Regarding defense, you have to credit the Raptors too. They allowed Kobe to score 81 points on their heads, and they've just been beaten by the Suns who scored 140 points

[cklitsie]

I don't know, they might have the worst defense, they might not (let's wait for benji ). But you're just plain dumb.

Thank you benji and DaTruth36 you're still a retard no matter what you say to back yourself up.

[macca33]

oh mad... i thought the sixers had the worst defense in the nba lol!!!!

[J@3]

ny must have the worst defense because the sonics score way more than them, meaning the opposition has more scoring opportunities.

I'm not entirely sure how you came to that conclusion.

[benji]

oh ok, those numbers explain why knicks have won 23.3 games

It's called pythagorean winning percentage...take some time to make yourself smarter and look it up.

It's a more accurate indicator of how good a team is than winning percentage. Eliminating luck and fluke games.

The best example I can think of is the 2003 Nets. They went 49-33, but their expected record was actually 56-26. Which is why they romped through the East in the playoffs so easily (especially when Billups got hurt) something their win-loss record didn't forecast. Also why they were a tough matchup for the Spurs, who's expected record was 57-25.

[shadowgrin]

oh mad... i thought the sixers had the worst defense in the nba lol!!!!

You sir, are a moron.

[Laxation]

It's called pythagorean winning percentage...take some time to make yourself smarter and look it up.

so if i gave you some random numbers, you would be able to figure out what the formula is called to look it up?

I cant see this being an accurate interpretation of the 'expected' wins of a team either, since they will score more on bad teams than on good ones. At the moment, the best way to determine how many games a team has won, is to look at their schedule and count the games where they scored more than the opponent.
It might be a few more years before a better method is found out.

[macca33]

oh mad... i thought the sixers had the worst defense in the nba lol!!!!

You sir, are a moron.

do you remember anytime during the season when the sixers defense was being questioned every game and salmons began to start instead of korver? because i do, and i was just kidding btw, as its obvious its not the worst!

[DaTruth36]

I don't know, they might have the worst defense, they might not (let's wait for benji ). But you're just plain dumb.

Thank you benji and DaTruth36 you're still a retard no matter what you say to back yourself up.

Well you know a whole not now, don't you? Way to back it all up there chief.

[Fresh8]

An ESPN.com story on Friday, basing its findings on statistical analysis, claimed that this year’s Sonics are the worst defensive team in the history of the NBA.

Hill did not dispute that the Sonics are a poor defensive team, saying, “As long as this team is built the way it is, that number (points allowed) is going to be high.”

Hill did say, though, that the one number he is concerned with is point differential – the amount of points the Sonics score related to their opponents.

Hill said that since the Sonics reshaped their team at the trade deadline the differential has gone from a negative number to plus-2.39.

[cklitsie]

Well you know a whole not now, don't you? Way to back it all up there chief.

I could bring out all of your retarded post but I can't be bothered, most forum members think of you as a retard already anyway (same with PHX4LIFE).

[Laxation]

Well you know a whole not now, don't you? Way to back it all up there chief.

I could bring out all of your retarded post but I can't be bothered, most forum members think of you as a retard already anyway (same with PHX4LIFE).

ill back that up... chief

[DaTruth36]

That's because like 2 people started to hate me because they didn't like Paul Pierce, and since they were mods, people were like "Oh, well, they're mods, I don't wanna argue with them" so they decided to join the rant and now more and more people are, when really, there's no point what so ever.

BTW, back it all up, please.