What can we learn about teams based on their points per possession scored and allowed?
Stats review: A look at the efficiency landscape in the EuroCup
Statistiques
2 Minute de lecture
The BKT EuroCup has reached its mid-point with Valencia Basket remaining undefeated, four teams tallying seven wins over nine rounds, and the margin for error at the cut line in both groups remaining razor-thin.
The graph above depicts the league’s efficiency landscape, with each team’s placement corresponding to how much better or worse than average they have performed on both sides of the floor in points per possession. As the labels suggest, the top right quadrant features teams that have played at an above-average level both offensively and defensively.
As it stands, the teams with the four highest efficiency differentials - the number of points per possession they have scored less those they have allowed - correspond to the four teams with seven wins or more. They have taken different routes to get there, with Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Dreamland Gran Canaria excelling defensively and Bahcesehir College Istanbul and Valencia Basket finding good balance, but there are no teams sneaking into the top of the standings on luck this season.
From there, things get interesting with Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv and Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse making headway on both ends of the floor and sitting at the top of a dense grouping of teams in the standings. Five teams in both groups sit at four or five wins heading into the second half ranking between fifth and 18th in efficiency differential. The team at the far end of that spectrum, ratiopharm Ulm, picked up a road win over Hapoel in Round 9 as the league’s youngest team has struggled at times defensively, but proven very formidable in spots as well. With Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius rattling off five wins before their blowout Round 9 loss to Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, several teams in the middle of the standings have shown the ability to get hot and punch above their weight class, but consistency figures to be the key differentiator among teams potentially looking to challenge for a bye in the eightfinals.
Joventut Badalona has the best efficiency differential among the teams on the outside looking in to that group. With an extra home game in the second nine games, they’ll have a prime opportunity to jump back into the mix in 2025.