Stat Chat: Share the Load

Much of the discussion this year in regards to Duke's offensive game has surrounded freshman star Jabari Parker, and rightfully so. When you average 21.4 ppg and 8.0 rpg, you're going to garner some attention. However, most of the team's offensive success stems from superior ball movement.

This season, there are five players with at least 20 assists: Quinn Cook (82), Tyler Thornton (30), Rodney Hood (26), Jabari Parker (24) and Rasheed Sulaimon (21). Despite changing to a slower paced offense in recent games, there has been no significant shift in assist totals thus far. In the team's first 12 games played, Duke dished out 203 assists, helping lead the way to converting on a total of 346 field goals. Over the same span in 2012, the Blue Devils dished out 19 fewer dimes and made nine fewer field goals. While such increases are not significant, as last year's squad proved to be capable of moving the ball just as well, it is worth noting the increase in efficiency when it comes to assisted field goals.

From a sheer numbers perspective, the Blue Devils don't assist too many more made baskets than other schools; however, the assist to made field goal ratio is impressive. The Blue Devils have assisted 42 percent or more of their made field goals this season in every game. In half of their contests, Duke has assisted 62 percent or more of their made field goals. Overall, the assist-to-field goals made ratio is 58.7 percent, an increase of nearly four percent compared to last year's numbers (54.9 percent).

The individual assists per minute ratio has also improved dating back to a season ago. Cook has blossomed into a great scoring threat for the Blue Devils, but his assist numbers have also improved, averaging 0.18 apm to lead the team. Cook and Thornton 0(.12 apm) have played well at point guard, but the guards overall have improved thanks to a slightly different offensive scheme.

Last season, Coach K called for the inside-out offense, where a big man is fed the ball in the post before passing back out to an open shooter, allows forwards and centers to increase their assist numbers. For example, Mason Plumlee averaged 0.06 apm, while starting forward Josh Hairston averages only 0.04 apm in a scheme much more oriented towards slashing through the lane. It is for this reason that athletic players such as Rasheed Sulaimon have improved their passing numbers this season, jumping from 0.06 apm to 0.08 apm.

However, overall, the differences between the current squad and the 2012 Blue Devils are small. The two eight men rotations yield 0.08 and 0.07 apm respectively. Statistics were rounded to the nearest hundredth, so some numbers may be a bit more jarring when rounded to, say, the nearest thousandth; however, we again have numerical evidence suggesting better ball movement as a team.

Dunks are exciting; three-pointers are enthralling; but good team ball movement is what opens the door for so many of the highlight plays Duke fans have been spoiled with this season.