Do preseason stats count in the NBA?
Sports are all about the stats, and when you look at legacies, stats can be the difference between legendary and ordinary. But does pre season count?
Pre season games are like extended practice, a chance for a new squad to shake some of the rust off, perhaps try out a new combination of personnel, and just get back into the swing of things. When it comes to the things that count, winning the conference or getting to the playoffs, none of it matters.
But what about player stats? Do they count? Kind of.
While the NBA will track stats in the pre season, they do not count toward a player’s regular-season total. They can not be used to determine standings or playoffs, and are generally ignored as an irrelevance.
Stephen Curry is now the first player in NBA history to eclipse 150 career 3PT FGM in the #NBAFinals. pic.twitter.com/v1FmdHcPQx
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) June 17, 2022
However, if a player is nominated for an award such as MVP or Defensive Player of the Year, pre season stats may indeed be taken into account.
So while there are between four and six games in the pre season run where teams can safely try out new personnel combinations or see if someone may work in a different position, or perhaps whether a style of play is suitable or not for the squad, don’t expect to see the players themselves let up.
With pre season performance possibly being the difference between MVP and runner-up, each player will be competing as hard as they can.