Separating Fact from Fiction: Is Springfield a contender or pretender?
This is the Springfield Storm's 3rd season in III.2, and it's on track to be their best. In their inaugural season the Storm finished in 4th place in the Great 8 with a 10-12 overall record. They won 8 of their final 15 games that season and was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Winnetka Wizards.
Springfield made massive strides last season, improving their record to 17-5, good for a 2nd place finish. That team won 13 of their final 15 games. An unknown illness wiped out the entire starting lineup for the first round of the playoffs and they were again bounced by the Wizards.
In the current season, Springfield sits atop the ultra-competitive Great 8 conference with a 12-2 record. The Jumpstop Jumpers and Winnetka Wizards are nipping at their heels, both teams sporting identical 12-2 records.
After two consecutive first round playoff losses, we dug into this season's numbers to see if Springfield has a legitimate chance for a playoff run this season. According to buzzer-manager, Springfield sits at #1 in PPG, sporting the best offense in the league which is a major improvement from seasons past where they were a very average offensive team. Several things have led to the Storm having the league's most electrifying offense. They currently lead the league in field goal percentage and assists per game, which probably have a very strong correlation with one another. Ironically, Springfield scores the most points per game yet doesn't have any players in the top 10 in the league in PPG. Springfield also leads the league in offensive efficiency. This team is no slouch on defense either, as they hold opponents to the lowest offensive efficiency in the league. They are also top 5 in rebounds, steals, and blocks. And are #3 in lowest points allowed per game. All 3 of the top defensive teams reside in the Great 8 conference, perhaps making Springfield's offense this season even more impressive. Another key stat is Springfield is ranked #2 in the league in fewest turnovers per game.
All of these statistics seem to show that Springfield's record is no fluke, and this current style of play is sustainable. They are the most balanced offensive team in the league, and one of the top 3 defensive teams with room for improvement. All of these statistics paint a pretty clear picture, the Springfield Storm are legitimate contenders.
Last edited by C- Diddy at 8/14/2017 12:33:25 AM