10 big data to understand the start of the season: Wenban s shots in the penalty area have greatly improved, and Antetokounmpo may break the Olympic fat record

On November 1, the 2025-26 season is still in its opening stages. Currently, 4 teams remain unbeaten and 3 teams have not yet won their first victory. Although the situation may change rapidly, the following 10 sets of data can still clearly show the key trends in the first 10 days of the season. All statistics are as of October 31st.

1. Each team averages 117.7 points per game.

This data will become the third highest in NBA history and the highest in the past 64 seasons (since the 1961-62 season). It is driven by the pace of the game and offensive efficiency.

The league averages 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes. If this level is maintained, it will set the highest record in the era of detailed technical statistics in the past 30 years, but as the season progresses, the pace usually slows down.

In terms of offensive efficiency, the league scored 114.3 points per 100 possessions, which is close to the historical record-114.5 points two seasons ago (for the entire season). At that time, the league scored only 110.3 points per 100 possessions during the same period (first 10 days), which means that there is a high probability that the league will set a new offensive efficiency record for the sixth time in the past eight seasons.

2. The average number of fouls per game is 45.7, a new high in the past 30 years.

Free throws are the most efficient way to score, and the number of free throws has increased significantly this season. The average number of fouls per game, 45.7, is the highest in the past 30 years, an increase of 23% from 37.2 last season.

This is not only related to the league's focus on "jump shot blocking actions", but the foul rate during breakthroughs has also increased from 7.2% last year to 8.5%, the highest value since tracking statistics in 13 years.

If the free throw rates of the Magic (40.6 free throws per 100 shots), Rockets (39.5) and Lakers (38.3) are maintained, they will rank first, second and fifth respectively among all teams in the past 20 seasons.

3. The defender initiated a press in the opponent's backcourt in 18.2% of the rounds.

The number of fouls increased, partly due to the increased defensive pressure. NBA teams generally follow the Pacers' successful strategy of wearing down opponents through backcourt pressing last season. The current backcourt pressing rate is the highest in 13 years of statistics.

Stronger pressure has also led to an increase in turnovers: the league's turnovers per 100 possessions increased from 14.3 last year to 15.3 (14.9 in the same period last year), but offensive efficiency still bucked the trend.

The defensive starting positions of the Celtics, Suns and Cavaliers have moved forward the most, and 20 of the 30 teams have increased their pressing intensity compared with last season.

4.76 players have the lowest shooting quality, but still maintain an efficient offense.

Although Maxey started the season in hot scoring form, tracking data shows that the 76ers' shooting quality ranks last in the league.

Paradoxically, the 76ers rank second in the league in offensive efficiency (124.9 points per 100 possessions) and remain undefeated with 4 wins and 0 losses. They are also among the top ten in the other three of the four offensive elements: sixth in free throw rate, second in turnover rate, and sixth in offensive rebound rate.

The team's inside shooting percentage is only 54.8% (bottom ten in the league), but its outside shooting percentage is as high as 41.9% (first in the league). This performance will most likely be difficult to maintain for a long time. In addition, three of the Sixers' four wins came after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, and last year they were 0-46 when trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter.

5. The Heat's average offensive possession time is only 12.6 seconds.

This data will become the fastest record since tracking statistics in 13 years, far exceeding the previous record holder - the 13.1 seconds of the Thunder in the 2018-19 season (the Trail Blazers are closely followed with 13 seconds this season).

According to Synergy tactical tracking, 23.4% of the Heat's offensive possessions are fast breaks (second in the league), and they only initiate 19.1 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions. This frequency is about half of other teams and far lower than the previous record (37.9 times per 100 possessions for the 76ers in the 2018-19 season).

Last season, the Heat accounted for only 16.5% of fast breaks (sixth lowest in the league), and the number of pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions was 69 (ninth highest in the league). This season's big change in offensive style has begun to bear fruit: the team's offensive efficiency ranks ninth, and they have been in the bottom ten in the league in the past three seasons.

6. 61% of Bunyama's shots were concentrated in the penalty area.

Although this statistic is often mentioned, it is crucial. Last season, the 2.24-meter-tall Wembanyama only took 37% of his shots in the penalty area, which was the same as the 1.83-meter-tall Pelicans guard Alvarado. This season, Wenbanyama pays more attention to inside offense. While the proportion of shots in the penalty area has increased significantly, the free throw rate has also increased significantly: 50 free throws per 100 shots, doubled from 22.1 last season.

At the team level, the Spurs' three-point shot percentage dropped fourth in the league, but their effective field goal percentage increased fifth in the league, their free throw rate increased third in the league, and their offensive rebound rate increased fourth in the league. They also set a 5-0 start for the first time in team history.

7. Antetokounmpo averaged 26.5 points per game in the penalty area

In the 30 seasons with shooting position statistics, the penalty area scoring record was O'Neal's 22.5 points per game in the 1999-00 season, and Antetokounmpo's previous career high was 20.3 points per game two seasons ago (third in history). If he maintains this momentum of scoring in the penalty area in the new season, he is expected to break O'Neal's record.

In the past 30 years, the top 15 points in the penalty area per game have been occupied by three people: O'Neal (8 times), Antetokounmpo (5 times) and Zion (2 times). Antetokounmpo has further strengthened his inside play this season, helping the Bucks get off to a 4-1 start..

8. Alexander scored 46 points on key goals

The defending champion Thunder are currently 6-0, but the score difference in 4 of the 6 games was less than 5 points in the last 5 minutes, and two of them went into overtime.

With Jaylen Williams absent, the Thunder frequently relied on Alexander at critical moments. Alexander's key ball usage rate reached 47.6%, ranking second among the 51 players who played at least 10 minutes of key balls, a significant increase from 37% (eighth) last season.

Although his key shooting percentage was average (13 of 30 shots, 2 of 10 three-pointers), he made 18 of 23 free throws, and also sent out a league-high 6 key assists without making any mistakes. In addition, he and the Rockets' Shen Jing (both 3 of 6 field goals) tied for the league lead, with the most number of equalizing or go-ahead goals in the fourth quarter or the last minute of overtime.

9. 49.4% of the Knicks' shots are three-pointers

This ratio ranks third in the league, which is significantly higher than last season's 38.2% (28th in the league). The league's overall three-point shot ratio (41.7%) is slightly lower than last season's 42.1%, and 16 of the 30 teams have a decreased three-point shot ratio.

Under the coaching of new coach Mike Brown, the Knicks' shot selection has changed far more than other teams, but this change has not yet brought results: the team's offensive efficiency ranks 24th, and the decrease in points per 100 possessions compared with last season ranks fifth in the league.

The three Knicks players with the most three-pointers - Anunoby, Brunson and Towns, combined to make 28 of 87 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of only 32.2%.

10. The West has a record of 12 wins and 6 losses against the East

This trend may continue the pattern of "the West has a higher winning rate against the East in the past 27 seasons" (it has happened 23 times before). The season with the highest winning rate between the West and the East was the 2003-04 season. At that time, the West's record against the East was 266 wins and 154 losses (win rate 63.3%). At that time, the Jazz missed the playoffs with a record of 42 wins and 40 losses, and this record was tied for fourth in the East.

Although it is still early in the season, the Western Conference has a record of 9 wins and 0 losses against the Nets (0 wins and 2 losses), Pacers (0 wins and 4 losses) and Raptors (0 wins and 3 losses), and the Thunder (3 wins and 0 losses) and Spurs (3 wins and 0 losses) contributed to half of the Western Conference's 12 cross-district wins. In the end, the record gap between the East and the West may equal the disparity of 22 years ago.