Sixteen Years In - The Best Defenses (and other things) in TMBSL Six (144 views)

[20s]

I also thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the best defenses (and best other things, too) in the history of the league.

All team names below are links to the team page so you can remember who was on the team.

16 Most Dominant Defenses in 6.0 History

Season	Team	DRtg+	Raw DRtg	oPPG	Result
3004	Pacers	94.3%	113.6	102.5	2nd Round (3-4)
3012	Pacers	94.4%	118.6	110.9	Finals (1-4)
3001	76ers	94.5%	109.0	96.7	2nd Round (2-4)
3014	Pacers	94.7%	118.7	110.7	1st Round (2-4)
3013	Pacers	94.7%	118.8	110.2	2nd Round (2-4)
3007	Stags	94.7%	117.4	110.0	2nd Round (2-4)
3014	Lakers	94.8%	118.9	113.7	West Finals (2-4)
3014	Knicks	95.0%	119.1	116.6	Champions
3012	Lakers	95.0%	119.3	112.4	West Finals (1-4)
3004	Nets	95.0%	114.5	103.7	2nd Round (3-4)
3011	Pacers	95.1%	119.8	113.2	2nd Round (3-4)
3005	Pacers	95.1%	116.3	107.0	East Finals (3-4)
3006	Bucks	95.2%	117.5	110.3	2nd Round (2-4)
3003	Nets	95.2%	113.6	101.5	East Finals (3-4)
3005	Nets	95.3%	116.5	110.4	Champions
3007	Pacers	95.3%	118.2	108.8	2nd Round (0-4)

You will notice the Indiana Pacers dominating this category.  The Pacers occupy 4 of the top 5 spots on the list and 7 of the top 16.  They have clearly been the most dominant defensive franchise in TMBSL 6.0, but that hasn't resulted in any championships for Indiana.  In fact, among the top 16 most dominant defensive teams, only two have been champions.  This is significantly less than we saw when looking at ORtg+.  What does this mean with regards to defense winning championships in TMBSL?  It is hard to say for sure.

Another thing to note is how the most dominant defense of all time only held their opponents to 94.3% of the league rating while the top offenses are routinely over 110% of the league rating.  Also, the top 16 dominant defenses are all contained in the 1% range between 94.3% and 95.3% of the league rating so they are grouped closer together than we see with ORtg.

Here are where the other 14 Champions rank (out of 444 human controlled teams):

• 3000 Mavericks: 209 (of 468)
• 3001 Grizzlies: 127
• 3002 76ers: 51
• 3003 76ers: 31
• 3004 Chaparrals: 310
• 3006 Chaparrals: 164
• 3007 Suns: 125
• 3008 Amigos: 85
• 3009 Hawks: 88
• 3010 Knicks: 20
• 3011 Bobcats: 177
• 3012 Grizzlies: 100
• 3013 Lakers: 21
• 3015 Lakers: 67

 
The 3004 Chaparrals were the least dominant defensive team to win the championship at 310/468 human controlled teams.  They actually gave up more points per 100 possessions than league average that season so they were below average defensively.

16 Best DRtg in 6.0 History (Fewest Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions)

Season	Team	DRtg	oPPG	DRtg+	Result
3000	Grizzlies	107.6	93.5	96.1%	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Hawks	107.8	92.7	96.3%	2nd Round (1-4)
3000	Raptors	108.7	96.0	97.1%	2nd Round (2-4)
3001	76ers	109.0	96.7	94.5%	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Clippers	109.0	97.3	97.3%	West Finals (3-4)
3000	Bobcats	109.3	99.2	97.6%	Finals (3-4)
3000	Magic	109.9	97.5	98.1%	East Finals (1-4)
3000	Chaparrals	110.6	94.5	98.8%	1st Round (1-4)
3000	Bullets	110.7	95.2	98.9%	1st Round (3-4)
3000	Lakers	111.0	93.5	99.1%	1st Round (2-4)
3000	Knicks	111.3	95.2	99.4%	1st Round (0-4)
3000	Mavericks	111.4	98.4	99.5%	Champions
3000	Suns	111.7	99.4	99.7%	2nd Round (1-4)
3002	Bucks	111.8	103	95.4%	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Cougars	111.8	90.9	99.8%	1st Round (1-4)
3001	Hawks	111.9	99.8	97.1%	East Finals (3-4)

This is a who's who of 3000 playoff teams.  This is pretty boring although it clearly shows how much less efficient the league was offensively during the creation season.  13 of top 16 spots are from 3000.  The Cougars and Suns are top 16 DRtg seasons of all time, but clocked in at 99.8 and 99.7% of league average respectively in 3000 so they were just slightly above average that season.

Here are the ranks of the remaining champions (out of 444 total user controlled teams):

• 3001 Grizzlies: 29
  
• 3002 76ers: 25
• 3003 76ers: 39
• 3004 Chaparrals: 183
• 3005 Nets: 68
• 3006 Chaparrals: 196
• 3007 Suns: 195
• 3008 Amigos: 209
• 3009 Hawks: 231
• 3010 Knicks: 159
• 3011 Bobcats: 304
• 3012 Grizzlies: 238
• 3013 Lakers: 129
• 3014 Knicks: 110
• 3015 Lakers: 199

Here, we see the 3001 Grizzlies were the lowest ranked Champion in terms of Raw ORtg.  The 3000 Mavericks, the most dominant offense of all time only rank as the 127th most efficient offense in 6.0.  This highlights how much better offensively the league as a whole has become.  But back in 3000 and 3001, these were very strong offenses.

16 Best Opp. Pts/TSA Seasons in 6.0 History

Season	Team	Opp. P/TSA	Result
3000	Hawks	0.988	2nd Round (1-4)
3001	76ers	0.993	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Raptors	0.998	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Clippers	0.999	West Finals (3-4)
3000	Bobcats	1.000	Finals (3-4)
3000	Timberwolves	1.008	1st Round (0-4)
3000	Cougars	1.010	1st Round (1-4)
3000	Magic	1.011	East Finals (1-4)
3000	Chaparrals	1.013	1st Round (1-4)
3000	Grizzlies	1.019	2nd Round (2-4)
3002	Nets	1.019	1st Round (3-4)
3002	Hawks	1.019	East Finals (3-4)
3000	Nets	1.021	Missed Playoffs
3000	Bullets	1.022	1st Round (3-4)
3001	Bobcats	1.022	2nd Round (2-4)
3000	Lakers	1.023	1st Round (2-4)

This is probably the most worthless metric I've looked into this far.  Zero champions in the top 16.  12 of the top 16 are from the inaugural season.  No one after 3002 in the top 16.

16 Best Rebounding Teams in 6.0 History

Season	Team	Reb%	Result
3003	Cougars	55.5%	2nd Round (2-4)
3003	76ers	54.8%	Champions
3013	Lakers	54.5%	Champions
3014	Knicks	54.5%	Champions
3011	Bobcats	54.5%	Champions
3005	Nets	54.3%	Champions
3003	Nets	54.2%	East Finals (3-4)
3011	Bucks	54.2%	1st Round (2-4)
3000	Grizzlies	54.2%	2nd Round (2-4)
3010	Hawks	54.1%	1st Round (2-4)
3012	Grizzlies	54.0%	Champions
3013	Grizzlies	53.9%	West Finals (1-4)
3009	Hawks	53.9%	Champions
3007	Nets	53.7%	2nd Round (3-4)
3014	Grizzlies	53.6%	1st Round (1-4)
3008	Amigos	53.6%	Champions

There are two obvious takeaways from this:

• Rebounding % is EXTREMELY important when it comes to winning championships
• The 3003 Carolina Cougars were robbed of the championship which is deservedly theirs

Of the 6 best rebounding teams in 6.0, five of them were TMBSL Champions.  The only one who didn't win a championship was actually the best rebounding team of all time in the 03 Cougars who pulled down 55.5% of the rebounds in their games.  Overall, 8 of the top 16 rebounding teams of all time won a championship.

Put another way, 8 of the 16 champions we have had to date were top 16 all time rebounding teams.  It is very clear how impactful rebounding is on winning.  It makes one wonder if the 3003 Carolina Cougars were just too good at rebounding?

Here are where the other 8 championship teams ranked in rebounding percentage (out of 468 human controlled teams):

• 3000 Mavericks: 96
• 3001 Grizzlies: 69
• 3002 76ers: 32
• 3004 Chaparrals: 60
• 3006 Chaparrals: 163
• 3007 Suns: 74
• 3010 Knicks: 99
• 3015 Lakers: 52

From this, we can see that you don't have to be an elite rebounding team to win a championship, but you have to be pretty strong.  Only one of the teams to win a championship was outside of the top 100 rebounding teams in 6.0.  This is the only time this has occurred with any of the metrics we have looked into to this point.  


16 Lowest TOV %s in 6.0 History

Season	Team	TOV%	Result
3015	Bobcats	7.3%	Finals (1-4)
3013	Lakers	7.6%	Champions
3012	Lakers	7.9%	West Finals (1-4)
3015	Knicks	8.1%	2nd Round (0-4)
3014	Lakers	8.2%	West Finals (2-4)
3013	Knicks	8.3%	Finals (2-4)
3012	Pacers	8.4%	Finals (1-4)
3015	Lakers	8.4%	Champions
3014	Pacers	8.4%	1st Round (2-4)
3010	Magic	8.5%	2nd Round (2-4)
3010	Knicks	8.5%	Champions
3011	Timberwolves	8.5%	1st Round (0-4)
3013	Cougars	8.6%	1st Round (1-4)
3008	Knicks	8.7%	1st Round (3-4)
3014	Pipers	8.7%	1st Round (0-4)
3014	Stags	8.7%	Missed Playoffs

Turnover rate is kind of a mixed bag.  We can see three champions, three runners up who lost in the Finals, and two more who lost in the conference finals among the top 11 teams in turnover % which seems to indicate high importance.  However, there are also 5 teams who lost in the first round and even a team who missed the playoffs completely among the top 16 teams in turnover percentage.

Interestingly, all but one team in the top 16 is from 3010 or later which shows teams are definitely improving at taking care of the ball as the league evolves.  Even the one team from before 3010 was the 3008 Knicks so nothing from the first half our of 16 year history.


16 Best Block %s in 6.0 History

Season	Team	Blk%	Result
3005	Timberwolves	10.4%	2nd Round (3-4)
3006	Timberwolves	10.1%	West Finals (1-4)
3004	Timberwolves	10.0%	West Finals (2-4)
3007	Timberwolves	10.0%	2nd Round (0-4)
3013	Pacers	8.8%	2nd Round (2-4)
3008	Timberwolves	8.8%	2nd Round (2-4)
3015	Pacers	8.2%	1st Round (1-4)
3014	Pacers	8.2%	1st Round (2-4)
3009	Cougars	8.0%	2nd Round (2-4)
3011	Knicks	7.9%	2nd Round (1-4)
3012	Lakers	7.9%	West Finals (1-4)
3012	Knicks	7.9%	1st Round (0-4)
3012	Cougars	7.9%	1st Round (2-4)
3015	Lakers	7.8%	Champions
3012	Pacers	7.7%	Finals (1-4)
3014	Lakers	7.7%	West Finals (2-4)

You will only find 5 franchises among the top 16 in block %.  The list is dominated by the Wolves who have the top 4 spots and 5 of the top 6.  These were 5 consecutive Wolves teams anchored by the duo of Kenny George and Isaiah Austin.  The Pacers make four appearances in the top 16, thanks in large part to defensive stalwart Andrew Bynum.  The Lakers have three teams on the list, while the Knicks and Cougars each appear twice in the top 16.

There is only one champion among the top 16 in block % which gives us an indication that shot blocking alone may not be incredibly indicative of an elite team in 6.0.

[Odin]

go bobs

150k

[delap]

91k

[Herby New Year!]

120k

[Deleted]

I like the analysis 20s. I think the short nature of your lists can overemphasize the importance or lack of importance of some of the categories. For instance, blocks or defense. Just a hunch but it seems to me like you still need to be pretty damn good in those categories to have a good shot at success. I think why so few teams have success that are "the GOAT" blocks or defensive team is more a function of how the league is currently set up than it being a "true fact" about FBB2001 or whatever.

For example, it seems to me that to build one of the best blocking or defensive teams of all time, you have to focus on having bigs that are very very very good at defense. How many of those are also good at offense? In the history of 6.0, basically none. Because offense is MORE important, teams like Ians would consistently fail because of the streaky nature of only having ~3 scorers. However, I think it the future, and we are starting to see it happen now, there are more 2 way bigs in the league, and this should allow more champions to also have truly elite defenses.

[TinyTimPig]

Summary: defense doesn’t win championships

100,000

[TinyTimPig]

As I actually read the article after voting it seems you said something similar very early on.

[Handsome Pete]

115k

I came to the same conclusions when evaluating the teams for TOC. Among the team stats, the best stats for predicting championship rosters were far and away REB% and Pts/TSA

[Herby New Year!]

Nov 18, 2021 11:12:53 GMT -5 TinyTimPig said:

Summary: defense doesn’t win championships

100,000

See, e.g., the Pacers.

[Sapular]

Good work sir. 115K