|
The 4-Point Play looks at the four analytics-based storylines that will make you smarter when watching Friday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks (seventh in ESPN's Basketball Power Index) and the Golden State Warriors (first in BPI). Our BPI gives the Warriors a 79 percent chance of winning: 1. Stephen Curry continues his MVP-level season by shooting fewer midrange shots and more 3-pointers. His rate of 3-point attempts has been increasing all season. He took 7.7 3s per 36 minutes at the beginning of the season, and over the last 10 games he has averaged 10 3-point attempts per 36 minutes. 2. The Warriors' defense has come down to earth and fallen to second in BPI to the Spurs at 3.8 points above average. 3. The Mavericks have a 12 percent chance of having home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, with the Portland Trail Blazers being their most likely opponent (5 percent chance) if the Mavs do host a series. 4. Of all the Western conference teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, the Mavericks face the toughest remaining schedule.
|
