Top 5 offensive systems of the 2015-16 NBA season so far
LeBron James dunks oneThere’s a very popular saying in the game of basketball “Offense wins games but Defense wins championships”. So without doubt performing well at the defensive end of the floor should be a crucial part of any title contender’s playing style. There would be very few championship teams in the 70 year history of the league that ranked higher on the offensive end than on the defensive end. Nonetheless, it doesn’t hurt to have an efficient productive offensive game to rely on when it most matters. With the league embracing the increased number of attempts from three point range, the offensive numbers across the league are expected to rise every year. Considering those circumstances and analysing the numbers so far, here are the top 5 offensive systems of the 2015-16 NBA season:
#5 Charlotte Hornets
With a record of 2-4 in the six games so far, Michael Jordan owned Charlotte Hornets are the only sub .500 team to be on this list. They have only 2 wins to their credit however they deserve to be named simply because of the improvement of their offense from last season, that they have shown in the small sample size of six games so far.
Just take a look at the big leap they have taken on offense with the help of a few particular team statistics:
| Offensive team parameters | Assists | Effective Field Goal % | Rebounding | Effective Offensive Efficiency | NBA Rank |
| 2014-15 Season | 11.2 | 45.6% | 50 | 97.6 | 28th |
| 2015-16 Season | 16.4 | 50% | 52.1 | 104.6 | T-4th |
The table says it all.
Trading for or signing forwards above 6 foot 8 inches or more, who can shoot the ball had been the main emphasis for the Hornets’ this past summer. Shooters such as Jeremy Lamb, Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams, Spencer Hawes and Frank Kaminsky have become key role players in the Hornets’ rotation. Having so many shooters not only keeps the opposition’s rim protecters out of the paint but also opens up the paint for drives by guards Kemba Walker and off-season acquisition Jeremy Lin.
Not to mention the much needed post-position that center Al Jefferson will receive with the rest of his team standing behind the three-point line. This philosphy of spreading the floor with shooters has so far succeeded, proof of which was shown when the team blew away the Chicago Bulls (a good defensive team) 130-105 at home.