Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-points-wise.
Jonny Flynn (MIN)
28 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
45 z-pts (1.34), 0.68 z2PT%, 0.28 z3PT%, 0.60 zFT%
Clearly, from looking at the box score we can tell that Flynn was the man of the game. The disparity between his adjusted z-points and normal points (44.67 vs. 28) tells us that he did something in the clutch. Then, by looking at his z-point % we see a disparity in 2PT shots (0.776 vs. 0.538) and also see that most of his z-points come from 2PT range (0.95 out of 1.34). And since the final score is 110-108 Wolves, we can infer that Flynn must have scored the go-ahead basket with the game tied at 108. Which is, in fact, what happened. But we can also see a disparity in 3PT% (0.28 vs. 0.67), indicating that Flynn must have missed from beyond the arc in crunch time (he did, missing two crucial three-pointers in the last 1:45).
Raymond Felton (CHA)
18 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 100% FT%
26 z-pts (0.74), 0.66 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Following the same logic, we can figure out that Felton was clutch in this game from 2PT range. 0.64 out of his 0.74 z-points came from that distance, and his z2PT% is also higher than his 2PT% (0.66 vs. 0.54). Felton scored back-to-back baskets in a 35-second span at the end of the 4th, then hit a couple of free throws with 17 seconds remaining to kill the game.
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR)
25 pts, 0.48 2PT%, 100% FT%
33 z-pts (0.88), 0.56 z2PT%, 100% zFT%
Aldridge scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half, including 7 in the 4th quarter to help the Blazers pull away from the Kings. Worth noting that Brandon Roy also scored 25 points, but in terms of z-points he only got 22 for Aldridge’s 33, showing the difference in the overall contribution to the win (in terms of scoring, that is).
J.J. Redick (ORL)
13 pts, 0.60 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%, 100% FT%
3 z-pts (0.03), 0.91 z2PT%, 0.02 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
The Heat routed the Magic as they went on fire right from the beginning, outscoring Orlando 33-18 in the first quarter. Redick scored 11 of his 13 points in a 4th quarter that was all garbage time.
Jerryd Bayless (POR)
29 pts, 0.56 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
42 z-pts (1.03), 0.58 z2PT%, 0.70 z3PT%, 0.73 zFT%
Blayless had a spectacular performance with 16 points in the 4th quarter, teaming up with Brandon Roy in crunch time to deliver a win for the Blazers. “Me and Bran talk about what I can do,” Bayless said. “He can be the LeBron [James] and I can be Mo [Williams], a guy that can make plays.”
Elton Brand (PHI)
23 pts, 0.58 2PT%, 0.90 FT%
33 z-pts (1.06), 0.80 z2PT%, 0.92 zFT%
Brand’s tip shot with 7 seconds remaining ended the Celts’ winning streak at 11.
Andre Iguodala (PHI)
28 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
45 z-pts (1.34), 0.68 z2PT%, 0.28 z3PT%, 0.60 zFT%
Iguodala scored 7 points in the last 4:33, including a nice And-1 to put the Sixers ahead with 1:43 to go.
Marreese Speights (PHI)
17 pts, 0.37 2PT%, 0.62 FT%
23 z-pts (0.75), 0.20 z2PT%, 0.82 zFT%
Speights put up 9 of his 17 points in the 4th quarter, including two clutch free throws with 29 seconds left. However, he was pretty inefficient from the field, going 3-of-8 in the 4th (note how his z2P% is lower than his real 2PT%). On the other hand, his zFT% is higher than his FT%, reflecting the fact that he shot efficiently from the line when it mattered.
Ray Allen (BOS)
17 pts, 0.44 2PT%, 0.37 3PT%
23 z-pts (0.74), 0.38 z2PT%, 0.35 z3PT%
Allen had 7 points in the last 4:11 of the game, but he missed a potential winning-shot at the buzzer (which explains his lower z2PT%). To be fair, it was Pierce who was given the opportunity to win the game in the last possession of the game, and after he missed Allen got the rebound with just enough time to throw a desperate shot that didn’t go in.
Kevin Garnett (BOS)
21 pts, 0.36 2PT%, 100% FT%
24 z-pts (0.79), 0.17 z2PT%, 100% zFT%
Garnett shot awfully in the 4th, missing all of his four field goals (hence his 0.17 z2PT%). However, he went 4-of-4 from the free throw line, two of them to put the Celtics ahead with 23 seconds remaining.
Paul Pierce (BOS)
9 pts, 0.33 2PT%, 0.33 3PT%
6 z-pts (0.20), 0.11 z2PT%, 0.43 z3PT%
Bad game from Pierce, who went scoreless in the last quarter on 0-of-3 shooting, including a missed jumper that could have won the game for Boston (which explains his terrible 0.11 z2PT%).
Brandon Jennings (MIL)
18 pts, 0.31 2PT%, 0.12 3PT%, 100% FT%
20 z-pts (0.42), 0.33 z2PT%, 0.06 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
The Bucks rallied with a 14-2 run in the last 6:33, enough to give them a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer in the last possession. But Jennings, who has often been lethal in clutch situations, threw an airball from beyond the arc, ending Milwaukee’s hopes for a win in Cleveland. “Our last shot was a terrible shot,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “We needed a much better shot than that”.
L.A. CLIPPERS @ NEW YORK 91-95
Chris Duhon (NYK)
17 pts, 100% 2PT%, 0.40 3PT%, 0.83 FT%
27 z-pts (0.75), 100% z2PT%, 0.28 z3PT%, 0.59 zFT%
Duhon scored 9 of his 17 points in the last 4:41 of the game. He was perfect from the field, making all of his three shots and also going 3-of-4 from the free throw line. However, the one free throw that he missed was a clutch one (the Knicks were leading by just one point with 13 seconds remaining), and that lowered his zFT%.
David Lee (NYK)
25 pts, 0.67 2PT%, 100% FT%
32 z-pts (0.88), 0.81 z2PT%, 100% zFT%
Lee got some big z-points thanks to a tip shot that gave the Knicks the lead with 28 seconds remaining.
Rasual Butler (LAC)
9 pts, 0.33 2PT%, 0.25 3PT%, 100% FT%
5 z-pts (0.15), 0.23 z2PT%, 0.06 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Butler had a decent look in the last shot of the game, a 3 that would have won it for the Clippers, but missed it. That’s why his z3PT% is lower than his real, non-clutch-adjusted 3PT%.
Tim Thomas (DAL)
10 pts, 0.25 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%, 100% FT%
20 z-pts (0.55), 0.28 z2PT%, 0.73 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
With Nowitzki out of the game, Tim Thomas filled in the void in the clutch department by burying a three-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation that sent the game to OT.
L.A. CLIPPERS @ PHILADELPHIA 112-107
Al Thornton (LAC)
12 pts, 0.42 2PT%
26 z-pts (0.77), 0.63 z2PT%
Thornton tied the game with 11 seconds remaining, forcing the extra period in which the Clippers would prevail.
Marreese Speights (PHI)
28 pts, 0.58 2PT%, 0.67 FT%
46 z-pts (1.35), 0.62 z2PT%, 0.64 zFT%
Speights had a big 4th quarter, scoring 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 4-of-5 from the line. His last bucket in regulation put the Sixers ahead with 20 seconds left in the game.
Derrick Rose (CHI)
32 pts, 0.61 2PT%, 0.67 FT%
49 z-pts (1.59), 0.69 z2PT%, 0.97 zFT%
“I guess I did what I’m supposed to do out there tonight and we were able to win,” Rose said. The Bulls PG was impressive, scoring 16 points in the 4th quarter and overtime combined on 6-of-9 shooting. Rose tied the game in regulation and then hit two clutch free throws in overtime to seal the game. Luol Deng and Joe Johnson missed shots at the end of regulation that would have won the game for their teams (see how their z2PT% is lower that their real 2PT%, reflecting those misses in the clutch). Joe Johnson also missed a game-tying three-pointer at the end of overtime. His lower z3PT% shows that, too.
Tyreke Evans (SAC)
24 pts, 0.44 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 0.71 FT%
31 z-pts (1.18), 0.62 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 0.78 zFT%
He did it again. The rookie drove to the basket in the last possession of the game and made the winning layup. “Coach told me it was my time to go out and make a play, and I did it,” Evans said.
Jason Thompson (SAC)
22 pts, 0.53 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
32 z-pts (1.24), 0.68 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 0.83 zFT%
Thompson was big in the clutch, scoring 7 of his 22 points in the last 2:40 on 3-of-3 shooting. His last shot was a go-ahead basket for the Kings with 11 seconds to go.
Brandon Jennings (MIL)
15 pts, 0.33 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%, 100% FT%
22 z-pts (0.85), 0.18 z2PT%, 0.28 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Evans got the best of Jennings in this Rookie of the Year showdown. Although Jennings scored in the clutch, he didn’t do it very efficiently, as shown by his awful z-shooting %. He missed all of his three field goal attempts in the 4th quarter, but made it up by going 4-of-4 from the line, including two clutch free throws to regain the lead with 20 seconds left in the game.
Ersan Ilyasova (MIL)
14 pts, 0.64 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%
23 z-pts (0.89), 0.84 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%
Almost a game-winner for the Bucks forward from Turkey. Ilyasova took advantage of pass from Jennings to put the Bucks one point ahead of the Kings with 5 seconds to go (see how Jennings is credited for the assist- 9 assists vs. 12.89 z-assists).
Tim Duncan (SAS)
19 pts, 0.44 2PT%, 0.60 FT%
39 z-pts (1.11), 0.47 z2PT%, 0.70 zFT%
Duncan won the game for the Spurs with a dunk with 4 seconds remaining. Because of that clutch play, one would expect Duncan’s z2PT% to skyrocket. But he also missed his share in crunch time, getting his shot blocked twice in the final minute (both times by Roy Hibbert). The second time, he was lucky enough to get the ball back and slam the win home. T.J. Ford had a chance to win the game for the Pacers in the last play of the game, but missed his jumper despite getting a pretty decent look at the basket (his z2PT% reflects that miss).
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