khandor’s sports blog

Welcome back NBA.

FYI …

re: Basketball on Paper WAR and the Best Peak Regular-Season Players Since 1978

———————————————

Comment #45
khandor Says:
August 1st, 2011 at 11:29 am

re: “Also the #1, #3, and #8 seasons are all from the ’80s. They belong to Jordan, but they took place in the ’80s.”

When MJ was at his most prolific level of statistical production, as an individual player, the teams he played on were incapable of winning the League Championship. Hmmm … However, as he then began to develop a more mature/sophisticated understanding of “How the game of basketball is actually supposed to be played, at its highest level of competition”, he produced individual stats which were less prolific AND the teams he played on were then able to capture multiple League Championships. Hmmm … Likewise, other all-time great players like Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird are only found further down the stat charts which purport to measure accurately the “individual ability” of an individual basketball player who, by definition, functions exclusively within a “team” environment comprised of 3 main phases [i.e. Offense, Defense and Rebounding]. Hmmm … It continually amazes that so many seemingly intelligent people spend copious amounts of time looking in the wrong direction when trying to identify correctly those who rightfully qualify as being amongst the legitimate group of GOATs. In no particular order … What determines an individual player’s ability to play the game properly are relatively innocuous things like Assists, Rebounds, Assists/Turnovers, Steals, Deflections/Tips, Blocked Shots, Successful Helps & Rotations, Penetrations [i.e. allowed & made], Appropriate Cuts & Floor Spacing, Screen & Pick execution [i.e. setting & evading], Conditioning, Energy [i.e. positive, neutral, or negative], Team Spirit, and Competitive Greatness … the group of which cannot yet be found in a single reliable metric, TTBOMK. Conversely, examining “Just how far above the production level of an ‘average’ player someone is,” would appear to be little more than a giant waste of resources … at least, when it comes to increasing the current level of understanding for what’s actually required to win the League Championship. In the end, isn’t THAT really what the game is all about?

———————————————

In general, Neil Paine does a terrific job running the Basketball-reference.com blog.

If you’re not also having a great deal of fun, while coaching some of the greatest athletes in this world …

… then, at the end of the day, what’s it really all about?

Gregg Popovich is one of the very best coaches in NBA history.

Appreciate what he brings to the table, while you still can … because good things simply do not last forever.

According to Kevin Arnovitz and David Thorpe, Tim Duncan’s inability to defend the Phoenix Suns’ “1-5 Pick and Roll/Pop” series the same way he used to … when he was both younger and healthier … is a major source of the difficulty San Antonio is having in the early stages of San Antonio’s 2nd Round series in the Western Conference Playoffs.

Tim Duncan’s Decaying Pick-and-Roll Defense

Hmmm …

Is this actually the case, however?

————————————————

Q1. What is causing San Antonio the most difficulty, thus far, in their series with Phoenix?

A2. If you take a closer look at the following factual information …

Game 1 – Box Score, GameFlow

Game 2 – Box Score, Game Flow

What you should be able to see is that:

1. In Game 1

Antonio McDyess [-8] played 18:57 … and got 0:00 in the 4th quarter.
Matt Bonner [-7] played 13:28 … and got 0:00 in the 4th quarter.
Tim Duncan [-6] played 37:10 … and got 8:37 in the 4th quarter.

2. In Game 2

Antonio McDyess [+1] played 21:52 … and got 7.5 s in the 4th quarter.
Matt Bonner [0] played 15:00 … and got 44.7 s in the 4th quarter.
Tim Duncan [-6] played 39:20 … and got 9:31 in the 4th quarter.

3. In Game 1 …

With Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess on the floor together the Spurs played relatively even [i.e. -2] with the Suns.

With Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker on the floor together the Spurs were significantly better [i.e. +12] than the Suns.

4. In Game 2 …

With Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess on the floor together the Spurs played relatively even [i.e. +1] with the Suns.

With Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker on the floor together the Spurs were, again, slightly better [i.e. +3] than the Suns.

5. The major problem San Antonio is having in this series, so far, is NOT rooted in Tim Duncan’s less-than Herculian defense vs the Suns’ “1-5 Pick and Roll/Pop” series but, instead, in Gregg Popovich’s pig-headed INSISTANCE on:

A. ”Going small,” in the 4th quarter …

rather than using a conventional “2 Bigs + 3 Littles” alignment:

Option 1
Duncan and McDyess, or Duncan and Bonner, or Duncan and Mahinmi

Option 2
Blair and McDyess, or Blair and Bonner, or Blair and Mahinmi

Option 3
Duncan and Blair

Option 4
Blair and Mahinmi

… no matter what type of line-up Phoenix decides to employ;

and,

B. Using the Spurs 5 best players …

i.e. Parker + Ginobili + Jefferson + McDyess + Duncan

together, as a unit, for as little as 8:23 and 10:12, respectively, in Game 1 and 2.

While this corner has a tremendous degree of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for Gregg Popovich … as one of the very best NBA coaches over the last 30+ years … the simple fact is that whenever he becomes stubborn in the Playoffs, and insists on going with a “small” line-up for large stretches of individual games, despite the presence of other legitimate [i.e. equal or superior] alternatives – where the specific match-ups would NOT be in his opponent’s favour by such a wide margin - the Spurs become little more than “just another average team” and are regularly eliminated from post-season competition much sooner than they need to be.

For the Spurs’ sake, let’s hope that Coach Pop checks his ego at the door for tonight’s game 3, takes a closer look at the specific individual match-ups on the floor, and decides to use a different approach than what he’s used to this point in this series … which has put Antonio McDyess’s rear end on the bench for the 4th quarters of Game 1 and 2.

If he does … then, you should expect San Antonio to triumph this evening.

If he does not, however … then, you should expect to see the Phoenix Suns playing in the Western Conference Finals.

… ksb listens.

Although you might think you already know exactly who this man is …

after the first 13 years of his Hall-Of-Fame career which includes the following ridiculously long list of accomplishments:

Tim Duncan’s NBA.com Bio

Trust that … according to his side-kick, Mr. Ginobili … you may not.

Yes, Gregg Popovich has long been known to refer to him simply as “Timmy.”

And, yes, several years ago, Shaquille O’Neal teasingly christened him ”The Big Fundamental.”

But … from this point forward … he will now be known to yours truly as,

“THE BIG WARRANTY,”

which is the apt nickname that was bestowed on him this evening, in an in-game interview segment given by Charles Barkley’s favourite Argentinian … just before his nasal bone was unceremoniously displaced by making inadvertent contact with Dirk Nowitzki’s left elbow.

Said Manu, at the time, about his legendary teammate, the Spurs’ #21,

“He’s just always there … like a big insurance policy.”

Nothing more, and nothing less, than that.

———-

PS. The time is now 11:51 PM, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Manu’s nose was actually broken on that play, early in the 3rd quarter … and, yet, after stopping the profuse bleeding and getting patched up in the Spurs’ locker-room, by their trainer, he’s now continued to play in this game – driving to basket, fearlessly, rebounding, and defending. That … dear friends … is precisely “How a warrior – and a 3-time NBA Champion – conducts himself, in the heat of battle.” What a fantastic Game 3 this is!

Here’s what Kelly Dwyer had to say yesterday, regarding an article by Dan Shaughnessy and:

1. How a proper determination of the GOAT should be made;

2. Whether Tim Duncan might actually fit the bill, or not; and,

3. What qualifies as sound basketball analysis in today’s landscape.

==========

Where does Tim Duncan rank? Highly

Never mind defense is half the game, that an all-world defender will always be as important and as destructive as a 25-point scorer. Never mind Tim Duncan, in his prime, was both of those things.

Never mind, in the history of the NBA, there have been, perhaps, four of those guys. Wilt, Jordan, Kareem and Duncan (late add-on: Hakeem, too. What was I thinking forgetting him?). Maybe Shaq in 2000-01, definitely not Russell (didn’t score enough), probably not Malone (a fine defender, but not a game-changer).

Never mind pace or changes in landscape or role or minutes allotment or function or form or context …

==========

Here’s the comment which was submitted by yours truly:

==========

KD,

3 simple points:

ITEM I

Basketball has 3 distinct phases [i.e. Defense, Rebounding, and Offense], not just 2 [i.e. Offense and Defense.

This means that Defense, properly understood:

A. Does not, in fact, comprise 50% of the game; but,

B. In fact, comprises 33.3% of the game.

ITEM II

Defense [33.3%] and Rebounding [33.3%], in combination [33.3 + 33.3 = 66.7%], comprise a far greater portion of the whole than Offense [33.3%].

ITEM III

When comparing:

i. A Great Player [e.g. Michael Jordan] to other Great Players [e.g. Oscar Robertson], on an individual basis,

rather than,

ii. A Great Player [e.g. Hakeem Olajuwon] to other Non-Great Players [e.g. Robert Horry], on an individual basis,

Team Wins, Team Playoff Games Won, Team Playoff Series Won, and Team League Championships Won [i.e. categorized as, "Wins"]

must be factored into the evaluation equation, as well … because the game of basketball is, fundamentally, a Team Sport, where winning and losing are important and determined by the final Team scores.

The fact that Bill Russell did not happen to “score points” in prodigous numbers, himself, is simply not a valid reason to exclude him from discussion when considering, “Who is the Greatest Player Basketball of All-Time?”

When the proper categories for evaluation are considered for the small collection of great players in the history of the game, along the following lines:

1. Defense [33.3% of 50%]

2. Rebounding [33.3% of 50%]

3. Offense [33.3% of 50%]

——————————-

4. Wins [50%]

then, there should be no doubt, whatsoever, who THE SINGLE GREATEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF BASKETBALL actually is … according to the facts.

==========

published, initially, and then subsequently removed from the applicable thread at Ball Don’t Lie.

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 7– @ San Antonio [Mon Nov 09]

The end of the first road trip won’t come soon enough for Toronto. Although there are likely going to be cross-match opportunities for the Raptors to exploit Bargnani’s perimeter skills vs The Big Fundamental this should be more than cancelled out on the other end of the floor when either TD or The Dyessman will get an opportunity to ply his trade vs Il Mago. Tony Parker, based on his combination of quickness and size, is one of only a handful of starting PG’s in the league [e.g. CP3 and Devin Harris] that present a truly difficult match-up situation for Jose Calderon. In general, the Spurs have too many weapons for the Raptors to contend with successfully. This is a very solid San Antonio team … with a slew of solid back-ups on their 15-man roster … that will be a legitimate threat to reach the WC Finals again this season. A major challenge for Jay Triano & Co., on the other hand, will involve how to avoid pointing an accusing finger towards their star player, Chris Bosh [in a contract year], while getting off to a slow start.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 2-5

Bowen retires after 12 seasons
Bowen was not the most obvious starter for a championship team early in his career. Drafted by Miami from Cal State Fullerton, he spent several seasons bouncing between clubs and earning little playing time.

But after his 2001 arrival in San Antonio, he found his place, eventually earning defensive player accolades and a regular starting job.

He said he hopes that will be his legacy.

“It’s not how you start but how you finish,” Bowen said. “I hope my legacy would be as someone that never was satisfied with just being where they were.”

———————————————

The entire “Bruce Bowen Story” is legendary, inspirational stuff.

A hollywood producer should make a major motion picture about the life and times of Bruce “Karate Kid” Bowen.

re: why he’s quitting now

Once a player like BB has in fact scratched and clawed his way to the top of the mountain, it’s an exceptionally difficult thing to do, to go somewhere else … where the people don’t know what you know about what it takes to climb THAT mountain.

Heart-felt kudos to Bruce Bowen!

You made all your dreams come true.

Just a few, in this world, earn the right to say THAT.

Please, see Peter Holt.

Please, see the San Antonio Spurs.

Please, see the Spurs’ 4 World Championship Larry O’Brien Trophies.

Now …

Please, read about THE WAY a Winner Thinks When The Going Gets Tough.

When Spurs majority owner Peter Holt walked into the room for the NBA Board of Governors meeting here earlier this week, he was greeted with a cacophony of catcalls and good-natured ribbing.

His fellow owners couldn’t believe the supposedly thrifty Holt had signed off on one of the most expensive offseason makeovers in recent Spurs memory.

“They all think I’m cheap as hell,” Holt said.

Not anymore. In the span of less than a month, Holt and his ownership group have done some serious damage to their miserly reputation.

In the eye of an uncertain economy that prompted many NBA teams to put a lock on their wallets this offseason, the Spurs went barreling past the luxury tax threshold to acquire Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess.

The Spurs already are about $8 million over the dollar-for-dollar tax line, with still more roster pieces to add. The final tariff bill is likely to breach $10 million, on top of a payroll pushing $80 million.

In his first interview since the offseason began, Holt this week explained the reasoning behind the Spurs’ out-of-character summertime spending spree. In Vegas terms, it was time to go all in.

—————–

Whether or not the San Antonio Spurs actually win the 2009-2010 NBA title really isn’t the point.

What matters most of all is Mr. Holt’s versatility, intelligence, commitment to excellence and … perhaps, No. 1 on the list … actual Level of R.E.S.P.E.CT. for [1] the Spurs loyal fans, [2] RC Buford & Gregg Popovich, [3] Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker, et al.

As that great, down-home, southern gentleman-philospher, Bum Phillips [Houston Oilers], once said, about the defining characteristic of a fabulous former NFL head coach by the name of Don Shula [Miami Dolphins]:

“He’s so good, he can take his’n and beat yours’n; then take yours’n and beat his’n.”

That, dear friends, right there, is a Prime Example of A Man who actually knows what he’s doing in the Great Arena of Life. 

For Raptors fans who think that the recent 4-team trade was in fact based on the commitment of MLSE to do what’s necessary to win a League Championship, one day in the not-too-distant future:

Colangelo still tinkering with Raptors roster
“You have to find a way to get the right pieces in this year and roll forward and keep below that luxury tax level,” Colangelo said. “It’s going to get tighter and it’s something to contend with.”

———-

you SHOULD seriously re-evaluate that specific line of thinking.

When you hear Bryan Colangelo speak next of DOING WHAT’S NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT SPECIFIC GOAL, down-the-road, please feel free to notify yours truly [perhaps, via email] right away!

The Raptors’ GM … and chief representative of MLSE, on the hoops side of the operation … talks, repeatedly, about being “committed to building a winning team” BUT he NEVER EVER takes the NEXT STEP and mentions something about,

“Doing what’s necessary to actually have a legitimate shot at winning the League Championship.”

What’s the reason for this?

Does he actually know what this involves, in today’s NBA, regarding such things as: i. Basketball Philosophy, ii. Coaching Philosophy, iii. Player Personnel, and iv. The Financial Commitment Required [etc.]?

The teams that are “honestly” trying to WIN the Championship in the NBA, these days, know full well that in order to give themselves a “real” chance at accomplishing this goal, they are going to have to accept the fact that they will be paying The Luxury Tax … which is really Nothing More than the “current toll fare” … in return for The Right to be able to drive on that specific Super-Highway.

The highest level of competition possible is where the Big Boyz play and that’s the going freight just to ante into the game.

The San Antonio Spurs … located in a small-to-mid sized market, but with a 1st-class ownership group [expertly led by Peter Holt] and a Top Notch GM/Head Coach tandem  [i.e. RC Buford & Gregg Popovich] … are a prime example of a team that is now fully aware of this and, therefore, chose to act accordingly this off season … i.e. as you can plainly see from their recent decisions to:

* Retain their best 3 players [i.e. Time Duncan, Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker]

* Retain a veteran like Michael Finley

* Select 3 new players in the 2009 NBA Draft [i.e. DeJuan Blair, No. 37, Jack McClinton, No. 51, and Nando De Colo, No. 53] who are ready to compete right away

* Trade for Richard Jefferson [i.e. another high end player], and

* Sign Antonio McDyess [UFA]

While the Toronto Raptors, on the other hand … chose to go a different route, replete with a Magician’s Wand & Cloak, a rabbit, a head stand, a glass of bottled water, a still dry shirt – with an exceedingly high collar - and an accompanying 3-piece band of partners in crime.

There are just a few teams in this League that are legitimately trying to WIN It All [i.e. Category One] …

then, there’s Everybody Else [i.e. who can be further sub-divided into two additional specific Categories: Two. Those trying to field a highly "competitive" team, in the process of turning a profit, annually; and, Three. Those simply trying to survive in hopes of maybe turning a profit].

DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING THAT WHAT THE RAPTORS DID WITH THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS 4-TEAM TRADE WAS DESIGNED TO SHIFT THEM FROM CATEGORY TWO INTO CATEGORY ONE.

It was not; not by a long shot.

————-

Related:

Which franchise made out best from the 4-team trade?