Bucks small forwards vs. the average NBA small forward

I am in the middle of doing a statistical analysis of the 31 NBA small forwards who saw the most playing time last season. I am ranking them in 9 seperate categories: defensive field goal % (dFG), offensive field goal % (eFG), offensive field goal % on jumpers only (jump eFG), offensive field goal % on close shots only (close eFG), Basket attack % (FTA/FGA), 82games Passer Rating (Pass), 82games Rebounder rating (Reb), 82games Ballhandler rating (Ball), and productive efficiency per 48 minutes of play (Eff48). I then plan to take the sum total of each player's ranking (from 1st to 31st) in each of the categories and then assign each player an overall ranking beginning with the player who had the lowest cumulative score.

I have so far calculated an average score in each of the nine categories, and, since this is a Milwaukee Bucks blog, I initially compared the numbers produced by the Bucks two primary small forwards (Simmons and Patterson) against those NBA averages to see how the Bucks stack up.

The results were somewhat mixed, with Patterson doing better overall.

Grading Simmons and Patterson

Bobby Simmons was below average in 6 of the 9 categories. Simmons graded out as a poor defender, an an above average shooter, an outstanding jump shooter, a poor finisher in close, a poor player at attacking the basket, a slightly above average passer, a below average rebounder, a slightly below average ballhandler, and a below average efficient producer.

Newly acquired Ruben Patterson fared a little bit better. He was below average in only 4 of the 9 categories. Patterson graded out as an above average defender, an above average shooter, a very poor jump shooter, an above average finisher in close, an above average player at attacking the basket, an average passer, a slightly below average rebounder, a below average ballhandler, and a below average efficient producer.

Here are the numbers:

Average NBA Small Forward

dFG: ...........................48.0%
eFG: ...........................47.6%
Jump eFG: .....................42.0%
Close eFG: ......................59.3%
BA: ..............................29.7%
Pass: ............................3.4
Reb: .............................17.1
Ball: ..............................12.7
Eff48: ...........................21.4

Bobby Simmons

dFG:.............................53.0%(-5.0)
eFG:.............................51.8%(+4.2)
Jump eFG:......................51.9%(+9.9)
Close eFG:.......................51.4%(-7.9)
BA:................................22.8%(-6.9)
Pass:..............................4.0(+0.6)
Reb:...............................14.0(-3.1)
Ball:................................11.0(-1.7)
Eff48:.............................19.2(-2.2)

Ruben Patterson

dFG:...............................45.5%(+2.5)
eFG:...............................53.3%(+5.7)
Jump eFG:........................28.4%(-13.6)
Close eFG:.........................64.2%(+4.9)
BA:..................................38.8%(+9.1)
Pass:................................3.4 (+0.1)
Reb:.................................14.3(-2.8)
Ball:..................................9.7(-3.0)
Eff48:...............................19.5(-1.9)

Footnote: Patterson's numbers, except for his Eff48, come from 04-05, the last season he spent entirely with one team. It would have been extremely difficult to compilate his numbers accurately otherwise.