Post#1275 » by fatal9 » Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:38 pm
Here are +/- of Magic/KAJ/Worthy during the playoff run. I didn't do the first round as I didn't have one of the games, but it was inconsequential anyways as they faced an injury riddled sub .500 Suns team. I did this a while ago, felt like I had to to show KAJ's value after I watched the playoff games. The Blazer series was actually from an article from LA times that looked at +/- to show KAJ and Cooper's value (if you want to read it, I can post it) while rest of the +/- I recorded while watching the games (I think I did save in the document when they went in and out if someone wants to check the stats).
WCSF vs. Blazers:
KAJ: +14.4 ppg when on. -3.4 ppg when off. Net +17.8
Magic: + 9.6 ppg when on. +1.4 ppg when off. Net +8.2
Worthy: +9.2 ppg when on. +1.8 ppg when off. Net +7.4
WCF vs. Nuggets +/- stats and on/off:
KAJ: +19 ppg when on, -7.2 when off. Net +26.2.
Magic: +14 ppg when on, -2.2 when off. Net +16.2.
Worthy: +6.4 ppg when on, +5.4 when off. Net +1.
Finals vs. Celtics:
Kareem – +7.83 ppg when on. -5.17 ppg when off. Net = +13.
Magic – +5.83 ppg when on. -3.17 ppg when off. Net = + 9.
Worthy – +3.83 ppg when on. – 1.17 ppg when off. Net = +5.
Total for playoffs:
KAJ = +214. +13.38 ppg when on. -5.25 ppg when off. Net = +18.6
Magic = +153. +9.56 ppg when on. -1.44 ppg when off. Net = +11
Worthy = +101. +6.31 ppg when on. +1.81 ppg when off. Net = +4.5
The results are just so consistent and the separation between KAJ and the next Laker is huge. Just don't think Magic was hands down the best player on the team as the voting would suggest.
Regarding KAJ and Magic, I and seems like most people at the time thought it was 1A and 1B. Kareem was the #1 option on offense, their best half court player, the only player on the team who was regularly double teamed (opened up outside shots for Cooper and Scott, often didn't get an assist as the ball swings after he kicks it out), and while not being as great as he once was defensively, his length was still a huge factor in changing shots around the rim. Magic's role goes without saying, dominate in transition, rebound, run the offense, create plays. I don't view '85 Magic the same way I do '87 Magic ('87 version was a much much better half court player). Realistically, there was only one team they had to beat to get the championship and Kareem was who put them over the top. Magic could be relied on to be a 36+ minute guy and do the heavy lifting minutes wise, while Kareem at that stage of his career probably couldn't. That might have been what it came down for most voters in the end, but I find it near impossible to say who the best player on that team was. Even looking at their PER (which I'm not a big fan of but it adjusts for minutes), it is virtually identical for the two in both the RS and playoffs (both had major intangibles they brought to the team, Kareem was a bigger defensive presence however).