NBA Stats and Trends - Go Figure These Numbers

There is no team in the National Basketball Association that defends quite like the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the regular season the Cavaliers surrendered just 91.4 points per game, but during the playoffs their opponents have produced numbers that are downright microscopic. In post-season action, Cleveland has allowed an average of just 78.1 points per contest in the process of winning eight straight games, all by double digits.

Six of the team's last seven games have gone under the total and they've covered 11 of their last 12 games, although it bears mentioning that some people had a push at 10 in the last game against Atlanta. Last year, in their opening round of playoff action, the Cavs allowed 92.2 ppg to the Washington Wizards.

There is no question that the Boston Celtics have felt the loss of Kevin Garnett, not just because of his ability to score points but also because he may be one of the three best defensive players in the league. The Celts, who developed a defensive "culture" with Garnett present and accounted for, have changed a little in their approach in his absence. Sure, defense gets lip service as it does on all NBA teams, but Boston knows it can't stop teams cold.

During the regular season, Boston allowed just 93.4 points a game. Since the injury to Garnett that put him out for the balance of the regular season and the entire playoffs, the Celtics have allowed 102.3 points a game. Of the first 74 games they played, Boston let opponents top the 100-mark 21 times, or just 28.4% of the time. In the last 20 games they have played - without Garnett - they have permitted 100 points or more ten times (50%).

Everyone is aware that Boston is not as good a team as it was when Garnett was manning the power forward spot, but this has been reflected in the totals more than anything. Fourteen of the last 20 games they have played went over the total, and it is evident that the oddsmaker did not catch up this early. Six of the seven games against Chicago went over the number, but three of the first five games against Orlando were unders.

Going into Game 6 of their series against the Celtics, the Orlando Magic had played 20 of their last 28 games under the total. On the surface, that might seem surprising since many people visualize the Magic as a comparatively "soft" team that has a monster in the middle in Dwight Howard but finesse guys at both forward spots (Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis). The "under" trend may have something to do with the switch at point guard. Rafer Alston took over the reins at the position and played 29 regular season games and of course through the playoffs, and is just a 41.3% shooter (only 31.3% from beyond the arc). His predecessor, Jameer Nelson, was a much more potent outside threat, hitting 50.3% of his shots overall, and 45.3% from three-point range, nailing an average of two three-pointers per contest, 0.9 more than Alston. Incidentally, the Houston Rockets, who traded Alston, played 24 of their 39 games (preceding Game 6 of the Laker series) under the total with Aaron Brooks at the helm. Go figure.