Post#15 » by noone » Thu Apr 3, 2008 9:10 pm
Melo4MVP,
Unfortunately,you can't just look at ppg and fga and try to determine what the player is doing in the quarter and how effective/efficient he is.
A much better indication of efficiency on the offensive end is pps (points per shot) as opposed to fg%.
Melo's pps go from 1.295 in the first quarter to 1.341, 1.375, and 1.297 in the following quarters. Based on the stats you posted, you may think Melo's best quarter is the first quarter, but in fact his most efficient quarter is the third quarter. As you can also see, his efficiency in the 4th quarter is much worse than it is in the third, and also considering assists (1.2 in the first, .6 in the fourth), I would say efficiency wise, the 4th is his worst quarter.
There's two things I can think of taking from that: 1) the opposing coach makes adjustments, to one, get the ball out of his hands, and two, to make him take tougher shots. Or 2) Melo isn't clutch and chokes when the game is on the line.
I think we can all agree to which one it is.
I also went and looked at his other 4th quarter stats since you didn't, and he averages 3.7 fga and .9 TO.
Iverson on the other hand, has his best quarter in the 4th. His pps is at 1.405 in the fourth, up from 1.368, 1.395, 1.375 in the first 3 quarters. He also averages only .6 TO in the fourth, down from .9, .8, .9 in the first 3. His assists remain the same throughout all four at 1.8. and he averages 4.2 fga in the fourth.
Again, either all that is the result of the extra attention Melo gets, or the fact that Iverson is just really really clutch. I'm sure everyone can agree it has more to do with the former than anything else.
First of all, Iverson only averages 4.2 more fga than Melo in the 4th, despite playing more minutes (9.6 to Melo's 7.9). Secondly, based on the stats, on average you would/should want the ball in Iverson's hands in the fourth quarter as he's more efficient and makes more happen with the ball (assists).
If you want to disagree with how things went down on a game by game basis in the fourth, that's fine (eg. last GS game); however, if you want to complain in Melo's favor based on the entire season, the stats don't support you.
Another thing I just looked up and should be factored, in all 4 quarters at least 55% of Melo's shots are assisted (someone else gets the assist). Iverson on the other hand has no quarter higher than 35% assisted. His two lowest are 23% and 25% in the second and fourth quarters. This isn't an "all-telling" stat, but it's obvious Melo needs to be set up more than Iverson, yet you'd prefer that Melo be isolated late in the game as opposed to Iverson.
This also takes me to my next point, that ball-handling is also a major factor what happens late in the game. Just like against Melo, teams do (or try to) adjust to Lebron late in games. The reason Lebron's production is still up is because his ballhandling is far superior to Melo's. You can give Lebron the ball at the other team's basket, let alone 15-20 feet out, and he'll be just as effective, but you can't do the same for Melo. Melo is most effective when he get's the ball 15-20 feet from the basket. Therefore, it's much harder to defend Lebron in the 4th than it is Melo.
v.
