Around the NBA 8.0

[Braggins]

He is great if (a) you need help on the boards and (b) you play an iso heavy offense and are fine running four on five on offense.

Biz is completely ignored on offense. Gortat has abandoned him all game, yet the only FGA he has in this game was waived off because he bowled into Gortat and was called for the charge.

We don't need his help on the boards and he is antithetical to the spacing and ball movement oriented offense we are gunning for.

What about the other 50% of the game that we suck at? I hear that big athletic guys with 12-foot arms and great timing tend to help on that end.

At some point you need to recognize that the data doesn't support you on this.

We have the 11th best defense in the NBA by DRTG and defensive efficiency.

We as a franchise give up the fewest FGAs in the league from within six feet (by %, not just raw).

We are an elite rebounding team, currently bumped down to second in the league by SAS.

We need more help on defense than offense. I'm also somewhat skeptical about the true eliteness of our rebounding. It seems like there are too many games where we get abused on the boards for me to feel like we are that elite. I know the defensive rebounding percentage is amazing, but it seems like its a little more complicated than that. Maybe I'm wrong and those bad games just stand out too much, but it feels like too often I go to look at the team box score after a game and we were outrebounded by like 10.

[yosemiteben]

We need more help on defense than offense.

Not really the point. We don't suck at defense, we're basically a top 10 defense and we are the best in the league at limiting shots at the rim, so we definitely don't have a big need for a rim protector.

I'm also somewhat skeptical about the true eliteness of our rebounding. It seems like there are too many games where we get abused on the boards for me to feel like we are that elite. I know the defensive rebounding percentage is amazing, but it seems like its a little more complicated than that. Maybe I'm wrong and those bad games just stand out too much, but it feels like too often I go to look at the team box score after a game and we were outrebounded by like 10.

It's a very basic stat, take the number of defensive rebounds and divide it by the number of missed field goals. I think it's just a couple outlier games where we give up an inordinate number sick in your mind, but there's no muddiness to the calculation.

[Braggins]

We need more help on defense than offense.

Not really the point. We don't suck at defense, we're basically a top 10 defense and we are the best in the league at limiting shots at the rim, so we definitely don't have a big need for a rim protector.

I'm also somewhat skeptical about the true eliteness of our rebounding. It seems like there are too many games where we get abused on the boards for me to feel like we are that elite. I know the defensive rebounding percentage is amazing, but it seems like its a little more complicated than that. Maybe I'm wrong and those bad games just stand out too much, but it feels like too often I go to look at the team box score after a game and we were outrebounded by like 10.

It's a very basic stat, take the number of defensive rebounds and divide it by the number of missed field goals. I think it's just a couple outlier games where we give up an inordinate number sick in your mind, but there's no muddiness to the calculation.

I understand the stat and I'm not doubting it. I'm just saying pure defensive rebounding % might not tell the entire story. You are very possibly correct though about it just being outlier games sticking out in my mind.

[Mystical Apples]

We need more help on defense than offense.

Not really the point. We don't suck at defense, we're basically a top 10 defense and we are the best in the league at limiting shots at the rim, so we definitely don't have a big need for a rim protector.

I'm also somewhat skeptical about the true eliteness of our rebounding. It seems like there are too many games where we get abused on the boards for me to feel like we are that elite. I know the defensive rebounding percentage is amazing, but it seems like its a little more complicated than that. Maybe I'm wrong and those bad games just stand out too much, but it feels like too often I go to look at the team box score after a game and we were outrebounded by like 10.

It's a very basic stat, take the number of defensive rebounds and divide it by the number of missed field goals. I think it's just a couple outlier games where we give up an inordinate number sick in your mind, but there's no muddiness to the calculation.

I understand the stat and I'm not doubting it. I'm just saying pure defensive rebounding % might not tell the entire story. You are very possibly correct though about it just being outlier games sticking out in my mind.

Charlotte's defensive style minimizes the need for a shot blocker. They don't go for steals, double, shoot a lot of passing lanes, foul, closeout controlled etc...to keep everything in front to prevent easy attacks. Good perimeter length by position helps too - Charlotte leads the league in spot up defense, which amounts to about 1/5 off all offensive possessions. They're also top 10 in ISO defense.

They don't have an elite rebounder but the frontcourt does a great job boxing out while the guards rebound, which leads to bigs with lower DReb rates even though the team does well.

On a side note, all of this makes Al such a frustrating defender to watch. The above requires everyone to keep solid defensive principals but Al doesn't move his feet or help. Plus, contrary to his personal numbers, the team rebounds worse with him because he doesn't box out like the other bigs.

[-Ian-]

Kobe's retiring after this season.

[TinmanZBoy]

Kobe's retiring after this season.

it is sad... but it's time to let it go, it is really hard to see Kobe play right now...

[fatlever]

Magic crushed the Celtics tonight. I was hoping to see them fade in order to make it easier for us, but I don't see that happening. They have a real chance to finish with 40+ wins.

It might take 44 wins to make the 8th seed in the East this year.

[Mystical Apples]

Kobe has a 2-17 night cooking.

[Joest2003]

Paul George is a savage. Dude is not playin around this year.

[yosemiteben]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 16m16 minutes ago
If San Antonio maintains current defensive efficiency -- 93.1 points allowed per 100 possessions -- it'd rank in top four of last 30 seasons

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 15m15 minutes ago
Best three NBA defenses over last three decades: 03-04 Spurs (91.6 points per 100 possessions), 98-99 Spurs (92.1) and 03-04 Pistons (92.5)

[Braggins]

Kobe has a 2-17 night cooking.

I started to watch this game because I wanted to see Russell and Randle, but I had to turn it off after like ten minutes. Its unbearable watching Kobe freeze out their entire team possession after possession to take absurd fadeaways that have almost no chance of going in. Kobe annoyed me even when he was actually good. This version of Kobe is absolutely infuriating.

[Roy Tarpley]

Lakers fans have been in this hell for 3+ years. For a while, we tried to believe that it was just his Achilles or shoulder surgery but it's very clear this year that he has a fork sticking out of his back.

[EwingSweatsALot]

Jahlil Okafor has lost his damn mind. The Sixers tank job has already gotten to him. This dude went from high school state champ to national champ to taking double digit losses nightly.

It's driving him insane.

In the last month or so:

-caught with a fake ID(not a big deal but shows he's an idiot for thinking he could get away with it)
-knocked a guy out in a fight in a Boston street
-got in a fight in Philly which resulted in a gun put to his head.
-pulled over for going 108 mph over a massive freaking bridge.

The Sixers have driven this man to Final Destination type stuff.

[Mystical Apples]

Jahlil Okafor has lost his damn mind. The Sixers tank job has already gotten to him. This dude went from high school state champ to national champ to taking double digit losses nightly.

It's driving him insane.

In the last month or so:

-caught with a fake ID(not a big deal but shows he's an idiot for thinking he could get away with it)
-knocked a guy out in a fight in a Boston street
-got in a fight in Philly which resulted in a gun put to his head.
-pulled over for going 108 mph over a massive freaking bridge.

The Sixers have driven this man to Final Destination type stuff.

And I don't think the Sixers actually wanted him. True to The Process, they took the Best Widget Available knowing he'd be a bad fit with Noel. That way they could tank in an entirely different fashion before trading him next summer. It's not going so well - besides the off court issues his on court impact has to be diminishing his trade value. Should've taken Porzingas.

[fatlever]

They really should rename the team temporarily to the Philadelphia Widgets.

[Liver_Pooty]

Okafor went from a very high character kid to a damn moron in the span of a couple months. I don't know what the hell is wrong with him.

[yosemiteben]

McRoberts currently is averaging 15 MPG for Miami with a field goal percentage of 28% and a three point percentage of 15.7%.

Let that be a lesson to Lin and Batum if they decide to leave this summer.

[Mystical Apples]

MCW in the middle of hanging a +27 on Denver. #reversesampson

http://www.nba.com/video/games/bucks/2015/11/30/0021500258-den-mil-play4.nba/

[yosemiteben]

They also limited DEN to 74 points in regulation. Guess they decided it was time for their defense to stop sucking.

[yosemiteben]

So who stole Rodney Hood's shot?