The Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers used the play the least in the N.B.A. last season. Only 11 percent of their offensive plays originated with the pick-and-roll.

“Everybody just associates pick-and-rolls with us because of John and Karl,” Williams said. “They ran it out a lot, but similar to us. We run it toward the end of the game when we need baskets, but we try to execute our offense first.”

Sloan said: “You’ve got to learn how to play other ways than just strictly pick-and-roll. Most of the time, other guys are just standing in the pick-and-roll. We try to run other stuff where they’re not standing and stay active in other parts of the game.”

Nelson, who is currently sidelined for at least a month with a knee injury, was the most effective pick-and-roll player last season, according to Synergy. He averaged 1.15 points in offense generated for either himself or a teammate each time he ran the pick-and-roll during an injury-shortened regular season. James was second at 1.1. Paul posted a 1.08. Nash had a 1.06.

N.B.A. teams use various methods to combat the pick-and-roll, although none are highly effective.

The defender guarding the ball handler can squeeze past the player setting the pick to stay with the ball handler (known as going over the pick). He can also try to avoid the pick by running behind the pick and then resume guarding the ball handler once he moves past the screen (known as going under the pick).

The two defenders can also switch whom they are guarding, with the taller defender momentarily defending the smaller ball handler and trying to hinder his vision before hurrying back to the player who set the pick. Or the defender guarding the ball handler can try to direct him away from the pick before it can take place.

The strategy varies team to team, night to night. The Synergy analysis showed that defenses were most effective when the on-ball defender went under the pick, temporarily abandoning the ball handler and then picking him up again. For example, when the defender went under the pick against James, he averaged 0.93 points. When James was played over the pick, he averaged 1.02 points.

Yet a majority of teams played over the pick. They defended that way, Barr said, to show defensive aggressiveness instead of passiveness, even if it hurt them in the long run.

The expenditure line items show how much the Big Ten has developed into a league of the haves (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and Iowa) and the have-nots (Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota).

The formers spend at least $70 million a year; the latters spend $48 million to $58 million annually. Michigan State ($60.9 million) occupies the middle ground.

Illinois' is a little more than half Ohio State's gigantic $102 million budget. Northwestern's is close to half of Wisconsin's budget of about $95 million (Wisconsin still hasn't reported its most recent budget although last year's was $91.3 million).