Cleveland: Where It Only Takes 3 Quarters
BallerBlogger.com — ... Sure, he looked good early on.  After 11 possible “clutch” minutes LeBron’s per 48 minute production was 87/16/4/4/4 (pts/reb/ast/stl/blk).  No, those are not typos. ...

Wizards-Sixers Game 24 Recap: Losing A Clutch Mentality
Truth About It - Washington Wizards Blog — ... drop off when the game is on the line. I'll let some stats from 82games.com illustrate: "Clutch" is defined as: 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 pointsCaron Butler 07-08 Clutch Stats (numbers are per 48 minutes of clutch time) PTS: 38.0 (15th in the NBA) FG%: .436Caron Butler 08-09 Clutch Stats PTS: ...

LeBron: Better Than Bird?
The Painted Area — ... 82games.com tracks "clutch" statistics (defined as "4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points") and LeBron has been downright ridiculous this season, averaging 67.4 pts, 20.2 reb, 10.1 asts per 48 minutes in those situations, easily the leading scorer, and the 3rd leading rebounder. ...

Go-To-Guys, with the Stats to Prove It.
Nolaman's NBA Musing — ... It would be hard to dispute that their top ranked players are as clutch as you get. I won’t steal their thunder by repeated the names here, let their site get anther well deserved hit when you go there. But before I saw that they had done the sorting and analyzing for us already I had looked at another set of their numbers and since this was just one sorting of their multifaceted stats I don’t think I’ve done them an injustice by showing them here and putting my own twist on them. One problem with ...

Belated Offday Offerings - Improving All-Star Weekend
Roundball Mining Company - Denver Nuggets Blog — ... If you take a look at the clutch stats on 82games.com (compiled during the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime and neither team ahead by more than five) Melo has the third highest points per 48 minutes average in the league.  Kobe is first at 57.3, LeBron is second at 57.0 and Melo is third at 54.7.  These change quickly and Melo was actually at the top of the list a few days ago.  Other numbers in Melo’s favor are shooting percentage (Kobe – 49.2%, LeBron – 51.3%, Melo – 59.4%!) and three point shooting ...

Raptors as per 82Games.com
Raptors Republic - ESPN TrueHoop's Raptors Blog — ... Tallying up fourth quarter scoring numbers can be a bad indicator of measuring clutchness because of the garbage-time factor and that’s why there’s a “clutch” stat which specifically focuses on 4th quarter and overtime situations with less than 5 minutes left and neither team ahead by more than 5 points. Once again Bryant, James and Wade lead this list and the first Raptor to be found on it is Bosh who is 28th and is the second PF/C to be on there (Nowtizki is 7th). Even Orlando who happens to have Dwight Howard doesn’t rely on their star player ...

Changing the Stat Quo
SLAM Online — ... ” represent the guys, to the letter, you think are the best players in the NBA? Do you think the best clutch players in the NBA are the guys with the best “Clutch” stats? Are these formulas closer to mathematical proofs or just another tool? ...

Dwight Howard And The MVP Award
Third Quarter Collapse — ... , as well as acknowledge the fact that LBJ has been the most clutch and the superior defender out of the aforementioned trio. To be frank, though, I wouldn’t be the least disappointed if CP3 or Flash took home the hardware. ...

Weekly Wrap-Up
BallerBlogger.com — ... of the award. There is no LeBron-Kobe MVP debate (nor the less popular LeBron-Wade variation). Every time this comes up, here’s usually the form that the pro-Kobe arguments take. 1) Kobe is more clutch than LeBron. If you were down 3 points with 2 seconds left at the end of a triple-overtime game 7 in the NBA finals, who would you want taking the shot? Now, first of all, people say this as though it is an absolute truth, whereas there is actually a great debate as to who is more “clutch.” Second, the answer to the above question is that I’d rather not be in that situation at ...

Kobe Bryant leads the NBA in “clutch baskets”
The Lakers Nation — ... 82games.com:  Kobe Bryant leads the NBA in “clutch baskets” with 56.7% of his points in the 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are tied for second, while Dwyane Wade is 4th. Chris Paul of the Hornets round out the top five. Biggest surprise? Zach Randolph of the paper clips is 10th ...

Wednesday Bullets
ESPN.com - TrueHoop — ... Kobe Bryant is, right now, scoring at a faster rate in the "clutch" points (as determined by 82games.com) than any other NBA player. His field goal percentage is not as alluring as LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony (57% in crunch time) but he's at the top of the heap in points scored per 48 minutes. (Thanks, Josh.) ...

Production per 48 Minutes of 'Clutch Time'
Liberty Ballers — Production per 48 Minutes of 'Clutch Time' Some people love 'em, some people hate 'em, but clutch stats are here to stay. I'm personally intrigued with them. Iguodala shoots 47% from the field and 79% from the line in crunch time. However; he shoots 13% ...

MVP Race: Final Call
SLAM Online — ... – Crunch-time performances? He has the best crunch-time stats in the League, the Cavs have only lost two games by three points or less, and over the Cavs’ most recent March tear LeBron scored or assisted on nearly every Cavs basket during the stretch of those games. ...

Random links: Spurs, Oden, Alaa Abdelnaby, rookies and more
Blazers Blog — ... in the first round of the playoffs, which would seem to favor San Antonio. The Blazers are 31-7 at home this season; they're 18-21 on the road. That's a pretty sharp drop. Portland has lost 11 straight in San Antonio. So, Duncan or not, this should be a good game. If anything, it will be fun to see how the Spurs develop their post-Ginobili rotation and whether Gooden can string together a series of impressive outings. .... Brandon Roy is the seventh most clutch player in the league, in terms of point production (via TrueHoop). ESPN's David Thorpe hands out his rookie awards, ...

Checking In on the Clutch Stats
The Two Man Game — ... From time to time, I like to check on my bud, my bro, 82games.com’s clutch statistics.  It’s a periodic process that happens whenever somebody else links to them and I’m reminded that they exist, and I’ve got a strange feeling they’re going to be useful for tonight’s game against Utah. ...

Who is the most "clutch" player on this year's Magic squad?
Orlando Magic Daily — 82games.com has a pretty interesting graphic on their site, using a statistical formula to rank the best clutch scorers in the NBA. Of course this has been one of the major knocks against the Magic from observers around the league: that the Magic don't have one go-to player on offense down the stretch of close games. Magic fans will argue that sure the team has a go-to man come crunch time, it's Hedo Turkoglu. That Magic even have a feature story running on their Web site today called Turkoglu "Mr. Fourth Quarter." But while that ...

Orlando Magic News for April 9th: More Fourth Quarter Heroics From Hedo Turkoglu, Dwight Howard Makes History, and More
Third Quarter Collapse — ... ) that the most clutch player on the team (the criteria being, fourth quarter or overtime, less than five minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points) is Jameer Nelson. Not too surprising, when you consider the fact Nelson was killer in the clutch like Robert Horry (see January 16h v. Los Angeles Lakers).  ...

Painted Area's 2008-09 NBA MVP: LeBron James
The Painted Area — ... of long, skilled, agile, athletic players known as Gasol, Bynum and Odom. I just saw too many games this year where one of that triumvirate was the key player in a win. I saw very few games involving my 1-2-3 MVP picks in which anyone other than those players was the single key player in a win. 5. DWIGHT HOWARD, ORLANDO 58-23, 78/35.9, 20.7/13.9/1.4, .574/.000/.594, 25.45 PER Narrowly edged out by Kobe for no. 4, mainly because there was such a disparity of production in the clutch. Still, D-12 had a breakout year on the defensive end as much as ...

The Fraternity of Clutch (2008-09)
Basketball Fiend — ... stone-cold assassin when the game is on the line, able to create and make shots that other players can only dream of, he also has the ability to create easy late-game opporunities for his teammates. Which makes him the ultimate double-edged sword. Cover him and he’ll find someone - anyone! - for an open look. Leave him open and he’ll swish a jumper in your face. No matter the circumstances, no matter the opponent, CP3 is able to thrive. This season Paul was even better in the clutch, putting up a 45.1-10.5-6.3-4.3 despite playing on a ghost team. A ghost team? Yes, a ghost ...

Critiquing the All-NBA Teams
RaptorBlog.com — ... Chris Paul deserves Kobe's guard spot on the first team, but since he's the best player on the team with the best record in the Western Conference, I can't quarrel with that too much. Celtics fans would surely counter that Pierce deserves to be on the Second Team because he had to lead the team for 25 games while Kevin Garnett was injured. They'd also point out that Pierce was the guy who had to take the clutch shots late in the game. There's no denying that Pierce was one of the top players in the league in "clutch scoring" (4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, ...

The TrueHoop Network Shootaround
ESPN.com - TrueHoop — ... awkward, rim-rattling heave that will surely be shown on highlight shows and Ultimate LeBron for years to come. Sure, there are certain elements of the play that Magic fans can question. The Magic could've double-teamed LeBron or put Mickael Pietrus on him, for starters. But at the end of the day, it was just an incredible shot - in all honesty, one of the greatest shots I've ever seen and what will likely be a major building block in the legend of LeBron James. According to the stats, James will make that shot about four out of ten times in a ...

Is Chauncey Billups the real MVP?
Full-Court Press — ... . Vince Thomas cites Chauncey's clutch statistics, and while they too are impressive, Mr. Big Shot ranks 29th overall in the clutch points category . That's 26 places behind his current teammate, Carmelo Anthony, and 15 behind his former teammate, Rip Hamilton. Are these really the numbers for a MVP candidate and future first ballot Hall of Fame player? Chauncey Billups has amazing attributes. His ability to run a half court offense without turning the ball over is almost unmatched. The ability to get other players, no matter their personalities, buy into what the head coach ...

Behind the Box Score, where this is a dangerous, dangerous man
Ball Don't Lie — ... of May, and he's still playing. And we'll get to watch him again on Saturday night. Bliss. *** And, after all that, Reggie Miller (he struck the first note of the chord, which I believe was a wrong-flat) and the Turner crew were all chimed in and in tune toward the end of their broadcast, calling Kobe Bryant "the best closer in the NBA." Were you guys watching the same game I was on Thursday? When study after study (yes, Kobe barely tops LeBron in points in the second link, but look at James and ...

Kobe vs. LeBron: Who’s the best closer in the game?
WCBias | West Coast Bias Sports Blog | West Coast Sports News by West Coast Sports Fans, Covering Los Angeles Lakers, Dodgers and All Things West Coast — ... , sortable stats from the regular season showed James shot for a better percentage (47.2% to 43.6%), had more points (7.7 to 7.3), rebounds (2.0 to 1.3) and assists (1.7 to 0.9) than Kobe in the fourth quarters of games. And James’ “clutch” stats , meaning stats during the final five minutes of a five-point game, are through the roof – shooting 55.6% from the floor (to Kobe’s 45.7%) and 42.1% from 3-point land (to Kobe’s 40%). In fact, if you average out their clutch stats over 48 minutes, they’re lines look something like this: James: 55.9 points, 14.3 rebounds, 12.6 ...

The David Spade Theory - NBA Edition
RaptorBlog.com — ... clutch situations. Most people probably didn't notice since the Magic were great as a whole this season, but Turkoglu actually experienced a pretty significant dropoff in 2008-09 from his performance last season. All his per game averages were down and his shooting percentages plummeted to 41.3 percent and 35.6 percent (from three) this season. As a result, his PER dropped to 14.8 which is right around his career PER of 15.1. Furthermore, Hedo was anything but clutch this year as he had a FG% of .357 and a 3P% of .200 in "clutch situations" (4th quarter or overtime, less ...

Orlando Magic Acquire Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson: What it Means on the Court and in the Ledger
Third Quarter Collapse — ... Statistics from 82games.com, which defines "clutch" as "4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points." ...

Get To Know Your New Spurs #1: Richard Jefferson
Pounding The Rock — ... Clutch stat.  This baby doesn't need explaining.  In examining this metric for the 2008-09 season, RJ ranks just behind our Big Three with a 21.7-point production during "clutch situations" - the 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points.  Why Tony Parker tops Manu and TD in that list, I cannot understand so don't ask.  ...

Small forward options in the 2009 free agent market
RaptorBlog.com — ... , 30 years old The greatest Turkish player in NBA history is one of the hottest commodities on the free agent market. Strengths: Hedo is a savvy, gifted offensive player who can contribute both as a scorer and playmaker. Weaknesses: It's a testament to Dwight Howard's impact that the Magic were able to disguise what a mediocre defender he is. Also, he's incredibly overrated as a clutch shooter. Likely signing range: Five years, $50-55 million ...

More like Hedon't amirite?
RaptorBlog.com — ... were Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Andre Igoudala and Stephen Jackson? OMG!), he really isn't that guy. If he was, Magic fans would be a lot more broken up about losing him. Let's be honest, can you blame them since they replaced him with Vince Carter in the process? "But Scott!" you protest, "They'll miss Hedo's super-clutch shooting!" Don't be so sure about that. You'll have to forgive me for linking this Clutch Table on 82games.com 27 different times this off-season in response to all the people who claim Hedo is soooo clutch , but Turkoglu had a ...

Signing review: Ben Gordon
PistonPowered — ... 3-point shooter last year. Gordon is one of the league’s best from beyond the arc. If Stuckey is going to develop court vision, Gordon will help bring it out. I think Stuckey has been asked to do too much, too soon. Gordon should be good for his development. Clutch Gordon was the Bulls’ go-to scorer against the Celtics. He hit big shot after big shot in that first-round series. And he was 15th in points per 48 minutes of clutch time, according to 82 Games. Gordon should help recreate the late-game swagger the ...

A statistical look at the new Raptors lineup
Pete Marasmitch - a Toronto Raptors blog — ... Who might we see in those crucial moments, in the “4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points,” when you need those clutch baskets? 82games.com says: ...

[56k NO!] The 2008-09 NBA Worsties: Animated Edition
Basketbawful — ... Shaq may be right saying he makes FTs when they count, as his 08-09 clutch FT% was 72%, compared to 59.5% overall and 52.8% for his career. ...

The NBA’s Best Go-To Players (#30: Rip Hamilton)
Dime Magazine — ... . He’s not the one you want to put out there and run a clear-out, since he doesn’t create his own shot that well and he just isn’t a 1-on-1 player. He’s got some veteran tricks up his sleeve, but without help from a pick, stronger defenders can still bottle him up. And Rip’s three-ball is mostly inconsistent; according to 82games.com , he hit just 28.6% of his threes in crunch time last season (4th quarter/OT, less than 5 mins left, less than 5-point margin). In other words, a clutch three is unlikely, a clutch drive is unlikely, so everyone in the building knows crunch-time ...

Should We Fear Them: The Hawks
Boston Celtics Basketball - Celtics news, rumors and analysis - CelticsHub.com — ... Effect: A player can earn a reputation as clutch simply by taking so many clutch shots that he will inevitably hit a few.  That’s Crawford. He actually stinks in the clutch. He’s always near the top of the league in FGAs during “clutch” situations despite making about 33 percent of those shots—among the worst marks in the league, even for high-volume late-game shooters, according to 82games. (See the site’s 2008 clutch data and 2009 clutch data if you don’t believe me). In other words, enjoy Jamal Crawford, ...

Orlando Magic News for October 5th: Dwyer Rates Coaches, Hollinger Projects Players, and SLAM Rates the Magic
Third Quarter Collapse — ... I don't take issue with people doubting Vince's fit on the team; it's indeed valid to acknowledge that Turkoglu's size (6'10") and inbounding skill (I'm not being facetious) really helped the Magic in the last two seasons, and that the 6'07" Carter might not be as good an inbound passer. But to suggest that Hedo was more clutch than Vince simply isn't valid. With a quick internet search, we can easily access these clutch statistics from 82games.com: last year, Hedo averaged 26.7 points per 48 minutes of clutch play, shooting 35.7% from the field overall and 20.0% ...

Phenomenal Swag: Carmelo Anthony's signature scent
Ball Don't Lie — ... Tired of having the ladies tell you that you smell to normal? Wish you had the musk of someone who shoots .583 from three-point land in the last four minutes of a basketball game, with neither team leading by five or more points? Wish you had the courage to ...

The NBA’s 30 best go-to players (#9: Chris Paul)
Dime Magazine — ... for a trio of reasons: (1) Shot selection — Neither is a great three-point shooter, but Paul was better last season, hitting 36.4% beyond the arc compared to 31% for Williams. Some chalk that up to CP taking significantly fewer threes (176 to 226); I give him credit for recognizing where his game isn’t strongest and exercising discretion. Paul actually takes more field goals on average (16 per game to 14), he just takes better shots and makes them more consistently. Not to mention, CP’s three-point percentages stayed consistent in clutch time , where he knocked down 37%, while ...

Putting the "Vince-Carter-vs.-Hedo-Turkoglu-in-Crunch-Time" Debate to Rest
Third Quarter Collapse — ... readily available data show that Carter is the superior clutch performer. Here, we're using 82games.com's highly esteemed definition of "clutch," which reads as follows: 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points To get a better idea of both players' clutch statistics, I surveyed 82games' data for the two most recent seasons; 2007/08 is available here, and 2008/09 is available here. I've presented what I believe to be the most relevant statistics in this ...