Abstract

ALMAS, Saulo Peters. Analysis of game-related statistics which discriminate between winning and losing in Brazilian professional basketball. Rev. Bras. Educ. Fís. Esporte [online]. 2015, vol.29, n.4, pp.551-558. ISSN 1981-4690.  https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-55092015000400551.

The aim of this study was to identify which game-related statistics are capable of discriminating between winning and losing teams from Novo Basquete Brasil games, Brazilian men’s professional basketball, according to championship phase (regular season or playoff) and scoring differences (balanced games or unbalanced games). The sample used corresponded to all 316 games from the 2013/2014 season. The game-related statistics analyzed were: 2 and 3 points fi eld-goals (both successful and unsuccessful), free-throws (both successful and unsuccessful), offensive and defensive rebounds, assists, blocks, personal fouls, steals and turnovers. To split between balanced and unbalanced games, a k-means cluster analysis was performed. When scoring difference fell between 1 and 15 points, the score was balanced and when the difference was from 16 to 47 points, the score was unbalanced. The discriminant analysis allowed to conclude that successful 3 points fi eld-goals and defensive rebounds discriminated winning teams in regular season games, whatever balanced or unbalanced, and in playoff balanced games. Assists were important to discriminate teams in regular season unbalanced games, while successful free-throws discriminated winners and losers in regular season balanced games. No game-related statistics were able to discriminate the teams in playoff unbalanced games. This study showed that different game-related statistics discriminate between winning and losing teams depending on the championship phase and the scoring differences.

Keywords : Athletic performance; Discriminant analysis; High-performance sports; Quantitative analysis.

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