Okay, let’s talk about how I went about digging into the player stats for that 76ers vs Clippers game. It’s something I do pretty often after watching a matchup I’m interested in.
So, the game finished, right? First thing, I just wanted the basic rundown. Popped open my usual sports app on my phone, the one I trust not to be too slow with updates. Found the game, clicked on it, and got the main box score. You know, points, rebounds, assists, the usual suspects for the main guys on both teams. That gives you the quick picture – who scored big, who grabbed boards.
Digging a Little Deeper
But honestly, that basic box score only scratches the surface. It doesn’t tell you how efficient guys were or who was making plays that don’t always show up there. So, my next step was to get on my computer. I find it easier to see everything laid out on a bigger screen.
I usually go to one or two specific stats websites. Not the flashy news ones, but the ones that really let you filter and sort. Found the game recap page for the Sixers-Clippers. What I was looking for then was more detailed stuff:
- Shooting percentages: Field goal percentage (FG%), three-point percentage (3P%), and free throw percentage (FT%). Super important to see who was actually efficient with their shots, not just jacking up attempts.
- Turnovers and Steals: Who was sloppy with the ball? Who was active defensively? Gives you a sense of the flow and costly mistakes.
- Plus/Minus (+/-): This one’s always interesting. Tells you how the team did overall when that specific player was on the court. Not perfect, but gives you a clue about their impact beyond individual stats.
- Minutes Played: Gotta see who the coaches trusted and who rode the bench.
I paid close attention to the key guys, of course. For the Sixers, how did Embiid look efficiency-wise? Was Maxey scoring well but maybe turning it over? On the Clippers side, with Kawhi and PG, how did their numbers stack up? Were they getting support from Westbrook or Harden? I looked specifically at Harden’s line, given the history there, checking his assists against his turnovers and his shooting.
Sometimes, if I’m really curious about a specific part of the game, like a fourth-quarter comeback or collapse, I’ll look for sites that break down stats by quarter. See who stepped up or disappeared when it mattered most. It takes a bit more clicking, finding those specific tables or filters on the site.
Putting it Together
I don’t really use any fancy software or anything. It’s mostly just navigating those stat sites, maybe opening a couple of tabs to compare players directly. Sometimes I’ll even scribble a few notes down on a pad if I see something interesting, like a big difference in bench scoring or one team dominating second-chance points.
It’s not complicated, really. Just takes a little time to go beyond the main headlines and the basic box score. Doing this gives me a much better feel for what actually happened in the game, who played well beyond just scoring, and why the result ended up the way it did. For me, looking at these numbers after watching the game helps connect the dots. Anyway, that was my process for checking out the Sixers vs Clippers stats this time around.
