NBA Standings

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OnKPDuty
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:01 am

NBA Standings

Post by OnKPDuty »

Hi, this may or may not be comparatively simpler math than a lot of you are used to. Hopefully it is? I'm looking into NBA standings on a given date, for which the only available source is apparently Basketball Reference.

I just want to double-check on something: Are standings ordered by Win % or by Games Behind?

Because apparently the two can be mutually exclusive. E.g.:

2/12/2012

Western Conference

Team, Record, Win %, GB

Thunder, 21-6, .778, 0
Clippers, 17-8, .680, -3
Spurs, 19-9, .679, -2.5


Unless, of course, I did the math wrong. The formula for how many games back team B is from Team A is: [(A_wins - B_wins)+(B_ losses - A_losses)]/2

So basically I'm like who's in second and who's in third? If you wanted to determine the Clippers' and Spurs' playoff seed on this admittedly random and meaningless date, what would theirs be? Please explain. Thanks!
Crow
Posts: 10623
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:10 pm

Re: NBA Standings

Post by Crow »

Different sources can do standings differently as they wish; but I think most would go by games back over %. Especially late in season.
OnKPDuty
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:01 am

Re: NBA Standings

Post by OnKPDuty »

Sir, thank you. I appreciate it.
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