We're going to keep this one simple. Phily's Ben Simmons and Boston's Jayson Tatum are neck-and-neck in the Rookie of the Year race. Let's compare their traditional counting stats to see if that helps us decide our vote.
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FT% | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simmons | 35.8 | 18.0 | 9.3 | 7.1 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 56.7% | 50.3% |
| Tatum | 30.4 | 13.9 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 82.8% | 51.1% |
These digits definitively tell us that that Simmons is the better volume player. But they also hint at the fact that Tatum might be more efficient. What do Basketball Reference's advanced stats have to say about the whole thing?
| Player | PER | TS% | 3PAr | ORB% | DRB% | TRB% | AST% | STL% | BLK% | TOV% | USG% | OWS | DWS | WS | WS/48 | OBPM | DBPM | BPM | VORP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simmons | 19.8 | 52.3 | 0.025 | 6.9 | 19.9 | 13.5 | 31.8 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 17.6 | 24.1 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.126 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 1.3 |
| Tatum | 17.4 | 64.9 | 0.335 | 3.1 | 15.9 | 9.7 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 11.3 | 17.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.198 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 |
Yeah, it's a massive line of stats, but it's worth it, because it paints a picture of an ROY race that's far closer than one might expect. These numbers confirm that Tatum is more efficient, a fact further quantified by Tatum's 3.5 nERD (12th-best in the NBA) as compared to Simmons' 0.8 nERD (tied for 76th).
Simmons is the flashier of the two, and his lead in points, rebounds, and assists will probably earn him the trophy. But efficiency and team record matter, so if the Celtics hold on to the East's top spot, the postseason vote could be tight.