Here is the formula for calculating possessions though.  As you can see it’s a pretty long formula but probably wouldn’t be too hard to create a spreadsheet with fields for all the necessary stats need to complete the formula and do it regularly.  Maybe I will add that to my Current Sixers Team stats spreadsheet.

In fact this is a good time to ask people what team stats would they want to know/have tracked. If it isn’t too crazy or impossible to track I could add it to the short list I am already tracking.  Keep in mind it shouldn’t be simple stuff you can easily get on ESPN or basketball reference.  Here is what I have tracked for every game this season already…

• Points scored
• Points allowed
• Fastbreak points (I actually have all of 2008 as well)
• Points off turnovers
• Points in the paint
• Second chance points

I have all the opponents, game result, home or away.  I also have the numbers broken out as with Cheeks, With DiLeo, with Brand, without Brand, and the overall average.

Pete and I have serious problems – we know.

1. Type out the text of your comment like normal
2. Copy the link you want to use
3. Highlight the text  you want to have the link on (i.e. “good article”)
4. Then click on the little “connected” chain link icon you see in the bar above the text section of the comment box. (you can actually hover over all those little icons to see what they do)
5. A little pop up window will open with input for your “link URL”
6. Paste your link in there
7. Target allows you to select whether you want the link to open in a new window or the same window (I always choose new window so people don’t leave the blog)
8. Hit the insert button and you are good to go

Give it a try, if you mess up, don’t worry about it I can always go in and fix it.  Also test out all the other one click icons in that grey bar above.  You can…

• Bold
• Underline
• Italicize
• Strikethrough
• Use bullet lists
• Use numbered lists
• Undo/redo anything you type
• Link up stuff
• You could do about few other advanced stuff (blockquote other peoples text like I do sometimes) using the HTML button

Hope that helps – everyone.

Dannie….I would think that a couple things could explain why we are giving up 4.8 points more per game under DiLeo.  For one, neither Young nor Speights plays defense and rebounds as well as Brand.  For another, I’m guessing that our number of possessions per game has increased a bit, and as a result so has that of our opponents, since Brand went out.  Where would I go to find that out, btw?

Sadly I it may come to that if he is extremely motivated to move him (not sure he is or isn’t) and he doesn’t get any satisfactory offers in terms of players in return. 

The more I think about it the more I think moving Sam for expiring contracts might be the best deal he can find and I am still not sure what time has the contracts and the need for a defensive-rebounding center for the next two seasons.  If Sam’s contract was 5 or 6 million I think he would be rather easy to move and get value in return.  Billy King still  f’ing the Sixers with his terrible deals.

But worth noting since I think there is a bit too much flowery talk about this team right now, they are giving up 4.8 more points per game as well since DiLeo took over.  Although I the number also suggest that could have more to do with Brand being out than the coaching change.