tmorgan wrote:As most of you know, I'm a big stats guy, but I do understand context.
Dre has played much better this year -- from the line, obviously, but also in terms of defensive awareness and overall attitude on the court. I'm very pleased.
Somewhere down the line, though, someone is going to look at Dre's stats and try to say he became a better passer this year, too. His assists are way up, but we all know he's just taking a different role in the offense. Stats do lie, sometimes.
Well they would be correct...to an extent. If you play to someone's strengths they will achieve more.
Not all big men can play that top of the key swivel and distributor. Andre picked it up fast and it added a deadly angle to our offense. Its so effective because Andre is so damn mobile. Most(I mean most 90%+)of centers that are at the key, cannot put the ball on the floor and get to the basket with Andres skill and ball handling. He passes well and keeps the big from showing, opening up the entire offense, and its worked to great success predicated solely on Andres ability to pass, and to take his man when they cheat, or run straight to the rim for the lob.
Its amazingly effective. Add in his miraculous free throw transformation and he's only getting more and more aggressive.
This is all possible because Andre can pass the ball effectively from the top of the key.