Schuhmann: Blazers-Warriors Advanced Stats Series Preview

If you are a nerd for advanced statistics, John Schuhmann of NBA.com has the Blazers-Warriors series preview for you. He has compiled some thorough, information-dense lists of numerical details for the upcoming first-round matchup that will bridge the widest of knowledge gaps and spin your NBA mortar board. Follow this link to read the full article, or keep reading for a quick taste to see if you can keep up.

Warriors notes:

One of only four teams in the last 40 years to rank in the top two in both offensive and defensive efficiency, joining the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (first and first), the 2009-10 Orlando Magic (second and second), and the 2014-15 Warriors (second and first). Their NetRtg of plus-12.1 points per 100 possessions is the second best of the last 40 years, trailing only the '95-96 Bulls' mark of plus-13.3.

Their effective field goal percentage of 56.4 percent was the highest mark in NBA history, topping the record they set last season at 56.3 percent. They led the league in field goal percentage in the restricted area and from mid-range.

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Blazers notes:

Were the most improved team after the All-Star break, 7.8 points per 100 possessions than they were before the break. They were a top-three team in regard to both OffRtg improvement (+4.2 points per 100 possessions) and DefRtg improvement (-3.6 points per 100 possessions). They were one of three teams (Golden State and Miami were the others) to rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor after the break.

Went 14-5 in games Jusuf Nurkic started and outscored their opponents by 9.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor after trading for him on Feb. 13.

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Matchup notes:

All four games took place before the Blazers traded for Nurkic and before Durant was injured. But Al Farouq-Aminu missed the second meeting with a back injury, Curry missed the fourth meeting with a quad injury, and Lillard missed the third meeting with an ankle injury.

The Warriors won first quarters by a combined scored of 146-104 and the third quarters by a combined scored of 140-92. Curry and Durant combined for 26 points in the first quarter of the Dec. 17 meeting, and Curry scored 23 of his 28 points in the third quarter of the Nov. 1 meeting.

Schuhmann has created some pretty amazing previews just like this for every first-round matchup. You can find them and an archive of his other work, here.