Ultimate ABCA Season 7 - By the Numbers
Aug 29, 2016 10:58:30 GMT
Brooklyn, Madrid, and 2 more like this
Post by Tel Aviv on Aug 29, 2016 10:58:30 GMT
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - With the regular season over and the playoffs fast approaching here is a different season review and playoff preview, by the numbers. Giving you some numbers of the past and present of the Ultimate ABCA and then taking a closer look at the playoff match-ups and what the numbers say about them, to give you an idea of whats to come.
3- Flamengo Center Anthony Davis has become only the 3rd player in league history to win the Most Valuable Player award, after 5 time winner Charles Barkley and last seasons winner Kevin McHale.
7- The Newcastle Eagles, Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs have all failed to make the playoffs during the 7 seasons of the league's existence.
1- The Seattle Supersonics will be making their first appearance in the ABCA playoffs this season after their 56 win season.
8- The Lakers only won 8 games this season, the 2nd lowest win total in the leagues history. The Washington Generals won only 6 games in the leagues inaugural season.
4- Four teams reached the 60 win mark this season, the Knicks, Aisin Seahorses, Flamengo and Olympiacos BC. That is the first time that has happened since the leagues first season.
167- CSKA Moscow set a record for the most points scored in a game in league history during their 167-158 victory against Seattle Supersonics, in a match that didn't even go into overtime. Patrick Ewing high scored for the team with 37 points.
11- John Stockton broke the league record for most steals in a single game when he collected 11 during the Knicks 123-103 victory over the Perth Wildcats this season. He added 16 assists and 14 points to record a triple double.
13- Jazz Center Chris Kaman equaled the league record for most blocks in a game when he swatted 13 shots during the Jazz's win against the Globetrotters early on in the season.
6- During this season 6 team's franchise record for most points in a game by a single player were broken. LeBron James' 51 points against Real Madrid for Istanbul, D'Angelo Russell's 46 points against CSKA for the Auckland Breakers, Alonzo Mourning's 47 points against the Supersonics for Bamberg, Greg Oden's 57 points against Boca Juniors for the Celtics, Shaquille O'Neal's 63 points against the Breakers for Milano and finally Terry Dischinger’s 45 points against the Timberwolves for the Titans.
400- The New York Knicks have the most wins in league history with 400 wins. The only 2-time ABCA champions have an overall record for 400-174 a .697%.
19- 19 teams in the league finished the season with a record of .500 or below, that is the most in league history. Back in the first two seasons of the league 18 teams did that.
Anthony Davis has become the 3rd different player to win the MVP award.
Closer look: Eurasian Conference Playoffs
Olympiacos made it all the way to the conference finals last season and will be looking to go even further this season after finishing off back to back 66 win seasons. They are facing a Bamberg side who are making their 2nd playoff appearance, Bamberg slid to the 8th seed after a couple trades near the end of the year that saw them looking to the future. Olympiacos will be firm favourites, but they only have a narrow advantage in league history, they hold a 13-8 record over Bamberg.
Beijing Aoshen will be looking to make it into the 2nd round for the first time since the inaugural season, but are coming up against the EuroWest Division winners Milano and Shaquille O'Neal. Milano made it into the 2nd round last season and will be looking to get their again but it was Beijing who dominated the regular season meetings, winning all 3 games.
Maccabi Tel Aviv face off against the Fubon Braves, the two teams have met in the playoffs once before when Tel Aviv came out winners in five games. Historically Tel Aviv have done well against Fubon Braves and won both meetings during the regular season this year. Fubon Braves made it to the Conference finals a couple of seasons ago and will be hoping to get their way back there.
Mikawa Aisin Seahorses made the finals last season before losing to the Knicks 4-2 and have also made it to the conference on two other occasions, so they have good playoff pedigree. They are up against CSKA, a team that they have faced twice before in the playoffs. Both teams have a playoff series win over the other. Mikawa are favourites on paper after their 60 win season but CSKA actually won all 3 meetings between the teams this season.
Mchale and Olympiacos are looking for their first finals appereance.
Closer look: American Conference Playoffs
The Titans vs the Bulls looks to be an evenly matched series, both teams won a game against the other in the regular season and both had similar seasons. The Bulls through league history have the edge though with a 12-6 record. The Titans have the experience of players like Jason Kidd and Joe Dumars but neither have had much playoff success in the past, the Bulls, who failed to get out of the first round in their three previous playoff appereances, will be hoping that their youth can see them through.
The Warriors made the 2nd round last season and will be looking to build on that this time around but come up against a Rio side coming off a 61 win season and the MVP Anthony Davis on their roster. Rio haven't made it past the first round of the playoffs since year 1 though and the teams are evenly matched through league history, both winning 8 games.
The Seattle Supersonics are making their first playoff appearance but they are up against the team that has given them the most defeats in their history, the Vancover Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have 16 wins over their opponents during the last 7 seasons. The Supersonics won the season series 2-1, Dario Saric scored 40 points in one of those games, 1 point off his career high. Only 5 teams have more playoff wins than the Grizzlies so they will be hoping that their experience will see them through.
The most successful team in league history New York Knicks face the Toronto Raptors in round 1. The Knicks swept the season series between the two 3-0 and have a 17-4 record against the Raptors through league history, so are favourites to progress here. This will be the Raptors 4th playoff appearance but the team haven't got out the first round before.
Can Pau Gasol help the Knicks back to the finals?
