Misleading Our Children

I'm trying to think of how WaPo kids sports columnist Fred Bowen and his editors allowed this to get into today's paper:

Secondly, the Wizards might finally be a team ready to play good defense. The Wizards lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs last season because they couldn't make the all-important defensive stops at the end of games. Now, the Wizards are talking and playing tougher defense.

Talking, yes. Playing? Follow me to the stats. Last year, the Wiz yielded 99.8 points-per-game, 21st in the league. This year, the Wiz are allowing 104.14 points-per-game, tied for 27th in the league.

Last year, the Wiz had a rebounding differential of negative 0.8 rpg. This year, the Wiz have a rebounding differential of negative 6.57 rpg, 27th in the league.

Last year, the Wiz were 15th in rebounds-per-game. This year, they're 24th.

Last year, Wiz opponents shot 46.5 percent from the field, giving the Wiz the 23rd-best field-goal defense. This year, Wiz opponents are shooting 47.1 percent, giving the Wiz the 24th-best field goal defense.

Their steals-per-game are slightly up, and their blocks-per-game are considerably up, by more than one block a game.

But c'mon. The kiddie bloggers are gonna have a field day with this one.

By Dan Steinberg | November 17, 2006; 9:36 AM ET | Category: Wizards
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We went round and round about Fred Bowen on Big Soccer months ago. He did something to upset the soccer gods, about United, Freddy, or the World Cup.

Regardless, we summarized that he actually doesn't have an editor.

Posted by: Kim | November 17, 2006 10:31 AM

The increase in points per game is mainly due to the Wiz playing at a higher pace. Last year they averaged an estimated 91.5 possessions per game, and gave up 109.1 points per 100 possessions. This year they're giving up 109.6 points per 100 possessions, right around their rate last year. But they're averaging 93.4 possessions per game.

In other words, per game stats are misleading. So the defensive problems aren't THAT drastic. Still, their defense hasn't gotten better, it's stayed around the same.

Posted by: Ben | November 17, 2006 4:12 PM

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