Inflated stats to me means errors or purposeful inflated number of assists, rebounds, steals or blocks accredited predominantly by home stat keepers to boost a player's stats and make him look good. Now the term is arguably wrong if you strictly look at its definition, which to me is important to how it is used currently by national 'journalists'. When it is used by them, for example that a system inflates stats to me is a fallacy, nonsense and has zero substance. Every single sports player in a team has a coach and a system who are partly responsible to how a player functions. Now a coach and system can be good for certain type of players while not for others. In case of a star player, a coach can use a system to get the best out of that player so they have the highest chance of winning. Make sense right? Some coaches do not have much of a system and ride their best player or players, let them handle the ball and figure it out for themselves since they trust them or do not have any other options. Whatever the case may be, a system is beneficial to different types of players to a varying degree. Still, a individual needs to have the talent and IQ to be the best player he can be within a certain system. There's also teammates who every individual relies to be successful. Where is the inflation? In the case of D'Antoni inflated stats has been used often, which again is just nonsense. Does he maximize potential of PGs? Yes, but that doesn't mean anything. Stats are what they are. Just because these sports journalists tend to focus too much on stats instead of actual play or what those stats mean, they use them to build them up and criticised them when it suits them. Again, I ask where is the inflation? The point is, nothing happens in a vacuum and if a coach ever manages to come up with a system that has a Curry average 40 points on 8 threes made per game, then shouldn't that just be credit to both instead of just credit for one or the other? In a case like that, would it be inflated? I can use the argument of Lebron just putting up those stats, because he has to do almost everything himself and are inflated because the system or coach instructs him to do everything. Inflated or...? What you guys think?
This term is mostly used by Max kellerman and it’s part of his anti MDA and anti harden agenda. Of course it doesn’t make sense but as long as nobody calls his **** out, he will continue to spread the nonsense. I would agree with him if the rockets were in 12th place with these types of numbers but the rockets are actually just a damn good team that scores a lot and defends pretty well. Every high paced team would have „inflated stats“ by his metrics. But then again, everybody knows Max Kellerman is a Lebron and GSW Homer and a Harden-hater...
There's a few morons (most of whom reside in a studio in Atlanta) who don't realize that all teams play at a higher pace now than they did 10 years ago. It's about the same pace as it was in the early 90's. You know whose stats are inflated? The early 80's showtime players. Now that's some inflation. And don't give this "iron fist hand check argument" bullshit that Kenny deploys to denigrate players who have more talent in their left Achilles than he ever exhibited - watch the films.
How does Kerr's system not inflate their stats too. It's just the way winning basketball is played now a days.
have to do more with the superstars. superstars get to play highly efficient and aggressive on both ends once they have another superstar beside them to take off the defensive pressure, allow them rest, and be more aggressive on defense and not be afraid to accumulate fouls just look at harden and his fg% and aggressiveness on both ends this year
The game is more guard-oriented than ever before, and I feel that shift has to do with rule changes that make post play less valuable and perimeter defense harder. But I would say perimeter players are more skilled and athletic than ever before as well — naturally, since creating baskets off the dribble is so much more valued. I would point to that, plus the explosion of 3 point shots in modern offenses, as “inflating” stats for perimeter guys compared to previous eras. But the importance of guard play in creating scoring opportunities has correspondingly “inflated”, so I don’t see it as some artificial thing that we need to adjust for. The Rockets do exploit isolation with Harden more than any team with their guards. So Harden’s stat profile does benefit from that style of play, but why should he be penalized for his team taking advantage of his elite talents? Jordan could do things no other guard could do, and his teams took advantage of it by feeding him the ball a ton. Is that inflation as well?
This "Harden is not MVP because muh MDA" narrative is already taking place in twitter, reddit, etc. and people like tinman here are still screaming "Max Kellerman is a boxing analyst! Just ignore him". Hello, it's the effect that these media pundits have on public's opinion that matters, not their credentials. And the funny thing is it's the worst kind of criticism you can throw at Harden. If you're going to take a shot, take a shot at Harden's defense or playoffs performance (which is not 100% false.) But this? this is utter nonsense.
Yea I’ve been saying this for a long time. I do not care about Kellerman himself but about the effect his stupid opinions have on the public opinion.
It's a Football argument that does not translate into Basketball well In football .. . if a QB is passing 40~50 times a game his passing yard and even TDs maybe inflated His running back's stats maybe deflated Considering the QB has the ball 100% of the time and gets to pick and choose . . . In Basketball it is an argument that AT BEST could be used against VOLUME SHOOTERS This is more an argument to be used against MELO and WESTBRICK than HARDEN Mainly because of Efficiency matter Klinger Throwing 50 times a game - completes 40 dink and dunks with 400 yrds after the catch .. . doesn't say much about his ability to throw the long ball Nor Does him completing 20 out of 50 .. . with 400 yrds. . . 4 Passes over 75 yrds Say alot about his overall QB Skill For someone just looking at yards. . . those don't translate well to ability Basketball . . . . it is equally not a good measure but it is harder to inflate People who talk about inflated numbers. . . only look at like 3 stats and call it day Harden has 48 pts . .. . Well they have more possessions than the avg. . . or more of them are 3s . . .THEY INFLATED They never look at the efficiency . . they never look beyond 48 pts Loosely translated they pick and choose what 'matters' in order to fit their preconceived notion Rocket River
It's like saying Peyton Manning's stats were inflated because his team used the passing game much more than the running game, or Walter Payton's stats were inflated because his team ran a lot.
To be fair, we used the same argument to denounce the Steve Nash MVPs and it was one of the reasons so many of us were against the MDA hiring
Stat inflation is occurring throughout all major sports. Players are constantly working on raising the bar. NFL: a decade ago throwing +300 yards in game was the domain of elite QBs. Today, backup QBs are regularly achieving that. Oddly, Ben Roethlisberger threw close to 500 yard last night and Steelers were trailing in the 4th. MLB: Astros, Yankees, Dodgers getting 10 runs regularly like it's no big deal. Homerun hitting is through the roof. That is the nature of competitive sports to continue to improve output and efficiency.
