Although they only sit at 6-3, behind the Iowa Energy in the East, the Erie Bayhawks sport the most efficient team in the D-League through nine games in four weeks of D-League play. With an offensive rating of 110.7 and a defensive rating of 97.4, the Bayhawks excel at both ends of the floor. Their +13.3 differential leads the league by over 5 points. Erie's offense doesn't have a single standout right now, with contributions coming from all across the roster. The most efficient scoring so far has come from Nate Linhart, whose 42-71 shooting includes 12 three pointers, good for a remarkable 67.6 effective field goal percentage. The Bayhawks' league-best defense is anchored by Christian Eyenga in the middle, who has blocked 1.13 shots per game despite only playing 24 minutes on average.
Unsurprisingly, the Iowa team which leads Erie by 1.5 games in the standings is playing at a similar level. Iowa's defense isn't quite as stout as Erie's, checking in at 102.8 - still over four points better per 100 possessions. On offense, the Energy are essentially equals to Erie, with a 110.4 offensive rating. The Energy have been lead by the hyper-efficient Courtney Sims, who is converting on a remarkable 64.2% of his shots as well as 8.9 rebounds - 3.2 offensive - per game. Kyle Weaver's sharpshooting - 19-38 from three - has him with a True Shooting percentage of 70%, numbers that are typically reserved for NCAA marksmen, and he also leads the team with 4.0 assists per game. However, unlike with Erie, these numbers need to be toned down a bit to account for pace. As their name suggests, the Energy play a fast game, with nearly 99 possessions per game compared to 96.8 for the average team and only 93 for the Bayhawks.
On the other side of the coin, we have the Dakota Wizards, who continue to absolutely sputter on offense. They actually play good defense, allowing 103.6 point per 100 possessions. However, they have been an unmitigated failure on the offensive end, below average in each of the four factors. Most importantly, they have a terrible 43% effective field goal percentage, a full seven percentage points below average. It's impossible to run an effective offense without making shots, and to add to that, the Wizards don't rebound well, they don't get to the line, and they turn the ball over. Chris Johnson has been the only real bright spot on this team, particularly for his rebounding (9.4 per game) and shotblocking (3.3 per game), but also for a decent 56.3 TS%.
Other notable numbers:
Best Offense: Texas Legends (119.5)
Best Defense: Erie Bayhawks (97.4)
Best Shooting: Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Texas Legends (55% eFG)
Best FG Defense: Bakersfield Jam, Erie Bayhawks, Iowa Energy (46% eFG)
Best Offensive Rebounding: New Mexico Thunderbirds (31%)
Best Defensive Rebounding: Idaho Stampede (74%)
Best Ball Security (TO rate): Fort Wayne Mad Ants (14%)
Most Turnovers Forced: Tulsa 66ers (22%)
Most Free Throws Per Shot: Iowa Energy (.36 FT/FGA)
Least Free Throws Allowed Per Shot: Maine Red Claws (.23 FT/FGA)