- On bad teams, they’re pathetic backups. On winners, they’re “pivotal role players.”
- Lookee, lookee, the kiddo got himself some new toys. Video is kind of the latest frontier for bloggers. Those who have figured it out (read: own Macs) have a huge advantage and are able to go to the next step in analysis. Rob Mahoney is one such adventurer. Meanwhile, this site is basically drawing on the cave walls with our own poo.
- Oh, wait, what, you mean the completely selfish ballhog who murders possessions and who refused to come off the bench for a team that made it to the ECF more than half a decade in a row is having trouble with the exact same issue six months later on a terrible team and may be leaving after only three games? Really? God, I can’t believe anyone could see that coming. That’s like a Black Swan. A Big. Sarcastic. Black. Swan.
- Good news! Bynum’s not all that banged up! So with his work ethic, he should be back by December, January, March, who knows when. (He’ll likely be back next week.)
- Remember this moment. Carry it with you always.
- Minnesota, think about this the next time you want to throw a standing ovation his way. You mean nothing to El Tigre Monstruoso. NOTHING!
- Josh Smith hasn’t taken a three this year. Not only that, but he hasn’t taken hardly any shots from 10-15 feet. He’s still leaning a bit much towards the 16-23 foot shots, but still not too much. Hawks fans are happy with this development, if still weary. Â What’s interesting, and sad, though? Last year he had 2.9 attempts per 40 from 16-23 feet, and 1.4 three point attempts per 40. This year he has zero three point attempts and 3.3 16-23 foot attempts. Here’s the math. Â 3.3(current)-1.4(last year threes)=1.9 (last year 16-23). So basically, he’s shooting one fewer shot from three and one more from 16-23 feet, so now they’re all inside the three point line. Which is a far less efficient shot.
- Brook?! Why are you all the way out there? Are you lost? Do you need a sign? Maybe a GPS unit with directions to PAINT? One interesting thing NaS points out is the failed PnR between Brook and Rafer, with that partly being on account of Lopez coming to set the pick and Alston failing to use it. Let me say that again. Rafer Alston has a premier big man in the game coming out to set a pick for him, and instead decides to create on his own. Yikes.
- I think a lot about the morals involved with being a fan of teams in this day and age. And that goes beyond booing for a guy who did years right by you or cheering for a guy who was a jerk to your team before he signed there. I’m talking about recognizing what it would be like to be on the other side of this. You could, if you wanted to, call it the OKC conundrum. Because everyone empathized with Seattle, and no one gave a damn about OKC. Well, here’s a nice moment of moral compass use by Knickerblogger regarding Ye Ol’ Savior.
- See, the difference here is that the Can of Tuna is contained within itself, and therefore will not try and do more than it is capable of.
- I’m a big proponent of advanced stats as you can probably tell. But I always say you have to use them in context and be careful with how you use them. And sometimes they’re just silly. For example, here’s a fun one to kick off 82Games.com’s coverage of the season. Derrick Rose is not in a lineup with a positive +/-.
- Science.
- If Gentry finds a way to run and rebound and shoot? Jesus. They’re like birds evolving back into raptors.
- Are there a lot of teams who have really found their way to the promised land by blueprinting another team’s success? Outside of “Play in a major market and buy everyone?”
- This would be, in many ways, the nuclear option. LeBron goes to LA, remakes a franchise in his own image. Shares the town with Kobe. Makes LA the global basketball universe capital. Plays with Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, bigs, Blake Griffin, and makes oodles of money. It would melt the rest of the NBA leaving only LA shining in the dreary post-apocalyptic landscape like the Emerald City when the sun goes down. Nightmare fuel.
- Weird things in San Antonio, where the Spurs are struggling because of their fundamentals. Like Ron Artest running out of crazy.
- Add Rudy Fernandez to the list of “Guys who should be set free from Nat McMillan’s insane prison.” Recent escapee Channing Frye should lobby for Fernandez and Jerryd Bayless’ release.
- Someone please get TickTock6 the controls. She knows what’s up. And Lil’ Buckets. Lil’ Buckets is up.
- Brett and I discuss AI, the Rox, and stuff.
Great Exercises In NBA-Related Internet Postings 11.8.09
Hate for this to be my first comment on this site, but you've got the math wrong on the Josh Smith stuff.