http://www.hooplog.com/nba/desmond-mason/index.php NBA basketball news, rumors, insider analysis and more from around the country. Updated hourly by Team RxSN. Copyright 2009 Fri, 09 Dec 2005 08:15:04 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss With all of the snow and cold making it’s way across the country the past couple days, there’s no better way to spend your weekend holed up at home watching basketball. So for today’s weekend preview we’re gonna give you not one but THREE games of the week, one for each day of the weekend.

New Orleans/OKC Hornets at Portland Trailblazers, Friday, 10 pm EST

How about the Hornets as the most pleasant surprise over the first month of the NBA season? A team led by Chris Paul, PJ Brown and David West was 8-7 with wins over decent teams like Sacramento, Denver and Minnesota before dropping their last three. Now that they’re coming back to earth, you’ve got to wonder if the lineup might shuffle a bit – right now, Desmond Mason, JR Smith, and Speedy Claxton are all just short of playing 30-33 mpg – which is what the all need to have value. See if any of them are staking claim to those minutes.

For the Blazers, we discussed Darius Miles during the mailbag this week, and here’s a good chance to check out that rag-tag bunch of reserves who are going to be clamoring for his minutes. My money is still on Ruben Patterson to stand out above the crowd.

Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks, Saturday, 8:30 pm EST

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve been loving watching the Celtics this year. The Paul Pierce/Ricky Davis combo is pretty exciting, and the frontcourt jumble has kept things interesting from a fantasy perspective. Right now the hot hand to be seems to be Al Jefferson, at least according to Sports Troopers, but that could always change in a week. Still, for those of you looking for big man help, keeping on top of this situation and guessing correctly could see some nice dividends.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, I’ll personally be looking for Jason Terry to come back to the court after I traded for him the day before he went down with a quad injury (thanks, Jason!). But I’ll also be watching Adonal Foyle part II, DeSagana Diop. 2.1 blocks and 4.8 boards in just 17 mpg? If he manages to start scoring, he’ll have a shot at taking away some time from Erick Dampier, and might actually have fantasy value this year. Repeat, MIGHT.

Detroit Pistons at LA Clippers, Sunday, 9 pm EST

We also talked about the Pistons in this week’s mailbag, and right now they’re playing some great basketball. They’re really a different team under Flip Saunders, much more offensive-minded. Plus, from a fantasy perspective, they’re pure gold – with all 5 starters getting between 33 and 38 mpg. But I’ll be watching the three top reserves – Maurice Evans, Antonio McDyess, and Carlos Arroyo. They’ve all got fantasy potential should any of the big 5 go down for an extended period of time, so it’ll be nice to know what to expect.

As for the Clippers, just enjoy it. Everything is clicking right now for them – Elton Brand is my pick for MVP right now, Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley are doing everything the could have hoped, and Chris Kaman is the ugliest man to play basketball in a long time, and is hilarious to watch.

So there you have it. Enjoy the weekend! ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/weekend-preview-1291211.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/weekend-preview-1291211.php Chris Paul Fri, 09 Dec 2005 08:15:04 -0800 As promised, today we’ll open up the mailbag to see what you all are talking about …

Q: Hey guys, got a question today regarding the SG position on my team. I'm down to James Posey, who I was going to get rid of after this week. I have a few guys in the FA pool I hope you guys can rank for me.This is a 12 team, H2H league, 12 catagories, FGM, FTM, 3Pt%, and TOs are all counted. These are the guys I think are worth a shot. Sarunas Jasikevicius, Smush Parker, David Wesley, JR Smith, Desmond Mason, Kareem Rush, Devin HarrisThanksMin

A: Well, you’ve got a pretty healthy list of people there on your waiver wire for a 12-team league. First, let’s trim the fat: Kareem Rush, Devin Harris, and David Wesley are all nice players to be sure, but none of them are going to really be effective from a fantasy standpoint right now. That could change with injuries (particularly for Harris, should Jason Terry get injured), but they are a clear step down from the rest of the class.

Of the rest, it really depends on what you need. Parker, Jasikevicius and Smith (I’m assuming you mean the NOK one) are all very similar players whose value really lies in their three pointers. Should Jamaal Tinsley get hurt for an extended period (which he usually does), Jasikevicius could have the most value of the three, but as it is I like JR Smith the best right now.

That said, Desmond Mason – if he’s still available – should be the guy to target. It’s taken him a while to break into the rotation but now that he’s there, he’ll start to put up similar numbers to last year in Milwaukee, with about 17 points and 4-5 boards. He’ll definitely end up being the most consistent of those guys – don’t let the rough start to the season fool you.


Q: Hey guys,
What to do with Kirilenko? Tons of owners are trying to buy low in him but I've stayed strong. Wait until a breakout game then sell high? What should I expect in return?

Thanks guys,
Charlie

A: Well, DM talked to this yesterday in the comments section, but I’ve got to say I’m a little concerned about AK47. Sure, right now, he’s coming back from injury, but if you look at how he’s performed after his stellar 2003 season, the numbers aren’t very encouraging. Last year, he saw drops in boards, points and steals, and the trends are continuing this year. He’s also shooting from beyond the arc less often and less accurately. Sure the blocks are as strong as ever, but what makes Kirilenko so great from a fantasy standpoint is his statistical versatility. That seems to be on the way down.

Another concern has to be the injuries. Now, all of the injuries he’s suffered have been one-time deals. Ankles and wrists are much less scary than knees and backs. But at some point, one-time deals turn into trends. Maybe he’s just a reckless player – lots of times you’ve gotta sacrifice your body to get the steals and blocks that he does. Right now, if you can sell him at a second-round value, I think you should do it. But if you can buy him for a third- or fourth-round value, I think that’s worth considering as well.


Q: Hey, what’s up with Rasheed Wallace? He’s way over his career averages in “little guy” categories: 3s, assists, steals, and FT%. And he’s well below his averages in typical center cats like rebounds, points, and FG%. All in all, of course, he’s playing much better than last year for roto purposes. Is his performance so far a fluke, or part of the new coaching style in Detroit? Is it time to trade him?

A: What’s up with Sheed? How about, what’s up with the Pistons? A team that’s scored 91.4, 90.1 and 93.3 points in ’02 – ’04 is racking up 98.9 ppg this year under new coach Flip Saunders, good for 7th in the league. They’re also passing the ball much better than in the past, with 23.9 apg, second only to the Suns, and much higher than the 21.8 apg they had last year.

Sheed is the second-biggest benefactor in the new offense behind Chauncey Billups, and while I think his value this year will be higher than it was in the past, you’ve got to assume that those steals will come down to around 1 per game, and that eventually his 3PT% will drop back to his career level and he’ll land around 1.5 3’s per game. If that sounds good to your team – I’d say keep him. You likely won’t get the value you deserve for a player like Sheed who does so many of the “little guy” things, like you said.


Q: Assuming Darius Miles is out with season ending injury (cartilage damage), who is to be picked up? Pryzbilla and Zach are already picked up, but what do you think about the fantasy values of telfair, dixon, and patterson? (or even webster)Thanks, Patrick

A: Great question. Let’s go through the list (and we’ll even add one).

Telfair: He should already be on a roster in your league, but if not, go grab him. This injury means he’ll be scoring more and that means he moves from marginal value to a decent utility player.

Dixon: No one is dearer to our hearts than Dixon (we’re both UMD grads), but as a fantasy player, he needs to consistently play 35 mpg to really have value because he can be so inconsistent with his shot. And he’s not going to get 35 mpg.

Patterson: Here’s my pick for the biggest benefactor. It’s no secret that Patterson and the Blazers don’t get along. With Miles out, now Portland can play Patterson plenty to boost his trade value. Last night was a great example, as he played 28 minutes and put up 19 points. Not a bad performance. He’s worth picking up if you’ve got an extra bench spot.

Webster: If you like JR Smith (The NOK version), you’ll love Martell Webster. It’s just too soon for this guy right now.

Travis Outlaw: Here’s the guy that we’d love to see get the minutes. His combination of steals and blocks are quite a fantasy commodity – only about 10 players average over 1 steal and 1 block per game. Given 25-30 mpg, he could be one of these players. Unfortunately, I just don’t see him getting the time while they’re showcasing Patterson.

And if you want to know what DM thinks, here’s what he has to say: “The clearest benefactor of miles' injury is Ha Seung Jin, who should put up a consistent 12/8 with 2 blocks.” Of course, he’s kidding.

Thanks everyone for the great questions! ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/please-mr-postman.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/please-mr-postman.php Chauncey Billups Tue, 06 Dec 2005 07:53:45 -0800 Playing without an injured Carmelo Anthony and a suspended George Karl, the Nuggets fell to Desmond Mason and the Hornets, 102-95, Wednesday. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/-hornets-take-advantage-of-shorthanded-nuggets.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/-hornets-take-advantage-of-shorthanded-nuggets.php Carmelo Anthony Wed, 30 Nov 2005 22:30:15 -0800 Desmond Mason made the Denver Nuggets pay for their injuries and their insults. Mason scored a season-best 26 points in the New Orleans Hornets' 102-95 win over the Nuggets, who were without their star forward and their leader Wednesday night. Nuggets coach George Karl was suspended two games without pay for publicly criticizing officials after the Nuggets' loss to New Jersey on Monday night. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/masons-big-second-half-lifts-hornets-ap.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/masons-big-second-half-lifts-hornets-ap.php Desmond Mason Wed, 30 Nov 2005 22:30:03 -0800 LA Clippers 109 Milwaukee 85 –Andruw Bogut had his first tough night 15 minutes and 2 points, and he was -23 … This game was done before the 4th Quarter … The Clippers are 6-2 …. Milwaukee didn’t win a game last year against the West on the road … Elton Brand was +31. That might be an NBA high for the season. .. The Clippers are 6th in the NBA in efficiency differential … The Clippers aren’t doing anything great they are just above average in every category. That leads me to believe this could be real.

Cleveland 114 Washington 99 – The Cavs might be special. They have won 4 straight and are winning at home by an average of 21 … The Cavs are #2 in the NBA in efficiency differential (offense efficiency – defensive efficiency) this is usually a great indicator of how good a team is. They are #2 in offense and #1 in offensive rebounding … The Wizards are #4 even after the loss …. AD had another no turnover game. He is amazing … Donyell Marhsall was a key in this one with a +21 … On the flip side Caron Butler was –23 for the Wiz.

Dallas 83 Denver 80 – Denver is 3-5 … Dallas trailed by 19 … DeSagana Diop had a career high 16 boards and 6 blocks. The Sonics looked hard at Diop in the off-season … Big money Erick Dampier played 11 minutes and had 4 fouls, 4 turnovers and no points. That is straight out of the Jerome James book of centering … Little Earl Boykins had a tough night he was a –20 in 25 minutes … Avery Johnson outcoached Geroge Karl. He got the game small and Marcus Camby never played in the final 16 minutes despite being +10 .. Doug Christie and Josh Howard got pulled early in the 3rd and never returned.

Houston 94 Minnesota 89 – The Wolves offense fell apart down the stretch … McGrady had 13 points in the 4th Q … Houston was able to dictate pace which Jeff Van Gundy’s teams always seem like they are able to do … Houston is having a tough time stretching the floor. They were just 1 of 10 from 3 … I have mentioned this before, but Minnesota has no one to help out when teams take away KG. That is what happened down the stretch … Houston closed the game with Rafer Alston, Jon Barry, McGrady, Juwan Howard and Ming. Derek Anderson was on the bench …. Minnesota got terrible play from their bench. They were all around –11 for the game… Houston’s sized forced Minnesota to close with Olowokandi on the floor. The Wolves are much better with a smaller line-up and KG at the 5.

Philadelphia 104 Toronto 92 – Sam Mitchell death walk continues … Philly is all of a sudden 5-3. However, their differential is not that strong so don’t be buying the Sixers yet …. The Sixers have been home for their 5 game winning streak … Rookie Charlie V had 27-13 for the Raptors. That dude can play … Jalen Rose is +/- death everynight. Last night he was –15, Mo Peterson was an amazing –26 in 23 minutes…. I don’t pup C-Web or spell his name right very often but he was great last night and they were +21 when he was on the floor.

Detroit 115 Boston 100 – Wow is Detroit good …. They are the #1 offensive efficiency team in the NBA. Consider that with their defense. That is unbeatable … Billups dropped 17 in the third quarter … Al Jefferson crushed Darko over a few plays … Boston shot 53% against Detroit and LOST … Boston is really struggling without a point guard Delonte West and Dan Dickau are not getting it done …. All five Pistons starters were in double figures and three were over 20. …. Tayshawn Prince was a +26 …

Miami 109 NOK 102 – Wade scored the final 8 to hold off an upset by NOK and force OT …. Byron Scott is not a good coach. His team losses a lot of close games … Desmond Mason is still struggling. He came off the bench and went 1 for 7. He did have 9 boards … GP played 36 minutes … Chris Paul has done a nice job of getting his shooting percentage up to 46% … Jason Williams did not play the final 12 minutes of the game.

Sacramento 119 Utah 83 --- I thought the NBDL was running yet but from looking at Utah’s roster it debuted yesterday in Sacramento. Don’t look at this as a change in Sacramento’s terrible play.

San Antonio 103 Atlanta 73 -- Great v. very bad not much more to be said.

Orlando 85 Charlotte 77 – Dwight Howard crushed Emeka Okafor. Howard had 21 and 20. We have talked about this I am not sold on Okafor. Howard has five straight double doubles…. Sean May had 15-10 his best game as a rookie. I love that pick. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/beyond-the-box-score-november-15th.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/beyond-the-box-score-november-15th.php Chris Paul Wed, 16 Nov 2005 12:01:17 -0800 WHEN the Milwaukee Bucks traded Desmond Mason for former all-star centre Jamaal Magliore last week - seven days before the start of the NBA season - eyebrows were raised around the league. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bogut-has-powerforward-appeal-to-bucks.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bogut-has-powerforward-appeal-to-bucks.php Desmond Mason Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:36:51 -0800 ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/hornets-ship-magloire-to-bucks-for-mason-firstrounder-and-cash.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/hornets-ship-magloire-to-bucks-for-mason-firstrounder-and-cash.php Milwaukee Bucks Wed, 26 Oct 2005 13:29:54 -0800
Antonio Daniels: "Read my jersey, punk!"

Does anyone doubt the Sonics can win this series now?

The Seattle Supersonics crushed the San Antonio Spurs 101-89 Sunday night to tie their second round playoff series 2-2. Even without their second and third leading scorers (Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic, who were out with injuries), the Sonics scored over a hundred points (including 36 in the third period alone) against the best defense in the league.

Ray Allen had yet another incredible playoff performance, scoring 32 points on a bum ankle. Antonio Daniels (19 pts/7 ast/1 stl) and Luke "Frodo" Ridnour (20 pts/6 ast/3 stl) had their best games of the series.

The Sonics once again got a huge lift off the bench from Damien "The Omen" Wilkins (15pts/6 reb/ 5stl), who is looking more and more like Desmond Mason with a jump shot ever time he plays.

The national media will try to make this into another playoff collapse by San Antonio, but the truth is, the Sonics are the better team. The Sonics can win this series. The Sonics will win this series. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/we-can-win-this.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/we-can-win-this.php Antonio Daniels Mon, 16 May 2005 10:12:38 -0800 Desmond Mason scored 21 points and Marcus Fizer had 18 to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 93-75 rout of the Charlotte Bobcats at the Bradley Center. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/nba-game-summary-charlotte-at-milwaukee.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/nba-game-summary-charlotte-at-milwaukee.php Desmond Mason Fri, 08 Apr 2005 21:54:40 -0800 Chris Bosh scored 27 points and Jalen Rose hit two clinching free throws with 11 seconds left as the Toronto Raptors never trailed in defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 106-102 Friday night. Leading 98-94 with less than a minute to go, Toronto's Donyell Marshall missed a 3-pointer. But Bosh grabbed the rebound and found Morris Peterson for a dunk and a 100-94 lead. Milwaukee pulled to 101-98 on Desmond Mason's rebound basket with 21 seconds to go, but Peterson hit a free throw to make it 102-98. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bosh-leads-raptors-past-bucks-106102.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bosh-leads-raptors-past-bucks-106102.php Toronto Raptors Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:25:02 -0800 The Suns were the trendsetters. The Warriors followed suit. And now it looks like the Hawks are the latest. (You could even argue that by playing P.J. Brown at center when Jamaal Magloire went out, the Hornets were the second team to do it.) Yes, we soon might have a small ball craze sweeping the NBA, and I for one, couldn t be happier. Who needs lumbering 7 footers clogging up the lane and doing nothing for fantasy owners? There are very few teams that offer five legit fantasy starters, but if this small ball craze takes hold, we might see more of it. All five Suns are obviously starters and they are all studs. If the lowly Warriors go with a Speedy Claxton/Derek Fisher/Jason Richardson/Mike Dunleavy/Troy Murphy lineup when Troy gets back, all five of them could be well worth using. And even the Hawks, who make the Warriors look like well, last year s Warriors might have close to give fantasy relevant players if they stay small. Antoine Walker and Al Harrington were obviously usable to begin with, and you know my feelings on dunking/blocking machine Josh Smith . But if small ball means Josh Childress keeps getting PT and gets a chance to work on his well-rounded (at least for fantasy purposes) game, all the better. So who are some other teams that might benefit from going small ball?

Dallas Mavericks
It wouldn t have made sense a week ago, but now that Erick Dampier s out, do the Mavs really want to run Alan Henderson out there? Don t they just want to try and put up 120 points a game and see if their opponents can match them? It s too bad that Jerry Stackhouse and Marquis Daniels are both banged up right now, because it would have been very tempting to give the idea a go with their full squad. Even so, a lineup of Devin Harris/Jason Terry/Michael Finley/Josh Howard/Dirk Nowitzki would score a whole lot of points. If Shawn Marion (6 7 , 228) can play the 4, why not Howard (6 7 , 210)?

New York Knicks
The Nazr Mohammed era is over. It was fun while it lasted (wasn t it?), but, just like Mark Blount realized he was Mark Blount this year, Nazr realized he was Nazr. The Knicks have little reason to keep running him out there as long as he s ineffective an injured. I d love to see them go with a Stephon Marbury/Jamal Crawford/Trevor Ariza/Mike Sweetney/Kurt Thomas lineup, which isn t really that bad in terms of size, as that frontline goes 6 8 , 6 8 , 6 9 . Tim Thomas, Penny Hardaway and Jerome Williams could work well in this scheme as reserves. What do the Knicks have to lose by doing this? They re already as low as they re going to get in the standings, why not try and do something fun?

Milwaukee Bucks
Both Dan Gadzuric and Zaza Pachulia have shown flashes, but both are terribly inconsistent. Toni Kukoc may be old, but he s shown lately that he can still play if given the chance. How about running out a lineup of Mo Williams (although you know who I d have in there)/Michael Redd/Desmond Mason/Keith Van Horn/Toni Kukoc? In Williams and Kukoc you have two great passers, in Redd and Van Horn you have two great shooters, and Mason is the athlete of the bunch. That s a team that could score some points, and could bring Mike James off the bench along with some muscle (relatively speaking) in the form of Joe Smith and Gadzuric.

San Antonio Spurs
These are Rasho Nesterovic s January numbers: 4.5/7.7/0.6 with 1.7 blocks, 43% shooting in 24.8 minutes. That s ugly. Sure, the rebounds and blocks aren t bad, but otherwise Rasho s making Mark Blount look like last year s Mark Blount. Brent Barry is a deceptively tall 6 7 , while Manu Ginobili is no slouch himself at 6 6 . Fantasy players who know what Barry can offer would love to see a situation where he s out there with Manu and Tony Parker. If they played those three with Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen it would be an especially small lineup, with Duncan the only one over 6 7 . And it s unlikely that the NBA s best team will tinker with what has been working so well so far. But fantasy players can always hope. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/small-is-the-new-big.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/small-is-the-new-big.php Jason Terry Wed, 23 Feb 2005 14:35:52 -0800 While all eyes right now are on the NBA trading deadline -- at least they would be if the deadline was a tangible object -- many players have their fantasy league trading deadlines coming up in the next few weeks. Last month saw a ton of players slipping on and off the "hot" and "not" lists, making it very difficult to gauge certain players' value over the next few months. That's why we're here! Let's take a look at some of the players with the biggest question marks hanging over their heads, and see what we can expect from them over the rest of the season:

Gilbert Arenas, PG Gilbert was perhaps the best fantasy player in the league over the last month, averaging 28.8/4.6/6.5 with 2.9 3's and 2.8 steals. However, with Larry Hughes returning to the Washington lineup, Gil will undoubtedly cool off at least a little bit as the Wiz prepare for the playoffs. However, don't expect his stats to fall too much. This last month, Arenas has established himself as the leader of this team, and with Hughes an unrestricted FA after the season, Arenas will continue to contribute in the hustle categories as he tries to set an example for the rest of the young squad. Look for his steals numbers to stay high, with a slight drop-off in points and assists as the ball won't be in his hands as much.

Vince Carter, GF We talked a little bit about Vince last week, but that was before he played through an injury, something that I'm not sure he's ever done before in his life. And he did pretty well, too, getting 21/6/5 with 2 steals on a bum ankle. Right now, though, the real question will be what the Nets do at the trading deadline. Should they move Jason Kidd and continue their "rebuilding" efforts, they might have a sulking Vince on their hands, and as we know from Toronto, that absolutely kills his value. Then again, if they hold on to Kidd, look for Vince to continue his tear. Odds are that they won't make any deadline deals, so if you can get Carter at a slight discount right now, by all means, go for it.

Kevin Garnett, F For the first time possibly in his career, there are some serious doubts about KG. Playing on a bum knee the Flip Saunders says should have him sidelined, Garnett's stats have been suffering. February has been his worst month so far for points (19), boards (11.9), assists (4.7), and steals (1.1). While those are terrific numbers for any player, they are nonetheless a step down from KG's norm. Plus, at some point he might have to sit out for a while to rest his knee. Dispite a huge game against the Cavs before the break, if you can find someone to give you #1 overall value for KG right now, I think you have to take it.

Baron Davis, PG Here's one name that I haven't seen mentioned much in the trade rumor department, but you'd have to imagine that he's "unhappy" in N.O. In fact, this article pretty much says just that. It's clear that neither Coach Byron Scott or any of Davis teammates are too thrilled with him, and his owners have to be feeling the same way. You can probably get Davis for a song right now, and if you re just barely out of contention and you're willing to take that risk, trading for Davis might be a good place to go.

All of the Milwaukee Bucks One of the names that keeps getting thrown around the rumor mill is Michael Redd. As we've learned in previous seasons, whenever a team trades away it's leading scorer particularly when they get "cap room" or "young players" in return, his remaining teammates take a bump in value. While Keith Van Horn is the obvious benefactor in this situation, he may be dealt along with Redd due to his contract situation. Desmond Mason, however, could top 20 ppg as the number one option on this team, and making a preemptive deal for Mason at this point may not be such a bad idea. Joe Smith, Mike James, and Dan Gadzuric could also see bumps in scoring.

All of the Portland Trail Blazers Well, it's a weekday, so that must mean we should talk a bit about the Blazers. I'm not going to pretend like I know what's going to happen with this team over the next few days, but almost all of their players should be had at a bit of a discount because of the uncertainty facing them. Again, if you're looking to take a risk, this is a good place to start. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/big-questions.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/big-questions.php Boston Celtics Tue, 22 Feb 2005 08:36:24 -0800 One of the statistics I have been looking at a lot lately has been the on court off court defensive stats at the 82 games site. Many believe figuring out who are good defenders and who are not is almost impossible. I think its difficult, but not impossible. I believe the following on court off court defensive statistic is one of the best barrometers I have found to giving a fairly accurate account as to who can play defense and who can't. What the following stat shows is who gave up more points against the other team when they were on the court as compared to their own teamates when they were off the court. I have calculated the top 100 or so players in the NBA plus anyone who recieved more then two votes in the ALL NBA defensive team voting in any of the last 3 seasons. I think its a complete list of the best players and defenders. The list is for the last 3 years starting with 3 years ago and finishing with their average for the last 3 seasons combined.

1-Tim Duncan-------///-9.0///-5.5///-8.2=-7.6
2-Theo Ratliff--------///-7.6///-6.9///-5.4=-6.6
3-Jeff Foster---------///-2.3///-8.8///-8.3=-6.5
4-Rasheed Wallace---///-6.8///-4.3///-8.0=-6.4
5-Bruce Bowen-------///-6.6///-4.5///-5.4=-5.5
6-Kevin Garnett------///-9.6///-6.5///+0.1=-5.3
7-Dirk Nowitzki-------///-5.7///-1.4///-6.0=-4.4
8-Kelvin Cato---------///-3.3///-4.8///-4.8=-4.3
9-Andre Kirilenko-----///+3.1///-2.5//-12.7=-4.0
10-Ron Artest---------///-1.6///-4.0///-5.6=-3.7
11-Antonio Davis------///-2.8///-2.0///-5.3=-3.4
12-Ben Wallace--------///-3.1///-3.0///-3.9=-3.3
13-Dikembe Mutumbo-///-0.4///-1.2///-8.3=-3.3
14-Shane Battier-------///-1.5///-1.4///-6.0=-3.0
15-Bobby Simmons----///****///-4.2///-1.7=-3.0
16-Brad Miller---------///+0.8///-5.5///-2.9=-2.5
17-Ray Allen-----------///-3.7///+1.0///-4.5=-2.4
18-Kirk Hinrich--------///****///-3.7///-0.9=-2.3
19-Larry Hughes-------///+1.5///-2.9///-5.5=-2.3
20-Reggie Miller-------///+1.2///-6.7///-1.3=-2.3
21-Roberty Horry------///-5.1///-0.8///-0.6=-2.2
22-Jason Kidd----------///+5.0///-6.1///-4.5=-1.9
23-Baron Davis---------///-3.3///-4.6///+2.3=-1.9
24-Bobby Jackson------///-2.4///-1.3///-1.5=-1.7
25-Jermaine Oneal-----///-0.5///-3.7///+1.6=-1.5
26-Tyson Chandler-----///+0.7///-3.8///-0.9=-1.3
27-Michael Finley------///-5.9///-2.2///+4.7=-1.3
28-Kenyon Martin-----///-0.6///-5.2///+2.1=-1.2
29-Eddie Jones---------///-1.3///-0.3///-2.0=-1.2
30-Shaq Oneal---------///+0.8///-3.9///-0.6=-1.2
31-Kobe Bryant--------///-0.6///+0.7///-3.3=-1.1
32-Elton Brand---------///-0.9///+3.9///-4.7=-0.8
33-Doug Christie-------///+1.0///+1.9///-5.2=-0.8
34-Andre Igoudala-----///****///****///-0.8=-0.8
35-Chris Bosh----------///****///+3.4///-4.7=-0.7
36-Josh Howard--------///****///+1.2///-2.3=-0.6
37-Emeka Okafor-------///****///****///-0.6=-0.6
38-Brian Grant----------///+2.6///-0.3///-4.1=-0.6
39-Vince Carter---------///-2.0///+1.8///-1.7=-0.6
40-Nazr Mohammed----///+1.5///-0.7///-2.6=-0.6
41-Manu Ginobili--------///+2.5///+3.4///-7.5=-0.5
42-Rchard Jefferson-----///+0.8///-0.9///-1.0=-0.4
43-Paul Pierce-----------///-0.4///-0.1///-0.8=-0.4
44-Darrell Armstrong---///+2.5///-1.8///-2.0=-0.4
45-Q Richardson--------///-2.5///+0.8///+0.5=-0.4
46-Steve Francis--------///+0.9///-1.9///+0.2=-0.3
47-Eric Snow------------///-1.1///-0.6///+0.7=-0.3
48-Hydayet Turkoglu---///+1.1///-2.5///+2.2=-0.3
49-Jamal MaGloire------///+1.0///+1.3///-2.6=-0.1
50-Raef Lafrentz--------///+3.0///-4.8///+1.6=-0.1
51-Zyd Ilgauskas--------///-4.0///+4.0///-0.1=-0.0
52-Jamal Tinsley--------///+4.6///-5.3///+0.7=-0.0
53-Tony Parker---------///-2.5///+4.1///-1.2=+0.1
54-Latrell Sprewell------///+4.5///-0.8///-3.3=+0.1
55-Tayshawn Prince----///+4.3///+0.9///-4.6=+0.2
56-Keith Van Horn------///+0.2///+0.8///-0.1=+0.3
57-Rueben Patterson----///+1.2///-1.3///+1.2=+0.4
58-Alonzo Morning------///****///+2.9///-2.1=+0.4
59-Mehmet Okur--------///-0.4///-1.7///+3.2=+0.4
60-Grant Hill------------///+1.7///****///-0.8=+0.5
61-Chauncey Billups-----///+3.5///+1.0///-2.7=+0.6
62-Dwight Howard------///****///****///+0.7=+0.7
63-Antawn Jamison-----///+4.8///+0.4///-2.4=+0.9
64-Jason Terry----------///+0.1///+4.1///-1.6=+0.9
65-James Posey----------///+1.2///-0.1///+1.9=+1.0
66-PJ Brown--------------///+5.7///-4.5///+2.7=+1.3
67-Kurt Thomas----------///-0.9///+2.1///+2.9=+1.4
68-Rip Hamilton----------///+3.3///+3.7///-2.7=+1.4
69-Carlos Boozer----------///+6.6///-0.6///-1.9=+1.4
70-Yao Ming--------------///+2.6///-1.6///+3.4=+1.5
71-Troy Murphy----------///+1.4///-0.1///+3.8=+1.7
72-Dewayne Wade--------///****///-1.4///+4.9=+1.8
73-Al Harrington----------///-2.5///+9.2///-1.4=+1.8
74-Lebron James---------///****///+5.2///-1.4=+1.9
75-Wally Z----------------///+3.1///-3.9///+6.4=+1.9
76-Cutino Mobley---------///+1.4///+1.9///+3.5=+2.3
77-Zach Randolph---------///+5.8///+2.0///-2.3=+2.3
78-Sam Cassell------------///+10.0//-1.7///-0.9=+2.5
79-Shawn Marion---------///+5.2///+1.2///+1.5=+2.6
80-Gilbert Arenas---------///+5.8///+4.2///-1.9=+2.7
81-Allen Iverson----------///+5.1///+0.9///+2.5=+2.8
82-Chris Webber----------///+3.6///-0.4///+5.3=+2.8
83-Mike Miller------------///+3.2///+3.9///+1.3=+2.8
84-Joe Johnson------------///+2.3///+1.4///+4.7=+2.8
85-Drew Gooden----------///+0.7///+6.6///+1.0=+2.8
86-Lamar Odom-----------///+4.6///+2.1///+2.2=+3.0
87-Antonio Daniels---------///+2.7///+2.3///+4.4=+3.1
88-Amare Stoudemire-----///+3.5///+2.2///+4.0=+3.2
89-Mike Bibby-------------///+5.7///+5.8///-1.9=+3.2
90-Steve Nash------------///+4.3///+3.1///+2.3=+3.2
91-Marcus Camby---------///+6.3///+1.4///+2.4=+3.4
92-Peja Stojacovic---------///+7.1///+2.5///+0.6=+3.4
93-Stephon Marbury------///+7.8///+1.9///+0.9=+3.5
94-Cliff Robinson----------///+3.1///+2.0///+5.6=+3.6
95-Desmond Mason--------///+5.4///-2.6///+8.1=+3.6
96-Jason Richardson-------///+7.3///-1.1///+5.0=+3.7
97-Carmelo Anthony------///****///+5.9///+1.4=+3.7
98-Andre Miller-----------///+8.2///+0.5///+2.8=+3.8
99-Gary Payton-----------///+5.2///+1.8///+4.7=+3.9
100-Rashard Lewis--------///+6.4///+2.1///+3.2=+3.9
101-Tracy McGrady-------///+6.4///+2.4///+3.4=+4.1
102-Matt Harpring--------///+3.1///+1.4///+8.5=+4.3
103-Corey Maggette-------///+6.2///+1.2///+5.7=+4.4
104-Jeff McCinnis----------///+8.4///+2.2///+4.7=+5.1
105-Michael Redd----------///+3.3///+9.1///+5.6=+6.0
106-Antoine Walker--------///+0.6///+4.6//+13.8=+6.3
107-Pau Gasol--------------///+10.8//+8.2///-0.4=+6.5

I am not saying this statistic is perfect or totally accurate. One common sense flaw is a team that has great starting defenders and a bench of bad defenders would skew any player on the team depending on whether they are a starter or backup. A great example of this is Manu Ginobili with the Spurs. He came off the bench his first two seasons so didn't play that much with Duncan or Bowen and his numbers were a weak +2.5 and +3.4. This year he starts with those two and he gets a -7.5. So who a player plays with can effect this stat. However, most players play with their teamates quite a bit eventually and 3 seasons is ussually going to have every player play with tons of different players and lineups so it will even out to some degree.

The 4 Mav players are interesting. Of course its great to see Dirk ranked in the top 10 of this stat. Eventually the media will have to start to accept the gathering evidence. Some may take issue with Fin ranked 27th. However, if you look closer you will see that Fin has a bad +- this season. Most of his points were gained 3 seasons ago. Remember, this stat is saying who were good for the last 3 seasons combined. I think Fins numbers show the accuracy of this stat more then anything. Josh is in nice shape at 36 and improving. And Jason Terry is a poor but not horrible 64th. A little below average.

Of the top 38 players on the list, I would call only Brad Miller, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Michael Finley, and Chris Bosh less then "very good" defenders. To have 33 of the top 38 players be "very good" or better defenders is very impressive IMO. And I would have called Fin very good 3 seasons ago. Reggie Millers numbers are skewed by his season two years ago when he was injured and played very little, so his -6.7 that season is probably very misleading. As for Brad Miller, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh, maybe they are a little better then I thought.

As for those ranked in the bottom 25, only Gary Payton, Cliff Robinson, and Marcus Camby I would have called even "good" defenders. And Payton and Robinson are getting extremely old. Maybe they are more cooked then we think. So the only player that really surprised me was Camby. And his numbers are skewed by his +6.3 3 seasons ago when he played very little and so that stat and his ranking might be misleading.

Let me simply ask why Dirk is ranked so high in this stat? Where is the flaw in his ranking? I can't find any. He ussually starts with some real lousy defenders, which should hurt his stat. This year he is starting with Damp and Howard and occasionally he has started with Bradley in the past. However, he hasn't had much help starting with him the last 3 seasons. Bradley, Najera, Bell, and Josh Howard mostly came off the bench. And shouldn't the Mav tempo be higher when Dirk is on the court? So the other team should score more because of that shouldn't they?

All I know is when Duncan and Ratliff are ranked 1-2 and Gasol and Walker are dead last, I think its probably a solid defensive rating system. And Dirk is ranked 7th for the last 3 seasons combined. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/defensive-stat.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/defensive-stat.php Players Sun, 20 Feb 2005 16:00:43 -0800 Michael Redd scored 27 points to help Milwaukee break its four-game losing streak with a 99-92 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday. Desmond Mason added 16 points, Dan Gadzuric had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Joe Smith scored 12 and Mike James had 11 as the Bucks had five players in double figures. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/redd-scores-27-as-bucks-snap-skid-ap.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/redd-scores-27-as-bucks-snap-skid-ap.php Milwaukee Bucks Mon, 17 Jan 2005 13:39:25 -0800 Searching for a spark to turn around their season, the Milwaukee Bucks hope they found it Tuesday night with a 28-point win over the Houston Rockets. Michael Redd scored 28 points and Desmond Mason added 24 to lead the Bucks past Houston 115-87. It was Milwaukee's second straight win, only the second this season the Bucks have had a two-game winning streak. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bucks-embarrass-rockets-11587-ap.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/bucks-embarrass-rockets-11587-ap.php Milwaukee Bucks Tue, 28 Dec 2004 21:26:55 -0800