General game-day thoughts/comments

[Martti.]

Korver's first double-digit scoring game as a Bull.

[JaoSming]

It's been 3 full days with no national broadcast or celtics games.....I need my fix man

[rise]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/early-lead/2010/11/knicks_game_against_magic_at_m.html
Asbestos is falling from the ceiling in Madison Square Gardens. The Magic game is postponed - possibly the Knicks-Wizards game on Friday as well.

[Justine.]

Reggie Evans is just unbelievable.

[JaoSming]

Comcast Sports Net was out the entire time the game was on, sad panda

[Alpha_]

watta game for John Wall... 29 pts. 13 asts. and 9 stls. almost a triple-double performance for the rookie..

[The X]

watta game for John Wall... 29 pts. 13 asts. 9 stls. and 8 TO's almost a quadruple-double performance for the rookie..

Fixed

[Martti.]

Sucks that Beasley went down, looked like he was on a mission against him former team.

Heat averaging 80.8 in opponent ppg and then allow the Wolves to drop 97, damn.

[benji]

That's not damn, the Heat allowed the same points per possession from the Wolves as they have all season. That was simply a faster paced, more possession game, thus why the Heat scored 129 points. It's the kind of pace they need to play at, not the sloth-like one Spolestra wants them to.

[shadowgrin]

It's the kind of pace they need to play at, not the sloth-like one Spolestra wants them to.

LeBron must be having flashbacks of Mike Brown.

[Dan's Brain]

Rondo with a great weak side block on a Salmons layup.

He's probably the only player in the league who can seriously challenge Dwight Howard for Defensive Player of the Year Honours in the next couple of years. Would be nice to see a perimeter player win it for a change.

[shadowgrin]

You have to wait for another season. As the last 22 years have shown, you have to wait 7 years before a perimeter player can be DPoY.

[benji]

Five of the first six awards were perimeter players, and Rodman was versatile, so only two of the first nine awards was a center. Since then 16 of the 19 have been centers, and one of those was still over seven feet tall. I wonder what changed in the medias perceptions of defensive accomplishment.

[Modifly]

Rockets fall to 0-4. Brooks was ejected with two bullshit "technical fouls". No one is allowed to even slipped a word out these days. That is all.

[Rip32]

I wonder what changed in the medias perceptions of defensive accomplishment.

I'd say stats have a pretty big impact. There's no doubt that a Shane Battier or Bruce Bowen at their best were DPoY-type guys, but they don't put up the numbers great defensive big men do.

The impact Ben Wallace and Dwight Howard had could be seen in great rebounding, blocking and steal numbers. Perimeter defenders have a one-on-one impact, but that isn't recorded in basic statistics. Artest had steals going for him when he won it, which looks better than just being able to make everyone you guard's night a living hell

[benji]

The Pacers also sent the media a bunch of deceptive defensive stats to bolster the case.

I wonder if the idea of the center being the defensive anchor, who which the entire defense is built around became a more important idea. Jordan, Moncrief, and Robertson were more impactful on their man and by cutting off passing lines than they were on the entire defensive system needing them. This isn't to say they weren't great defensive players, especially as far as perimeter players go, but the Bulls improved their standing on defense in the two years Jordan was gone, and finished 2nd despite also losing Horace Grant for 1994-95 and playing a non-factor like Kukoc the second most minutes. Whereas losing David Robinson and then getting him back sent the Spurs from 3rd to 29th to 2nd. (Yes, I know they also got Duncan, but I think the point remains.)

Even though it's not a very good point as there's little evidence for it being true even though it SEEMS true and it's an easy idea to create a narrative around to justify.

[J@3]

Bogut had a nice game, KG is a bitch and the Bucks nearly took the Celtics in Boston.

[Dan's Brain]

I wonder what changed in the medias perceptions of defensive accomplishment.

I'd say stats have a pretty big impact. There's no doubt that a Shane Battier or Bruce Bowen at their best were DPoY-type guys, but they don't put up the numbers great defensive big men do.

The impact Ben Wallace and Dwight Howard had could be seen in great rebounding, blocking and steal numbers. Perimeter defenders have a one-on-one impact, but that isn't recorded in basic statistics. Artest had steals going for him when he won it, which looks better than just being able to make everyone you guard's night a living hell

I think that's probably right. But I also think from a fan's standpoint, it's more exciting to see a 7-footer spike a ball out of bounds than it is to see a 6'3 point guard mug the ball-handler, in spite of the fact that steals tend to turn into fast break points much more than blocks do. (I don't have any evidence to support that, it just feels true.) So, the media or the voters of those awards tend to be swayed by those big rejections.

Those crafty, annoying defenders do still get recognised. Bruce Bowen was named to either of the All-Defensive teams eight times, and he finished 2nd in DPOY 3 times. But he was never to get to that extra rung on the ladder.

[benji]

I think that's probably right. But I also think from a fan's standpoint, it's more exciting to see a 7-footer spike a ball out of bounds than it is to see a 6'3 point guard mug the ball-handler, in spite of the fact that steals tend to turn into fast break points much more than blocks do. (I don't have any evidence to support that, it just feels true.) So, the media or the voters of those awards tend to be swayed by those big rejections.

A better, and more important, point to make is that those blocks into the third row don't change possession, steals do.

[shadowgrin]

What makes the DPoY a joke of an award (like most handed out by the media) is that Tim Duncan never won it.

[benji]

Yeah, but in their defense, Duncan is totally boring. I mean what, like 1% of his blocks have gone out of bounds in the last ten years? And having proper rotations and spacing? Who gives a shit about that boring shit? MORE DISRESPECTFUL REJECTIONS PLZ.

Also, KOBE DOIN WORK.

[koberulz]

Bogut had a nice game, KG is a bitch and the Bucks nearly took the Celtics in Boston.

Did they? It looked to me like they just kept trying to throw the game away, the Celtics just couldn't take the opportunity until the end of OT.

Hubie Brown saying Rondo's four-step gather was legal?

Ilyasova (I think) was wide open on that last inbound, too. Both defenders went with Jennings off the screen. No idea why Delfino threw it to Bogut. Or why Delfino was inbounding, he should have been lining up for a spot-up three, if not receiving the ball.

[J@3]

Did they?

Yep.

Also Ray Allen travels more than nearly anyone I've ever seen.

[George7]

Did they?

Yep.

Also Ray Allen travels more than nearly anyone I've ever seen.

Even LeBron????

[The X]

Blake Griffin does some nasty ass dunks. So much explosiveness off the ground & in the air. Don't know which former player I'd compare him to since he's got some uniqueness to his game.