Consider:
The Raptors have played at home 19 times this season (sporting an impressive 13-6 record).
There has been roughly a 50/50 split between Sunday home dates and non-Sunday home dates (9/10 split).
Despite the nearly even split of Sunday and non-Sunday games, the Raptors have played just one Western Conference team on a non-Sunday home date. Conversely, the majority of their Sunday home games have come against teams from the West (Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio, and Dallas).
Before we get to some more numbers, first, let me explain the theory:
CREATURES OF HABIT
Basketball players, and all professional athletes really, are creatures of habit. From the time they're young teenagers, they're told not only when to stretch, study, practice, & play... they're also told when to sleep, eat, nap, wake up, etc... (none of this, I'm aware, is groundbreaking).
Most of these athletes are used to playing at night. They're used to the odd afternoon game, HOWEVER, what they aren't used to are morning games. And for teams from the West, a 12:30 start in Toronto is a morning game. Let me put it to you this way: How would you perform in your regular 11 a.m. budget meeting if all of a sudden it was scheduled for 3 a.m.?
THE RESULTS
So, as I said, five of Toronto's 9 Sunday home games have come against Western Conference teams, while just 1 of their 10 non-Sunday home games have come against the West.
Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio, and Dallas---all over .500, all potential playoff teams, all (arguably) better than Toronto.
Collectively, they're 35 games above .500 (Toronto is one). In those five Sundays against Toronto, they're 1-4 (and losers of four straight).
Collectively, they average 102 points per game (Toronto allows 104). In those five Sundays against Toronto, they average 93.
Collectively, they shoot 46.5% from the floor (Overall, Toronto allows its opponents to shoot 46.3%). In those five Sundays against Toronto, they shot 42.5%.
Overall, Toronto is -55 in total rebounding this season. In those five Sundays against Western Conference opponents, they're +4.
So it looks as if Toronto does gain an advantage by playing against Western Conference teams early on Sundays. If you're skeptical, let's replay all those five games at 7 pm on Wednesdays, what do you think the numbers would look like then?
STAT OF THE DAY
Jose Calderon was a game-high +32 against Dallas on Sunday. He's better than Jarrett Jack, in case anyone was wondering.
5 comments:
I agree that the early Sunday games are a unique advantage that the Raptors enjoy in the league. I was at the Rockets game and my impression was that they came out flat and did not have the energy or the inclination to recover from that. I was surprised the Raptors won because Houston is a better team, in my opinion.
However, of the 4 other Sunday games against the West, three bear important caveats that affect the validity of the Lazy Sunday theory.
1) The San Antonio game was not a 12:30 pm start, it was a 6pm start. Therefore, that game is not as relevant to your argument that it is like playing at 3am for the Western Conference opponent.
2) Phoenix beat us worse at home at "3am" than they did when we played them on the road at a time of the day that should have favoured their body clocks. In fact, I recall Steve Nash making a joke during the halftime interview that he was eager for the game to start. Now, the difference might have been that they were ready for the switch-everything strategy that we had already tried on the road against them, but the discrepancy doesn't help support your theory.
3) Similarly, we beat New Orleans worse on the road than we did at home after an early-afternoon start. And Chris Paul was operating on a tweaked ankle during the home game.
So the answer is yes, I am skeptical and I would like to have the Raptors replay those games at 7pm on Wednesdays to better assess just how much of an advantage we are talking about with these early Sunday games. Please arrange for this to happen and send me free tickets.
That was a fantastic read.
Agree Calderon is a better PG than Jack because he is a PG thru & thru. Jack is a combo guard (a very talented one) back-up PG, who can start as a PG, but does not have the experience, or abilities of Jose.
Jose is confident enough in his ability, and a team player, who can start or come off the bench with equal enthusiasm and energy, whichever JT requires.
It may be intersting for you to compare them by your numbers.
Johnn19
I am surprised you aren't blaming it on George Bush.
Western teams have a major home advantage over EC teams who have to travel thousnds of miles across this land of hope and change.
Get a life
Cool stuff. I`ve been wondering about this for years while thinking of same arguments; even on the surface it would appear as an advantage.
I wonder what the numbers would look like over the last 3 - 4 years.
The other stat I would love to know is the black unis win - loss. Or all unis for that matter.
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