One of the most exciting times in any sports enthusiast’s life is when they get the opportunity to place a wager on their favorite sports team. Whether you are a diehard football (soccer) fan or you follow basketball more closely, there is simply no denying that the daily excitement of making a bet on the games is unmatched. Unfortunately, when you hit the sports betting scene, you will quickly realize that most books are shady and don’t have the best interest of the customer at heart. This can bring a lot of stress when trying to make the right choice for your betting needs. Luckily, with a little bit of research and knowledge, you can avoid this issue and make the right decision every time. In this article, we will discuss how to compare basketball stats to make better choices when betting on NBA games.
What Are The Most Popular Stats To Compute When Comparing Basketball Teams?
One of the first things you will need to do before placing a bet on any sporting event is to gather as much information as possible. Luckily, there are some pretty straightforward formulas that can be used to compare any two basketball teams and narrow down the deciding factors. Below, we will discuss the most popular and valuable stats to check out when comparing teams:
Points Per Game vs. Point Differential
The first and most crucial step is to compare the points scored per game by each team. Using either of the two primary stats below will give you a good idea of how well each squad is playing so far this season.
- Points Per Game (PPG)
- Point Differential (PD)
Generally speaking, adding points per game and subtracting points against is the most popular formula when comparing two teams. This is because it takes into account both scoring and defense, two areas where one team may outperform the other. When using points per game to compare teams, you must remember that the more games you include, the more your final result will vary. This is critical because the first few games of the season will almost certainly favor the team with the better record. However, after about ten games, the numbers will settle down and the result should be fairly reliable.
Winning Percentage (WP)
The next step in the process is to take a look at the winning percentages of both teams. A winning percentage can be useful in a number of ways, but it mostly serves as a good indicator of how successful a team has been this season. If you are unfamiliar, the winning percentage of a team is simply the number of wins divided by the total number of games played. Look at each team’s winning percentage and see which one has the upper hand. We have collected some helpful information on the best winning percentages for each NBA position below.
Which Squad Is Better?
The last step is to figure out which team is better based on the stats discussed above. If you have followed the previous steps correctly, the answer should be fairly self-evident. The points scored per game, along with the winning percentage will tell you which team is ahead right now. However, the true test of a basketball fan is whether they can look beyond the numbers and see what is truly going on. If the results of the above steps feel right to you, then congratulations! You are ready to place a bet on basketball games.
Hopefully, this post gave you the information you need to make better betting decisions and become a much more confident basketball fan. If not, then hopefully, it at least gave you some interesting stats to think about. Good luck out there.