Houston - It’s easy to overlook a player who compiles numbers like 1 point and 3.4 rebounds per game; especially when that player is a power forward whose height is generously listed at 6’6” on the team roster. Suffice to say, the traditional box score does Chuck Hayes no favors.
But to focus on numbers is to miss the boat on Hayes entirely; or, more to the point, to focus on those numbers. Fans who have watched the fourth year forward from Kentucky this season – and throughout his career, for that matter – have seen him consistently find a way to slow down many of the NBA’s premier big men, despite the inches he concedes to opponents on a nightly basis.
This season alone, he’s done yeoman’s work against the likes of Amar'e Stoudemire (5-13, 11 points on 11/12), Tim Duncan (6-18 on 11/29), Kevin Garnett (9/19 on 1/7) and Dirk Nowitzki (4-18 on 2/20). Though Hayes obviously was not solely responsible for the poor showings of those superstars, here’s a number that helps explain their sub par performances while simultaneously showing just how much of a defensive weapon he is: Opposing power forwards have an anemic effective field goal percentage of .344 when matched up against Hayes this season. In other words, his physical presence gives players fits.
Good article...
Hayes is awesome, he's the consummate teammate, gives 100% every time he steps on the floor, an amazing defender, terrific rebounder, and has great fundamentals in terms of rotations. Lot of people don't realize all the things he brings to the game, and it's more easily appreciable when he comes off the bench and provides that role as opposed to starting just two years ago.
