My goal in the following analysis was to find out just important statistics are in determining success in the NBA. I began by finding each team's NBA rank (from 1-29) in each of nine key statistical categories. Those categories are:

1. Average Margin of Victory
2. Free Throw Percentage
3. Points Per Shot
4. Turnovers Per Game
5. Rebounding Percentage
6. Opponent's Field Goal Percentage
7. Opponent's Turnovers Per Game
8. Steals Per Game
9. Blocks Per Game

I then added all nine rankings together to get a total score for each team. As in golf, the lower numbers are better. Based on my findings, the top six teams in the NBA (statistically) in 2001-2002 were:

1. Sacramento (83)
2. Lakers (94)
3. Utah (94)
4. New Jersey (99)
5. San Antonio (99)
6. Boston (100)

Not surprisingly, five of these six teams were among the top three seeds in each conference. Utah, an eight seed in the West was the only exception. The Eastern Conference's #2 seed, the Detroit Pistons, ranked 11th overall. The results also showed that statistics are highly correlated with a team's ability to make the playoffs. The sixteen teams in the 2002 NBA Playoffs each ranked among the top 17 statistically. Only Phoenix (ranked 15th) failed to make the playoffs while ranking among the top 16.

Among the nine statistical categories, only Dallas ranked first in more than one category (free throw percentage and fewest turnovers). In addition, only one non-playoff team led in one of the nine categories. That team was Milwaukee, whose three-point shooting expertise enabled them to lead the NBA in points per shot. The other categorical leaders were: Sacramento (average margin of victory), the Lakers (lowest opponent's field goal percentage), Minnesota (rebound percentage), Utah (opponent turnovers), Boston (steals), and Detroit (blocks).

The following is a breakdown of each team in the Playoffs:

Eastern Conference

Since March 1st: 14-12
Strengths: Opponent's FG Pct (6th), Opponents Turnovers (3rd), Steals (4th), Blocks (6th)
Weaknesses: Free Throw Pct (24th), Turnovers (23rd)

Since March 1st: 18-9
Strengths: Opponent's Turnovers (6th), Points Per Shot (6th), Blocks (1st)
Weaknesses: Rebound Percentage (29th)

Since March 1st: 18-7
Strengths: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (2nd), Turnovers (7th), Opponent's Turnovers (3rd), Steals (1st)
Weaknesses: Rebound Percentage (26th), Blocks (28th)

Since March 1st: 16-7
Strengths: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (7th), Rebound Percentage (6th)
Weaknesses: Opponent's Turnovers (21st), POints Per Shot (20th)

Since March 1st: 13-12
Strengths: Turnovers (8th), Opponent's Turnovers (4th), Rebound Percentage (4th), Steals (6th)
Weaknesses: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (26th), Rebounding Percentage (28th)

Since March 1st: 15-11
Strengths: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (5th), Free Throw Percentage (4th), Rebound Percentage (4th), Steals (6th)
Weaknesses: Turnovers (22nd), Points Per Shot (28th), Blocks (23rd)

Since March 1st: 13-12 (12-2 since 3/22)
Strengths: Opponent's Turnovers (9th), Steals (8th)
Weaknesses: Average Margin of Victory (17th), Free Throw Percentage (22nd), Points Per Shot (24th)

Since March 1st: 14-11
Strengths: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (8th), Free Throw Percentage (5th)
Weaknesses: Turnovers (25th)

Western Conference

Since March 1st: 20-6
Strengths: Margin of Victory (1st), Opponent's Field Goal Pct (9th), Turnovers (9th), Opponent's Turnovers (7th), Points Per Shot (5th), Steals (3rd)
Weaknesses: Blocks (21st)

Since March 1st: 22-3
Strengths: Margin of Victory (3rd), Opponent's Field Goal Pct (4th), Points Per Shot (8th), Blocks (3rd)
Weaknesses: Free Throw Percentage (20th)

Since March 1st: 19-7
Strengths: Margin of Victory (2nd), Opponent's Field Goal Pct (1st), Turnovers (2nd), Points Per Shot (4th), Blocks (8th)
Weaknesses: Free Throw Percentage (29th), Opponent's Turnovers (20th)

Since March 1st: 17-8
Strengths: Margin of Victory (4th), Free Throw Percentage (1st), Turnovers (1st), Points Per Shot (2nd)
Weaknesses: Rebound Percentage (23rd), Steals (22nd)

Since March 1st: 11-14
Strengths: Margin of Victory (6th), Free Throw Percentage (2nd), Rebound Percentage (1st), Turnovers (4th), Points Per Shot (9th)
Weaknesses: Opponent's Turnovers (25th), Steals (28th)

Since March 1st: 16-9
Strengths: Margin of Victory (7th), Rebounding Percentage (3rd), Steals (5th)
Weaknesses: Opponent's Field Goal Percentage (21st), Blocks (22nd)

Since March 1st: 13-11
Strengths: Margin of Victory (8th), Turnovers (6th), Opponent's Turnovers (5th), Points Per Shot (3rd), Steals (7th)
Weaknesses: Rebound Percentage (20th), Blocks (21st)

Since March 1st: 12-13
Strengths: Rebound Percentage (2nd), Opponent's Turnovers (1st), Steals (2nd), Blocks (4th)
Weaknesses: Turnovers (27th)