Phoenix Suns Plan to Boost Their High-5 Stats in 2016-17
While a typical NBA box score keeps track of things like points, rebounds and assists, the Phoenix Suns will be keeping an eye on an unusual statistic this season: high-fives.
No, seriously. They are making a point to slap hands more in hopes of improving team camaraderie...which ultimately could lead to more wins. Allegedly.
"We have a high-five stat," Suns coach Earl Watson said, per Cody Cunningham of the team's official website. "I'm being honest with you. This is true. So we want to keep track of how many high-fives we get per game to each other."
Phoenix is coming off a season in which it went 23-59, so at this point, it doesn't hurt to look to build team chemistry. There's no doubt the Suns have some good, young players on their roster. Before they can take the next step forward, they must jell as a unit.
Enter the high-fives.
This isn't just a whim, however. There is some actual data behind the idea. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley, studied teams around the league to see if there was any relationship between winning and physical contact between teammates.
"Not only did they win more games, but there's really nice basketball statistics of how selfless the play is," Keltner said, per Cunningham.
Of course, teams often give high-fives and fist bumps more frequently when they play well. And how do you play well? By playing as a team. To put it simply, teamwork leads to high-fives.
[NBA.com]
