Ryan_BBStats

@GabeLeftBrain @craftedNBA This is awesome. Good stuff

Another way to break down the 76ers new starting 5. This scatter plot shows gunner rate,( a measure of how much more likely a player is to shoot than pass made by @craftedNBA ) vs their time spent on ball. As you can see, Brown is far and away the most shot oriented of the 5.

@MediJo20 Thank you! This stuff is super fun to look at

Ryan is doing incredible statistical work. Must follow!

Next up for my #Sixers Stats Series: Jaylen Brown. The Good: 1.) .35 FTR, 89th %ile- Brown's ability to put pressure on the defense with his downhill attack mindset is strong. This trait alongside his strength and athleticism going vertically to the rim leads to increased contact + more fouls (higher FTR) 2.) 10.5% PASSTOV, 83rd %ile- Brown is one of the best pure creators in the league at the wing position. This percentage indicates that he's able to create scoring opportunities without giving the ball away through a bad pass. If the Sixers can be efficient and get shots up on their possessions instead of turnovers, the offense will be almost unstoppable 3.) -4.2% DIFF, 96th %ile- Brown is certainly still a capable on-ball defender. The advanced metrics show opponents shoot about 4% worse when he's contesting the shot versus expectation. If he can rekindle some of what he showed in the 2024 NBA Finals on the defensive side, it will change the outlook of this team drastically. JB's off-ball attentiveness can be an issue, though 4.) 14.9% DRB%, 75th %ile- where Brown may help the Sixers the most is in this exact spot, being a willing defensive rebounder. His physicality + athleticism allows him to generate space on box outs and leap to grab boards. If he can continue to clean up the boards at a 15%-ish rate, that'd be phenomenal for Philly The Bad: 1.) 10.3% sTOV%, 1st percentile- Brown is genuinely one of the worst in the league at losing the ball when making a move to score. Whether it's losing the handle, getting stripped, or dribbling it off his foot - JB has an issue coughing it up during offensive aggression 2.) 1.9 PA/1M, 15th %ile- while Brown has shown an ability to pass the ball on offense, it hasn't necessarily shown up in relativity to the amount of time he spends with the ball in his hands. For the usage rate and on-ball time he had, it didn't lead to true passing pressure (potential assists) 3.) -1.3 D-DPM, 5th %ile- while there are flashes of positive defensive impact, Jaylen Brown is largely a negative defensively in terms of preventing teams from scoring. This is an all-in-one type metric that predicts how much Brown impacts the game on defense, and the numbers say he doesn't

@ryanhammer09 Dewayne Brown: Tennessee

Give me one player who will have a huge breakout season in college basketball this year⬇️

@MediJo20 Absolutely. Really no risk to it

@RyanMurph28 Completely agree! Yeah I think this is just the ideal environment for him between the roster pieces around him and the familiarity with a LeBron-led team. He doesn’t need to be 2020-23 KCP, just a solid enough 2 way guy who can eat minutes and impact the game

KCP dealt with bad health and a less than ideal situation in Memphis last year. I looked back at his ‘25 numbers in Orlando to see what we can glean from his late career production, and the nice thing is, the skills that age well are still showing up -High defensive impact (You don't accidentally end up in the 97th percentile of DDPM if you're hurting your team) - lots of event creation on defense even in his 30s suggests it comes from instincts and not just athleticism - high 3pt rate. Even if he shot "only" 34%, he was still taking the right shots and forcing defenses to respect him. Volume matters for spacing - high transition PPP, that’s someone willing to run with Bron/Maxey/JB His Memphis season doesn’t worry me. Philly is almost the exact ecosystem KCP has thrived in throughout his career. He'd be asked to defend the opponent's best guard/wing for 20 minutes, hit open corner 3s, make the extra pass, cut when defenses load up on stars and get out in transition The one thing I'd watch is whether he still has enough lateral quickness to stay in front of elite guards for long stretches. At 33, that's where decline usually shows up first. If he's lost even half a step, he's probably more of a 20-minute playoff rotation player than a 30-minute guy

@HoopsReference I agree with this. I think this new look Sixers roster has tons of versatility. Could see bench units look something like Philon-VJ-LeBron-Wade-Barlow. Still plenty of creation and offense while Wade and Barlow stabilize the front court

Am I crazy for thinking Dom Barlow can handle brief stretches in the backul center role? Strong rebounder, amazing motor, and 6’10 with a 7’3 wingspan so i don’t see why he seems to be pidgeonholed as a PF when Dean Wade is clearly the backup there

@therealallpro If by strategy u mean put a bunch of stars together and see what happens then I’d probably disagree. The Sixers have the star power but also respectable depth and have “glue” type guys that some of those super teams that failed were missing

@RyanMurph28 There’s not a single time in nba history this strategy has worked. There’s not even a good comp to because the 04 Lakers at least had two HOF in their prime. 13 lakers had Howard and Artest as actually all timers defensive players Maybe the Garnett/ Pierce Nets? But all failed

My raw, unfiltered, stat-free take on the roster building and current state of the #76ers since I’ve seen a lot of takes on it: What Mike Gansey has done in his first 60-ish days as Sixers POBO is nothing short of insane. He could’ve taken a cautious approach: run it back with Embiid-Maxey-PG, resign Oubre, sign a couple guys on minimums around the margins. He pretty much did the complete opposite. What I loved about Gansey from the start is he didn’t sugar coat the state of the team. He knew they weren’t close to a contender and wanted to shake things up with aggression immediately. Drafting Labaron Philon felt like a Howie Roseman-esque move in the fact that he saw a superb talent that fell down the board and he didn’t overthink it. Dean Wade was a great bargain for a guy who can be a connective piece and provide defensive versatility. Anfernee Simons provides a depleted bench with high volume 3pt shooting it desperately needed. Ariel Hukporti is a young, high-motor guy with potential to develop. The two biggest moves obviously were landing Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. If you told a 76er fan at the end of that Knicks series both these guys would be on the roster, they would’ve thought you were crazy. Rightfully so, that’s why Gansey’s offseason has been special(on paper). He zagged when most would zig. He took a chance on building a roster that may not be a beautiful fit, but it has the ceiling and the potential to be great. There’s a lot of guys who’ve been used to on-ball, high usage play styles. There will have to be sacrifice and role acceptance, and that’s where I think the leadership of LeBron James will play a huge role. But from where the #Sixers were in May with no real direction, a sweep via the Knicks, and a fanbase fairly disinterested, Mike Gansey has energized this team, the fans, and the city and given them a reason to sell out the arena next year. You can talk about how this team will fit and mesh together sure, but there’s no denying the outlook of this squad is worlds better than it was a month ago.

🏀 NEW EPISODE OF @TheCouncilNBA PODCAST 🏀 Check out our full thoughts on the LeBron James to Philly signing and the revamped #Sixers roster !!!! Link Below👇‼️

@MediJo20 Thank you!

@RyanMurph28 Thank you! I took some time tonight to read your recent posts as well. Keep up the awesome work on your end. Looking forward to seeing more!

This is a phenomenal thread. Does such a good job outlining the risks with the Sixers roster, but uses stats really well to demonstrate strategic upside.

“This is the most talented roster in the league” - @JTagHoops on the revamped #Sixers squad Check out our newest episode on the LeBron signing and much more!

@JTagHoops Such a solid, low risk signing. At worst he’s unplayable and costs you like 2 mil and at best he’s a good role player off the bench

Another home run from Mike Gansey & the #Sixers front office KCP’s dip in production the past two seasons can be largely blamed by the lack of spacing and playmaking with Orlando, and the irrelevant + tanking Grizzlies Won’t be shocked if he looks somewhat like Denver KCP again

My next #Sixers Stat Series deep-dive: newest 76er LeBron James! The Good: 1.) +1.6% rTS%, 75th %ile- even at age 41, Lebron still operates with hyper-efficiency and shoots the ball at a clip well above league average. This will only add onto a Philly roster that has a plethora of guys who operate above the mean when it comes to scoring percentages 2.) 3.1 PA/1M, 90th %ile- I really could've picked any of the playmaking metrics because Lebron excels in all of them, but this one feels the most valuable. Being in the upper 10% when it comes to creating looks for teammates relative to on-ball usage makes his fit in Philly look that more enticing. Guys like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in an off-ball role should thrive next to Bron 3.) +8.5% rTS in transition- just an absurd number for a guy reaching his age 42 season. Lebron's blend of size, speed, and overall athleticism makes him an unstoppable force in the fast break - and this Philly team can play FAST with the personnel they have 4.) 15.6% DRB%, 86th %ile- quite possibly the most underrated (if he has any?) parts of Lebron's game is his willingness to rebound. Bron still being able to do the dirty work and go and get a board will be so so valuable for this team, especially since Joel Embiid's rebounding numbers have started to decline. The Bad: 1.) 7.1% sTOV%, 34th %ile- Lebron's aggression when it comes to scoring sometimes results in sloppy turnovers. He's in the bottom half of the league when it comes to coughing the ball up during an attempt to score and this will need to be cleaned up. But, walking into more of a point forward type role in Philly and scaled down usage could help with this 2.) .26 3PR, 8th %ile- Lebron's never been a guy to be a let it fly guy from 3, but I think he'll need to be a bit more aggressive from beyond the arc playing off guys like Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey who demand lots of attention on-ball when they enter the paint 3.) -6.3% rTS in spacing- tying into my previous bullet, Lebron struggled shooting the ball in situations such as spot ups, handoffs, and off screen actions. This will be an interesting development to keep tabs on because if he can boost this efficiency in actions where he's off the ball, it really makes this Philly offense unstoppable with all the weapons they have

#Sixers Stats Series continues with Joel Embiid! The Good: 1.) +3.5 oTS- even in 2026 with all the injuries Joel has gone through, he's still one of the best in the league at impacting the game on the offensive end. He influences efficiency in a positive way and helps drive the Philly offense 2.) .48 FTR, 74th %ile- Embiid's blend of pure skill and a nack for finding contact bodes well for his free throw attempt numbers. The fact he can lean on getting points and opportunities at the line with his now limited mobility and overall athleticism is huge 3.) 10.9 POTAST, 95th %ile- one area Embiid has improved the most over the course of his career is his passing. He's become great at reading double teams, manipulating the defense, and setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities 4.) +6.3% rTS in creation- similar to the overall oTS metric, Embiid is still extremely effective in iso + post up play types. On a solid 36% frequency, Embiid is still an asset down low and poses a threat for interior defenses The Bad: 1.) 16.2% DRB%, 28th %ile- one of the biggest consequences of Embiid's athleticism falling off is his inability to rebound. It's evident at times that Joel is slower and less active on the boards, and it shows in this metric 2.) 1.9 BLK, 45th %ile- a lack of verticality has really derailed any chance for Embiid to be an elite rim protector. He's now technically below average according to the stat, and the eye test shows Embiid doesn't provide the shot blocking ability that he used to have 3.) -2.3% rTS in finishing- this category includes putbacks, cuts, rollman, and other finishing plays. This could be attributed to Embiid turning into more of a mid-range and perimeter based guy, but a drop in efficiency on these play types where top centers should be excelling is a bit concerning

Next up on my #Sixers Stats Series: VJ Edgecombe! The Good: 1.) 79.0 ASTEFG, 82nd %ile- VJ wasn't just generating looks for his teammates, he was generating quality ones that bode well for overall efficiency 2.) 2.4 RimAST, 88th %ile- similar to the previous metric, VJ's north-south pressure and ability to draw the defense's attention allowed him to facilitate quality rim looks for his teammates 3.) +2.9% Transition rTS%- what was pretty evident from the eye test, VJ's transition game was superb. His explosiveness and athleticism paired with a natural feel in space helped him thrive on fast breaks 4.) 11.4% DRB%, 71st %ile- on a team that badly needed rebounding, VJ stepped up. He was always willing to do the dirty work and go grab a board, something that makes him so valuable even when he has an off shooting night The Bad: 1.) .41 3PR, 21st %ile- not necessarily BAD, but Edgecombe did show some hesitancy + inconsistency from beyond the arc. I think the next step in his development includes more C+S volume, especially next to a ball dominant guy like Jaylen Brown. Would love to see him get his 3PR closer to .47-.50 in this revamped offense 2.) -8.6% Creation rTS%- Edgecombe did not shoot well when in on ball actions like isos or PNR with him as the handler. I think some of this can be attributed to a lack of handle with VJ. If he can improve his ability to manipulate defenders and use handling creation to get more open looks, I could see the efficiency climbing 3.) .18 FTR, 36th %ile- again, not necessarily a bad number as a rookie. But I think VJ needs to draw more contact and get more FTA in his sophomore campaign. Whether it's learning from someone like Tyrese Maxey on which angles to pursue fouls, or overall just how to sell contact - a boost in FTR would elevate VJ's overall offensive game

@tylerbritton_ Feels like this is where Tyrese Maxey can take another leap

The “short mid range” might be the most important shot for any offensive superstar in today’s NBA to master. In an era where playoff defenses aren’t going to let you get to the rim, how can you adjust? How can you impose yourself on games as a scorer when seeing 2-3 bodies on every paint touch? The pull up jumper, especially from 3 can be an extremely valuable weapon, but it’s a lot more volatile than a 6-10 foot jumper or floater. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Brunson feels like one of the most inevitable playoff scorers of the last decade. He’s mastered this area of the court.

graphic courtesy of @databallr

Starting a #Sixers Stats Series.... looking at the advanced stats of every 76er: the good AND the bad. First up: Tyrese Maxey. The Good: 1.) +2.7 ODPM, 97th %ile - essentially Maxey is one of the best in the NBA at adding offensive points, whether it's through creation, spacing, or efficient play 2.) +0.7% rTS%, 84th %ile- Maxey's efficiency was better than league average, taking into account 2pt%, 3pt%, and FT% 3.) 5.0% sTOV%, 83rd %ile- Maxey is one of the best in the league at creating scoring attempts without turning the ball over in the process 4.) 2.4 STL(81st %ile) + 4.5 DEFL(69th %ile)- doesn't tell the whole story about Maxey's defense, but he excelled at creating chaos and forcing turnovers The Bad: 1.) 1.7 PA/1M, 16th %ile- Maxey doesn't provide that upper-echelon playmaking and passing processing that many elite guards do, his potential assists relative to his on ball load are low 2.) -2.9% creation rTS%- what becomes suddenly important with the addition of Jaylen Brown, Maxey is less successful when in iso or PNR handle situations. Off-ball Maxey in 2026-2027??? 3.) -0.9 DDPM (12th %ile)- despite high steal and deflection numbers, some fundamental defense deficiencies in Maxey's game result in overall negative defensive impact