In this era when advanced analytics has become a trend, and entire websites dedicated solely to basketball statistics are abound, one team, actually one player, decided to take the opposite direction.

Toronto Raptors star forward Rudy Gay has banned score sheets in the locker room. Just the locker room, as it is the 'players only' lair.

Coaches can use the analytics and statistics when they practice or watch videos in their 'war rooms.' But when it's down to just the players, Gay points out that score sheets will only blur the big picture.

From the Toronto Sun report, Gay was quoted: "We're not playing for stats. I wanted to just nip it in the butt (sic) before it became an issue. We come in here after losses, after wins and people are staring at those stat sheets, but that's not what we're about. We're a team and the stat that matters is the W."

That's a very good point, but critics and sarcastic bloggers would like to point out the convenient timing of such a suggestion.

Rudy Gay has been shooting badly this season, to say the least. With an average of 38% field goal percentage, that can be quite discouraging. Some of his shooting nights saw these stats:  6-of-23, 4-of-14, and 11-of-37.

While numbers don't lie, they are also incapable of telling the whole truth. Rudy Gay is, by far, the star of the Raptors. The second option would be DeMar DeRozan, and that's a far second. The defenses collapse on Gay more than anyone else.

There is another issue here. While Gay's appeal for solidarity is well meant, it's hard not to consider the stat sheet when you take into account that Rudy Gay is paid north of $17 million which is almost 25% of the entire team payroll. Why is he paid more? Because of his ability to fill up a stat sheet.

Would he still say that it's all about the W and the stat sheet is meaningless?

"It isn't," he said, "but at the end of the day if we win everybody gets their just due. I've seen it. I've been a part of it."

"We're a team and I'm going to push through things and hopefully the rest of the guys will do the same thing."

Rudy Gay has paid his dues and is now in alpha dog status for his team. It's a great message for his teammates, but what he should remember is that players are scrutinized more than ever now and the new CBA will make it quicker for teams to translate their observations to their players' paychecks.