A Very numberFire NBA Christmas
Throughout the NFL season, numberFire has been here to give you some of the top football content around. That's not going away any time soon - our outlooks for Week 17 Waiver Pickups and the 2012 Playoff Picture have already been posted. But that's not what it's all about today.
It's basketball time, baby.
Along with our daily projections and game previews through our premium product, we also have a stable of NBA writers bringing you some of the best insights into the numbers behind what transpires on the court. From the Lakers to the Bulls to the Thunder and more, we have the big names in the NBA covered.
So before you stuff your face and watch your share of football today, read up on what our NBA writers have said about today's games. It's fun to watch the games; it's more fun to know the games.
Miami Heat Stat Brief (vs. Thunder)
"Thanks to last year’s Finals, we have a decent sample size of how LeBron James and Kevin Durant’s play changes when the other is on the court. Since they are often matched up against each other, it is reasonable to think that these changes might be an indicator of how they will play today. Per NBA.com, one of the biggest changes is in Kevin Durant’s shooting. He increased his threes attempted per 36 minutes from 4.7, his season average, to 5.6 in the playoffs last year while slightly improving his shooting percentages from beyond the arc."
Los Angeles Lakers Stat Brief (vs. Knicks)
"But Tyson Chandler's impact on the Knicks’ success is huge - and often unheralded. Chandler has always been a good defender, but this year he’s been a beast on offense as well. His .700 percent effective field goal percentage and 142.4 offensive rating both lead the league. In fact, his shooting percentage is almost 100 points higher than second place JaVale McGee. More importantly, it contributes to Knicks wins. In fact, his 4.8 win shares are tied for fourth in the league with Kobe Bryant."
Los Angeles Clippers Stat Brief (vs. Nuggets)
"The Nuggets aren’t exactly one of the NBA’s elite teams, but they do have an offense which ranks eighth in offensive efficiency. The last time the Clippers played a top 10 offense was against the Nets back on November 23rd. The Clippers lost by 10 that game, but it wasn’t because of their defense; they only managed to score 76 points."
