Random Stat:
- What percentage of the time has each team been leading?

Today's opening act comes courtesy of a question from none other than Mister "Basketball on Paper" Dean Oliver:

"Have you ever calculated the percentage of time that a team is ahead?"
I've got to imagine that Detroit is the leader in this, but I'd be curious about some other teams.

-- Let's take a look!

Team Ahead/Behind/Tied Percentage in 2005-06 (includes games through 01/31) Team Ahead% Behind% Tied%  Detroit 66.9%  26.2%  6.9%   San Antonio 65.0%  28.3%  6.7%   Dallas 63.5%  29.8%  6.7%   Phoenix 58.5%  35.1%  6.3%   Memphis 55.3%  38.7%  6.1%   Miami 54.5%  39.8%  5.7%   Cleveland 53.0%  41.1%  5.9%   L.A. Lakers 52.4%  40.9%  6.7%   Minnesota 52.4%  40.9%  6.7%   L.A. Clippers 50.9%  43.5%  5.5%   Philadelphia 49.9%  43.7%  6.4%   New Jersey 49.3%  45.7%  4.9%   Denver 47.4%  45.0%  7.6%   Indiana 46.7%  48.0%  5.3%   Chicago 45.8%  47.4%  6.8%   Boston 44.7%  47.8%  7.5%   Washington 44.6%  48.1%  7.3%   Seattle 44.3%  49.4%  6.2%   New Orleans 44.0%  49.6%  6.5%   Sacramento 43.5%  49.8%  6.7%   Golden State 43.3%  50.5%  6.2%   Orlando 41.3%  51.2%  7.5%   Utah 41.3%  52.6%  6.1%   Milwaukee 38.5%  54.8%  6.7%   Portland 37.0%  56.5%  6.6%   New York 34.8%  57.7%  7.5%   Houston 34.4%  58.5%  7.1%   Atlanta 33.6%  59.0%  7.4%   Toronto 33.5%  60.1%  6.4%   Charlotte 30.9%  62.4%  6.7%

These numbers represent on a second by second basis how often a team has been in the lead, trailing or tied through the 2005-06 season to this point. So Dean is indeed right that the Pistons have been playing with a lead more often than any other team. Mostly it's pretty predicatable with the good teams up top, the bad teams at the bottom. There is clear separation between the top three (Detroit, San Antonio, Dallas) and then Phoenix and then the "second tier contenders". The two teams that have notable lead percentages a little out of whack with their current won-lost records are: - Minnesota (21-22 record but a #9 ranked 52.4% ahead mark) - Milwaukee (23-21 but a #24 ranked 38.5% mark...we've touched in other places on the amazing clutch play so far for the Bucks)

Do you have an idea for a cool "random stat" you would like to see? If so, drop us a line