http://www.hooplog.com/nba/shane-battier/index.php NBA basketball news, rumors, insider analysis and more from around the country. Updated hourly by Team RxSN. Copyright 2009 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:18:18 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mike Miller scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 11 boards Friday night to lead the Memphis Grizzlies over the Chicago Bulls 95-77. Miller was 8-of-15 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. Gasol shot 6-of-9 and added four blocks and five assists. Memphis held a double-digit for much of the game as Miller and Shane Battier made the Bulls pay for doubling-down on Gasol. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/grizzlies-roll-to-rout-of-bulls.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/grizzlies-roll-to-rout-of-bulls.php Chicago Bulls Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:18:18 -0800 Mike Miller scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 11 boards Friday night to lead the Memphis Grizzlies over the Chicago Bulls 95-77. Miller was 8-of-15 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. Gasol shot 6-of-9 and added four blocks and five assists. Memphis held a double-digit lead for much of the game as Miller and Shane Battier made the Bulls pay... http://www.hooplog.com/nba/miller-gasol-lifts-grizzlies-over-bulls-ap.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/miller-gasol-lifts-grizzlies-over-bulls-ap.php Chicago Bulls Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:18:13 -0800 1 to 30
31 to 60

This is where things start to get tricky. In the first four or five rounds, you have to take the best player available. There is a limited number of true impact players, and the more you can get your hands on, the better. By the time you get the middle rounds, you need to start addressing team needs. Most of these players have specific strengths and weaknesses and are pretty interchangeable, really.

61. Shareef Abdur-Rahim – Career averages: 20 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 47% and 82%. Was always healthy before last year, could be bargain this low.
62. Kyle Korver – Will lead the league in 3s – probably by a lot. Philly isn’t very deep (especially after C-Webb goes down), so PT shouldn’t be an issue, plus he grabs his share of steals.
63. Kurt Thomas – Not a whole ton of upside, but he’s missed just five games in four seasons and will be a key part of one of the league’s top offenses.
64. Chris Paul – A bit of wishful thinking perhaps, but he should have every opportunity to run with the starting job and backup Claxton has a knack for getting injured.
65. Damon Stoudamire – Should fend off B-Jax and be a solid #2 PG; you know he’s not shy about launching 3s.
66. Stromile Swift – At the very least, should average around 2 bpg, and that C-eligibility is pretty sweet, to boot.
67. Jalen Rose – Not the most exciting pick, but he should be on the court enough to rack up some pretty nice numbers.
68. Tony Parker – Remember, he’s just 23 and has gotten better each year; fixing his FT% and continued improvement will make him as solid as the rest of the PG in this batch.
69. Grant Hill – Can’t see production or health getting better this year, only worse.
70. Samuel Dalembert – Another one of those failed sleepers picks that can provide nice value the following year; could be the next in the Camby/Chandler mold.
71. Kenyon Martin – Always overrated; usually fights injury issues and just doesn’t fill up the box score all that much.
72. Jamaal Magloire – We think you’ll probably be able to slip him by later than this; don’t forget he was 14/10 with 1.2 blocks and 47% and 75% before injury-marred 04-05.
73. Stephen Jackson – Depth and sanity issues, but he’s a 3-point gunner who gets decent steals.
74. Antawn Jamison – He might get more trigger happy from long range, which would help boost his overvalued stock.
75. Marko Jaric – He’s been an FBB favorite and an FBB most hated; brings a nice combo of 3s, assists and steals, but health has always been a major, major issue.
76. Tayshaun Prince – If you’ve made some risky picks, he’s a guy you can plug in for the entire season and leave alone.
77. Carmelo Anthony – Probably the single most overrated player in fantasy, but young enough to improve.
78. Jason Williams – Just sense trouble in Miami; also, has missed at least 10 games in three of last four seasons.
79. Josh Childress – This kid could blow up, and you’ll want to get in on the ground floor; I see Tayshaun Prince, others see Shawn Marion – could realistically land halfway between the two.
80. Drew Gooden – Hard to ignore last year’s 28th place finish on the player rater, but he always seems to rub folks the wrong way and this is a deep squad.
81. Caron Butler – Don’t at all expect more of April’s numbers, just hope he can regain his rookie steals magic.
82. Luke Ridnour – He’s almost a solid #2 PG, and if he can get up to 37 mpg, he surely will be.
83. Quentin Richardson – Actually averaged 2.5 ppg less last year than with the Clippers; great rebounder for a guard.
84. Jamal Crawford – Expect lots of people to be scared to draft Knicks; there’s a certain risk involved, but this late you can afford to take a chance.
85. Deron Williams – Just remember that Jerry Sloan can be an extremely frustrating coach, and he is a rookie point guard.
86. Mike Dunleavy – Hey, it’s a contract year and the Warriors could put up 120 regularly.
87. Antoine Walker – Fewer minutes may make percentages more bearable, but will have negative impact overall.
88. Andrew Bogut – We tend to tread very carefully with rookies on FBB; it’s all about how many steals and blocks he can give you.
89. Raef Lafrentz – If he can repeat last year’s unspectacular but healthy season, he’ll be a bargain this low.
90. Shane Battier – With Memphis’s thinned-out roster, more PT will be available for the stat stuffer – especially when the inevitable injury hits. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/overall-rankings-6190.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/overall-rankings-6190.php Chris Paul Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:33:25 -0800 Lots of names, but not a lot of fantasy help. So it’s been in Memphis for the past few years, and it doesn’t seem like things will be much different this year. While the cast has changed, the story remains the same, with very few players that you can plug into your lineup on a consistent basis. That said, let’s see if we can find a few gems:

The stud: Pau Gasol, F
After bursting onto the fantasy scene as a rookie, Gasol has spent the last three years disappointing his owners by failing to live up to the statistical standards he set for himself in his first season. Sure, the problem is the minutes, not the player, but nonetheless you have to assume that he won’t hit 2 blocks or 8 boards until the strategy changes. He’s going to be a nice pick around the 4th round, but no sooner.

The support: Damon Stoudamire, PG
OK, I’ll admit, this is pretty much a total guess. Between Stoudamire and Bobby Jackson, it’s hard to say for sure that Stoudamire will get enough minutes to really be a worthwhile fantasy player. Nonetheless, he hits a lot of three pointers, so he will certainly find his way onto plenty of fantasy teams this year as a second PG.

The supporting support: Mike Miller, G/F
Players like Mike Miller can be extremely frustrating to own, but you’re not going to find them on the waiver wire too often. Sure he won’t help much in boards, assists, or defensive categories, but he shot over 50% last year and managed 1.8 3’s per game.

The sleeper: Shane Battier, SF
Battier isn’t really a sleeper, as I don’t expect him to blow up this year, or even really improve on his numbers at all. But I think that a lot of FBB players overlook Battier simply because he doesn’t excel in any one category. But he averages around 10 ppg, 6 boards, a block, a steal, and a three, with good percentages. He won’t hurt you anywhere – and that’s more than you can say for a lot of players on fantasy rosters.

The slacker – Eddie Jones, SG
The end may be nigh for Eddie Jones as a viable fantasy option. Last year, he was in pretty much the perfect situation for himself – as a spot-up third option behind Shaq and Dwayne Wade. But his scoring dropped by 5 points, and he didn’t really look all that great. Now he’s in a crowded Memphis backcourt, and I can’t see him getting anywhere near the 35.5 mpg he got last year. Look for Jones to be bouncing on and off the waiver wire all year long. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/offseason-overview-memphis-grizzlies.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/offseason-overview-memphis-grizzlies.php Mike Miller Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:33:10 -0800 [If you missed Episode I click here.

David Crockett is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of South Carolina, and can be reached at dcrockett17@yahoo.com.]

I the previous Episode I identified the backcourt as the team's highest priority heading into the off-season. Whether through the draft, a sign-and-trade, or with the mid-level salary slot the Knicks must find a way to improve their perimeter defense as well as shave Marbury's and Crawford's minutes. To that end, let's take a look at the frontcourt. First up: the big guys.

The Knicks ended the season with perhaps the highest percentage of power forwards on any roster in the league. Consider that the team started essentially two power forwards, Kurt Thomas and Mike Sweetney. Herb Williams also played Jerome Williams at both forward positions regularly. Isiah then traded for Malik Rose and Mo Taylor, placing Tim Thomas a mere heartbeat away from 4th string power forward.

The team's ostensible center, Mike Sweetney, put together a solid (at best) campaign, especially considering that he played out of position. It was the kind of season that probably didn't change many minds among his supporters or detractors. On offense, his PER (from 82games) at center was a very nice 18.8. As always, he shot a solid efg (53.5%), rebounded well (13.5 per 48), and got to the free throw line (7.9 per 48). However he struggled on the defensive end, giving up an opponent's PER of 17.7. Though he managed to outshoot and out-rebound opposing centers per 48 minutes he also slightly out-fouled them (7 per 48), which meant that much of his potential offensive productivity went unrealized as he sat on the bench. That he struggled with fouls and offered essentially no shot-blocking against opposing centers is not necessarily surprising. He played virtually every game at a significant height disadvantage. Even conceding this, I still maintain that "Sweets," as he is commonly known, would do well to lay off the sugary treats and slim down. He may be a bit young to remember that once upon a one time "The Thing that Ate" Ollie Miller was more than a punch line for a would-be sports writer.

Miller was an even better version of Sweetney, a rising young player with promise, fresh off the toughest Finals series the Jordan-led Bulls ever played. But basketball is an unforgiving profession on tendons and joints, even for the most finely tuned bodies. So ultimately Miller's inability to keep off the extra 35-40 pounds made him less effective on the floor, kept him on the injured list with an endless assortment of ankle and knee ailments, and eventually forced him from the league. His problems were exacerbated - if not caused outright - by his obesity; and I won't even get into the John "Hot Plate" Williams cautionary tale. (Note: "Hot Plate" is mentioned in this Washington Times column by Tom Knott on the end of the Bullets/Wizards futility. I defy you to read the article and NOT laugh out loud. It's hysterical.)

Interestingly, backup center Mo Taylor is this season's biggest defensive surprise. Ignoring for the moment that his acquisition is Isiah's least defensible roster move to date, Taylor was a genuine surprise. After expecting to see Marburyesque indifference I recall watching games this season and being genuinely stunned at Taylor's defensive effort. The numbers appear to bare it out. On offense Taylor was pretty much what I'd come to expect: an accomplished (though streaky) scorer and a turnover machine. His PER of only 13.1 at center was a tad lower than I'd expected but not altogether shocking. I would expect that with a full training camp we'd see Taylor move into the 14-15 range. The big stunner was on defense where Taylor held opposing centers to a fantastic 14.3 PER. Obviously the Knicks would love to see this kind of defensive production off the bench. Even should Taylor regress a bit on defense an opponent's PER just around league average would be tremendous production from the backup center over a full season.

At power forward, Kurt Thomas is limited in what he can contribute on offense as a spot-up jump shooter and rebounder. Though his PER at power forward is below league average (14.4) he remains a decent shooter from field (46% efg), and superb in the 15-20 foot area off the screen-roll. He also still rebounds quite well (13.7 per 48). On defense he's pretty awful, allowing opposing power forwards a 19.1 PER. Among the backup forwards perhaps the biggest surprise is Malik Rose. His defense, which is his calling card, was generally quite good (13.7 opponents PER). His aw-fense was awful. His PER of 9.7 is the unsightly fate of undersized power forwards with limited perimeter skills; they rarely age gracefully. But, such is the price of the additional first round pick. He better be good, whoever he is because watching Rose jack up shots has been painful. I knew that it seemed like he shot the ball an awful lot to me but when I went to 82games.com I was dumbfounded. For all the talk of his selfless professionalism no one mentioned that this guy is a bona fide ball hog. Rose took almost 13 shots per 48 minutes at power forward, hitting at an abysmal 40% efg. Sweetney and Thomas both took just under 15 and JYD took only 10.3 shots per 48. These players all shot over 50% efg.

Wherever it comes from the Knicks most certainly need better overall play from the frontcourt. I compared Sweetney's and Thomas' PER and opponent's PER with center/power forward tandems from the league's five most efficient defensives. (I also included the same comparison for backcourt players - just for kicks and giggles.)

Name	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Sweetney, M (NY)	C	18.8	17.7
Thomas, K (NY)	PF	14.4	19.1
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Duncan, T. (SA)	C	28.6	13.8
Muhammed, N. (SA)	PF	6.8	15.8
Nesterovic, R. (SA)	C	13.1	13.2
Curry, E. (Chi)	C	17.4	13.3
Davis, A. (Chi)	PF	13.1	14.6
Chandler, T (Chi)	C	19.1	12.8
Wallace, B. (Det)	C	18.7	15.8
Wallace, R. (Det)	PF	17.7	15.3
Ming, Y. (Hou)	C	24.9	14.6
Howard, J. (Hou)	PF	13.9	16.9
Wright, L. (Mem)	C	15.4	16
Gasol, P. (Mem)	PF	25.7	17

Name (Team)	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Marbury, S. (NY)	PG	23.3	16.4
Crawford, J. (NY)	SG	16.8	18.2
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Parker, T. (SA)	PG	19.6	13
Ginobili, M. (SA)	SG	22.7	10.8
Duhon, C. (Chi)	PG	10.8	15.2
Hinrich, K. (Chi)	SG	17.6	13.8
Billups, C. (Det)	PG	20.4	12.9
Hamilton, R. (Det)	SG	17.5	13.8
Sura, R. (Hou)	PG	16.1	17.3
Wesley, D. (Hou)	SG	12.4	15.7
Williams, J. (Mem)	PG	16.7	16.2
Battier, S. (Mem)	SG	18.3	14.1

* Non-starter

Although this comparison hardly qualifies as scientific it aptly illustrates how far the Knicks are behind the best defensive teams. Nonetheless, there is hope that at least Sweetney can lower his opponent's PER into the 15.5-16.5 range next season. Entering his third season he should begin to catch an occasional break from the zebras on the "nickel-dime" type fouls that put him on the bench with regularity. Hopefully, his summer will be spent working on his conditioning so he will be less prone to such fouls. More importantly, the Knicks must make the commitment to put him at his natural power forward spot and keep him there. This of course means the team must acquire or develop a center.

Should the Knicks look to the draft to address the frontcourt presumably they'll be in the market for a player who can log many if not most of his minutes at center, preferably providing some shot blocking. Given the paucity of quality true centers available in the draft in the table I combine centers with power forwards who play both positions. I leave out high school and international players as well as true power forwards that would have a difficult time helping the team immediately (e.g., Sean May, Ike Diogu, Wayne Simien).

Centers/Power Forwards

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Andrew Bogut, Utah	Top five	Bogut is a consensus top 5 pick. He is a good – not great – athlete who can control a game with his skill and passing, particularly for a team who could play him in the high post. I hope he likes Atlanta.
Chris Taft, Pittsburgh	Anywhere from #8 to #15, based on workouts/interviews	The size and willingness to use it are all what you’re looking for in a big 6’10” pf/c, yet he has never dominated. People keep waiting for the light to come on. The interviews may be as important to this kid as any in the draft, including the high schoolers. It’s unlikely he falls far out of the top 10, if at all. If the Knicks remain at #8 this will likely be the guy slotted to them.
Charlie Villanueva, UConn	Anywhere from #8 to #20	There is much to like about Villanueva. He runs the floor well. He shoots a high percentage. He rebounds and blocks shots. Unfortunately, he also likes to play like a small forward at times even though he is 6’11”. Does he want to play center?
Channing Frye, Arizona	Anywhere from #15 to late first round	Disclaimer: I’m an Arizona grad. Channing Frye may be the Shane Battier/Josh Howard of this draft. He doesn’t have superstar potential but he also doesn’t have a lot of holes in his game. He should be a very good pro PF/C for a lot of years. It would be highway robbery if the Knicks pick him up at the end of the first round. More likely they’d have to move into the 16-20 area.
Randolph Morris, Kentucky	Anywhere from #15 to mid-second round	I know the league is starved for big players but if this kid doesn’t pull out and go back to Kentucky for at least one more season something is dreadfully wrong with the NBA. I can understand over-estimating the potential of high schoolers but this kid staying on the floor at Kentucky and he was basically the only center in the entire SEC.
Jared Homan, Iowa State	Second round	If you’re looking for a backup center that ONLY rebounds and blocks shots in the second round he’s your guy.

Adding to the depth at this position are some talented international players: Johan Petro from France, Fran Vasquez from Spain, and Tiago Splitter from Brazil, as well as two schoolboy 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Andray Blatche. Although no David Robinsons or Tim Duncans populate this draft, some pretty serviceable centers are available. Most - after Bogut - will likely go off the board in the 8-20 range. If the Knicks remain at #8 in the draft lottery they could conceivably move down and still get a pretty decent player.

Small Forward
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Looking at New York's roster today, small forward does not appear to be a position of need. Of course, things change in the off-season. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Penny Hardaway is pushing for a buyout in order to re-sign with the Magic. Tim Thomas is also entering the final year of his deal. So those two contracts may indeed be moved this off-season. If they are, Trevor Ariza may be the incumbent at small forward unless Allan Houston can come back. Consequently, the Knicks cannot afford to ignore the swingmen in the upcoming draft. I've included swing players, who play in the backcourt, as well as 'tweener types that play up front but handle the ball.

Of the small forwards I see the Knicks as most interested in a swingman than a power-three. Should the Knicks wind up in the top 3 certainly Williams would have to be one of the names they'd consider, along with Bogut and Paul. Should the Knicks remain at #8, irrespective of who is on the board the team should strongly consider Granger. He's a do it all swing player. He could play in the backcourt, with Ariza at the small forward, and all of a sudden the Knicks could be looking at cutting off much of the penetration that plagues the defense.

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Marvin Williams, UNCC	Top 3-4 pick	Honestly, I didn’t see him play enough to do anything but parrot what everyone else is saying. “This kid is the greatest thing since snowshoes. He’s much better than Cats. I’d go see him again and again.” They must know what they’re talking about, right?
Danny Granger, New Mexico	Late lottery to end of first round	I doubt Granger lasts until the end of the first. I think he’s the best “true” small forward available but that tends to be the deepest pro position. His points per shot each year at New Mexico: 1.29, 1.41, 1.55, 1.62. His rebounds: 7.1, 7.9, 9, 8.9. He hurt himself with an awful game in the NCAA though.
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State	first round	The athletic comparisons to Corey Maggette I have yet to see. Like Maggette he’s going to have to move his game outside to play his pro position. Coming out of OSU, he’s not surprisingly a good defender.
Ryan Gomes, Providence	Late first/Early second	Gomes re-made himself from a post-up only player into a “power” 3, with a lot more skill than Graham. He dramatically improved his ball-handling and his perimeter shot.
Linas Kleiza, Missouri	d/undrafted	Kleiza is quality rebounder with a decent offensive repertoire. He probably lacks the quickness to defend SF’s in the NBA. He may go to Europe.

]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/brrra-is-there-a-draft-in-here-episode-ii-the-frontcourt.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/brrra-is-there-a-draft-in-here-episode-ii-the-frontcourt.php Chauncey Billups Fri, 27 May 2005 10:54:14 -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 Where did he come from? His minutes are up slightly, but all of sudden he's decided to play some basketball. Over the last 5 games:

13.6 points (+5 over season average), 4.6 REB (-.2), 2.2 AST (+.9), 1.2 STL (+.2), 2 BLK (+1), .8 TO (+.1), 52.4 FG% (+7.3%), 73.7 FT% (-4.7%).

He's at #19 over the past month, and was #4 last week. Of course, he's been playing well enough that he's probably not available in most leagues... but if he is, take a runner at him (especially if you've got someone like Jim Jackson on your team).

He's outplaying James Posey and Mike Miller who've been relegated to filling in at SG while Battier has taken over the SF spot.

Fantasy Impact

He's starting to return to the promise he showed in 2001, but he's never been a consistent fantasy player... Grab him while he's on fire, and drop him once he's burned out for the next little matchstick. That's the way fantasy basketball is played...




]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/pick-up-of-the-week-shane-battier.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/pick-up-of-the-week-shane-battier.php Memphis Grizzlies Tue, 11 Jan 2005 13:39:50 -0800 Sunburned.

The non-game of the week(end), Phoenix vs. Indiana, was pretty much over after 5 minutes. The Suns broke out to a 15-3 lead and never looked back. What it did do, however, was give us a chance to look at some of the Suns second-stringers, who got a decent amount of court-time in the second half. Remember, when a team is scoring almost 110 points a night, just being on the court should get you a decent amount of open looks and fast-break buckets. So if ever a non-Nash starter goes down with an injury (if they lose Nash, all bets are off), their replacement could have some pretty significant value. So let s have a look at who got more minutes that usual Sunday night, and how they did.

Maciej Lampe, F
19 mins, 4-7 FG, 1-1 3pt, 1-2 FT, 10 pts, 5 rbs, 1 blk, 4 fouls.
Previously best known for sitting in the waiting room at the NBA draft until the second round, this 6-11 sweet-shooting forward has shown some flashes during his short career. While he s going through typical youngster troubles with turnovers (4.6 per 48 mins) and fouls (8.1 per 48 mins), Lampe looks to be a nice spot-shooter, and could really find a niche on this team should Shawn Marion get hurt. Down the road he could definitely be a great player, but for now even with minutes he probably wouldn t be more than 12-7 with a 3. Also he s from Poland, but you shouldn t make any jokes about that.

Casey Jacobsen, G/F
27 mins, 3-6 FG, 1-4 3pt, 2-2 FT, 9 pts, 2 rbs, 1 ast.
Jacobsen is good for one thing and one thing only 3-pointers. This year, 58% of his shots have come from beyond the arc, and he s hit one in 9 straight games. That said, he s already getting 18 mpg, and he shouldn t be much more than a role player at any point in his career.

Steven Hunter, F/C
15 mins, 5-5 FG, 10 pts, 5 rbs, 4 blks.
Here s an interesting guy. Despite being the 15th overall pick in 2001, he s never seen more than 13 mpg in any of his 4 years in the league. His per-48-minute numbers this year (19.4 points, 10.1 boards, 4.9 blocks) are pretty nice, and he s shooting an absurd 68% from the field. He could be a Brendan Haywood type, helping in blocks and maybe a little in boards.

Leandro Barbosa
12 mins, 2-3 FG, 2-2 3pt, 6 pts, 3 ast, 1 reb.
Things are not looking good for this onetime Fantasy Basketblog favorite. Coming out of Brazil, he showed promise of being a Rafer Alston type last year, posting nice numbers in 3 s and steals, and playing well after Stephon Marbury was traded. But now he s seeing less time due to Steve Nash s incredible play, and after missing 5 games with the chicken pox (don t ask), Joe Johnson may have supplanted him as the backup PG. Barbosa might just need a fresh start.

Who s Your Daddy?

So remember how last week we told you that James Posey would be your "best bet" among the Grizzlies 500 swingmen? Well, prove us wrong, Shane Battier, prove us wrong. And that s exactly what Battier did this weekend, while Posey played only 20 minutes on Thursday and sat out with his ailing foot on Friday.

Battier had a monstrous weekend, getting 73 minutes over 2 games and putting together 31 points, 5 blocks, 2 steals, 13 boards, 5 assists, and 6 threes while shooting 65% from the field. Those are some great numbers. If Posey continues to miss time and Battier continues to get major minutes, he could be a nice all-around player for your team.
]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/weekend-review.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/weekend-review.php Shawn Marion Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:33:18 -0800 Yahoo's O-Rank in ()

1. Mike Bibby (24)
2. Shawn Marion (8)
3. Kevin Garnett (1)
4. Shane Battier (174)
5. Tracy McGrady (4)
6. Gilbert Arenas (22)
7. Larry Hughes (91)
8. Shaquille O'Neal (12)
9. Baron Davis (14)
10. Jason Terry (34) ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/players-of-the-week-ended-1904.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/players-of-the-week-ended-1904.php Shawn Marion Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:32:25 -0800