The Thunder have been a better team when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the floor.
We’re a third of the way through the 2023-24 season and we have a familiar story in Denver. Once again, the Nuggets take a huge hit when two-time Kia MVP Nikola Jokic comes off the floor.
Through 29 games, the defending champs were 17.4 points per 100 possessions better with Jokic on the floor (plus 10.9) than they were with him off the floor (minus 6.5).
It’s not nearly as big as Jokic’s league-leading 22.9 points per 100 possessions last season. Nor is he the greatest among the 272 players who have played at least 300 total minutes through Thursday, December 21. Here are the 12 best.
Biggest NetRtg differential on-off court
Player | Club | Min. | In the court | Off the field | Diff. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | 865 | +13.5 | -6.1 | 19.6 |
Nikola Jokic | NEST | 938 | +10.9 | -6.5 | 17.4 |
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | NEST | 880 | +11.1 | -5.6 | 16.7 |
Kawhi Leonard | LAKH | 932 | +10.0 | -5.8 | 15.8 |
Tari Eason | HOU | 357 | +13.8 | -1.9 | 15.7 |
Mark Williams | CHA | 508 | -1.2 | -16.6 | 15.4 |
Isaiah Joe | OKC | 534 | +16.4 | +2.0 | 14.4 |
Day Ron Sharp | BKN | 428 | +10.3 | -4.0 | 14.3 |
Paul George | LAKH | 900 | +9.9 | -3.6 | 13.5 |
Goga Bitatje | ORL | 506 | +10.9 | -2.4 | 13.3 |
Anthony Edwards | MIN | 820 | +11.3 | -2.0 | 13.3 |
Dante Exum | DAL | 418 | +10.1 | -3.2 | 13.3 |
On/Off Court = team points difference per 100 possessions with a player on or off the court
At least 300 minutes on court with one team (272 players)
Until December 21, 2023
A few notes:
- The differential for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander they were about even on both ends of the floor, with the Thunder 10.1 points per 100 possessions better on offense and 9.4 per 100 better on defense. And that difference in defense is huge to begin with, as opposing offenses will generally be better when there are better players on the floor.
- Nikola Jokic he has the most offense on offense by a healthy margin, with the Nuggets scoring 18.7 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (122.9) than they have with him off the floor (104.2). That’s mostly about the team’s shooting, but there’s also a big on-off difference in turnover percentage (11.5 vs. 13.9 per 100 possessions).
- As with Gilgeous-Alexander, a big difference for a starter on defense is notable, and the Clippers have allowed 10.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with Kawhi Leonard on the floor (108.6) than they have with him off the floor (118.7). That’s the second-highest margin for a player who has started every game he’s played in, trailing only Evan Mobley (-10.5).
- Tari Eason he is one of three players on this list – Leonard and the Nets Day Ron Sharp are the others – where the difference was greater in defense than in attack. The Rockets have been worse offensively with Eason on the floor, but have allowed 17.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (97.3) than they have with him off the floor (114.6). That’s the biggest defensive differential among the 272 players who have played at least 300 minutes by a healthy margin. The worst belongs to teammate Jaylen Green.
- Mark Williams he is the only player in the top 27 in home-away differential whose team has won with him on the floor. The Hornets just were Really bad (has 16.6 points per 100 possessions) with the floor. They have lost seven of their last eight games and have lost all seven, with two losses by more than 30 points in the last six days.
- With Gilgeous-Alexander leading the league in drives per game for the fourth consecutive season, pairing him with good shooting is, once again, the best formula for the Thunder, who have outscored their opponents by 22, 5 points per 100 possessions with Gilgeous-Alexander. and Isaiah Joe on the floor together. That’s the second-highest differential among 546 two-man combinations that have played at least 250 minutes together, trailing only Nicolas Batum and Joel Embiid (plus 25.9 per 100).
- Sharpe he’ll likely be on the floor most of the time Jokic is away from the floor when the Nuggets visit the Nets on Friday (7:30 ET, NBA TV).
- At the bottom of the list is Andrew Wiggins, with the Warriors being 17.8 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor (minus 8.9) than they were with him off the floor (plus 8.9). Former Warrior Jordan Poole has the next-worst on-off differential (minus 14.1) among full-time starters.
* * *
John Schuhmann is a senior statistician for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.