Team USA's Unexpected FIBA Performance: It's More Than Just Defense

Posted at: 9/12/2023

Brett Koremenos

Hey, hoops fans! Welcome back to another ShotQuality analysis. We're all still reeling from Team USA's not-so-stellar performance in the recent FIBA tournament, aren't we? While defensive lapses grabbed headlines, our data suggests the offense was a co-conspirator in this basketball drama. Let's dig in!

The Numbers Don't Lie

Here's a jaw-dropping stat for you: Team USA had the 5th-best adjusted offensive SQ score but finished a shocking 29th in Rim-&-3 rate. Compare that to other top-performing teams like Canada and Germany, who not only had higher offensive SQ scores but also dominated in the Rim-&-3 rate category.

The Anthony Edwards Dilemma

The most frequent offensive outcome for Team USA was—you guessed it—an off-the-dribble jumper by Anthony Edwards. So, we're faced with the classic chicken or the egg question: Did Edwards take so many jumpers because the US offense was faltering, or did the US offense falter because Edwards was taking too many jumpers?

Breaking Down the Plays

Let's peek at some key plays and their SQ Points Per Possession (PPP) for a clearer picture.

• Anthony Edwards off-the-dribble 3 point shot

  : 34 occurrences, 0.95 SQ PPP (50th percentile)

• Walker Kessler cut drop off pass at basket for layup

  : 5 occurrences, 1.72 SQ PPP (100th percentile)

• Paolo Banchero cut drop off pass at basket for layup

  : 5 occurrences, 1.24 SQ PPP (88th percentile)

The data suggests that Team USA had other, more efficient options on offense, yet they leaned heavily on Edwards' off-the-dribble jumpers, which had a lower SQ PPP and percentile ranking.

Could Strategy Be the Culprit?

With a roster filled with versatile players capable of driving, shooting, and passing, it's puzzling that the offensive schemes didn't take advantage of this. Plays with higher SQ PPP like layups for Walker Kessler and Paolo Banchero were less frequent, yet significantly more effective.

Closing Thoughts

In basketball, as in life, the problem is often more complex than it appears. For Team USA, it wasn't just a defensive issue; the offense left much to be desired. And, while it's easy to point fingers at individual players like Anthony Edwards, the data suggests that a more comprehensive offensive strategy might be needed to tap into the team's full potential.

So, what do you think, folks? Is it time for Team USA to rethink their game plan? Chime in with your thoughts, and as always, keep it locked here at ShotQuality for the most in-depth hoops analysis around!

Till next time, keep shooting for the stars! 🏀✨

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Winning Metrics

• Adjusted ShotQuality (adj SQ)