ElGee wrote:Doctor MJ wrote:Oh one thing everyone thinking about Rodman should think about: What does it say that his numbers tend to fall off pretty significantly come playoff time?
This is something I assumed people were factoring in, but maybe not (I tried to go through year-by-year with Rodman to point out many of his postseasons). I've never cared about small statistical changes unless I really know the context, but in Dennis' case I think there are few serious (and repetitive issues) about his playoffs:
92 - This is the year he wins an NBA POM and drops his first 26% TRB% and he doesn't see a lot of the court in 3 games vs. New York. And it was not because of foul trouble.
95 - He has some big games but is widely criticized for some bizarre defensive practices (not going out to defend shooters). Arguably the height of his off-court issues too. HeHe was benched for G4 of the LAL series (SAS win) for his behavior. He lost his shoes in G1 of the Houston series. Etc. etc.
97 - 28 mpg and 8 rpg. The worst PS of his prime IMO and again, amidst a turmoil of off-court troubles (he was ejected 3 times in the first 2 weeks of the PS).
So to me, it's a mental thing with Dennis. He wasn't always in the right place, and that mattered when it mattered. Makes it impossible for me to see him having a peak season above 2011 LaMarcus Aldridge, 2007 Amare Stoudemire, 2004 Jermaine O'Neal and certainly no better than Ray Allen's best or Robert Parish's.
If that's the case, and he only had a few seasons at that peak (and a few other in All-Star level territory), how on earth could I rank him about the next ~20 viable candidates?
Good points.
I've been assuming Rodman was solid his first three years (Detroit, when he even had some decent scoring numbers) and in three championship years in Chicago. But start undermining those (rookie reserve, problems getting a bit big even for Phil Jackson, etc.), and the case for him weakens.
When was it that he went to the empty Detroit arena with a gun and Chuck Daly (no longer his coach) went to calm him down?
