NBA 2016-2017 Season Thread

[LawrenceMD]

I've listened to Mike Woodson on ESPN NY radio (he's got a regular spot on the Stephen A. Smith show in the afternoon) and today he was just drowning in lame excuses: "other than the two blow out losses to good teams, we've been in every game"

yeah you shouldn't be having a "close game" against the Pelicans in MSG when they lose anthony davis in the 1st quarter to injury. you shouldn't be being blown out by San Antonio at home when the spurs starters played like less than 20min (classic coach Pop move).

woodson for some reason has Shumpert in his doghouse this whole year, after the argument shump had with melo over a blown defensive assignment (where shump was totally in the right) woodson sat shump for half of the 3rd and for the rest of the game. shump is sadly the knicks best defender right now, and potentially score near 15+pts/game with this garbage offense, but woodson is sitting him for god knows what reason (stumping his development).

i don't even like the knicks, but they are making hard for my ******* celtics to tank for wiggins.

 

[ethanm]

shump is sadly the knicks best defender right now,

There aren't really any statistics to prove that he is a good defender. Overrated and tradable.

 

[LawrenceMD]



There aren't really any statistics to prove that he is a good defender. Overrated and tradable. 

okay… lets go over this:

raymon felton
j.r. smith
iman shumpert
carmelo anthony
Andrea Bargnani

http://knickerblogger.net/2012-report-card-iman-shumpert/

if he was tradable he would've been traded by now. his value plummets (for the knicks or anyone) if he's not playing or developing. Andrea Bargnani is actually a competent on the ball defender, but suuuuuuuuccckks in any defensive system (which all NBA teams run).

 

[ethanm]

Defensive rating the last 3 seasons

Shump - 101, 106, 107

Felton - 109, 108, 110
Smith - 100, 106, 109
Carmelo - 102, 108, 108

The guy had a good rookie season with 2.5 defensive win shares but he's clearly not that player anymore.

 

[LawrenceMD]



Defensive rating the last 3 seasons

Shump - 101, 106, 107

Felton - 109, 108, 110
Smith - 100, 106, 109
Carmelo - 102, 108, 108

The guy had a good rookie season with 2.5 defensive win shares but he's clearly not that player anymore. 

i only care about shump because he's on my fantasy team but andrea is also on my team and has been a pleasant surprise.

 

[ethanm]

i only care about shump because he's on my fantasy team

but andrea is also on my team and has been a pleasant surprise.

It's the same thing you see everywhere. The ESPN talking heads label a guy based on their "gut feeling" and "knowledge" of the game and disregard the stats. Someday the Len Bermans and John Sterlings and Michael Kays of the world will be retired and reason will reign.

 

[LawrenceMD]



It's the same thing you see everywhere. The ESPN talking heads label a guy based on their "gut feeling" and "knowledge" of the game and disregard the stats. Someday the Len Bermans and John Sterlings and Michael Kays of the world will be retired and reason will reign.

I have a feeling the motion data stuff will eventually prove shump is a better defender than carmelo/felton/jr smith.

so far the motion data has only really pointed out malcom gladwell like stuff (seems very interesting, ends up being totally simple) like how the 2012 celtics were actually a fast brake/transitional team (which conventional talking heads would assume that an old team like the celtics are a half court team - but older teams actually score more in transition).

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[edmorel]



I've listened to Mike Woodson on ESPN NY radio (he's got a regular spot on the Stephen A. Smith show in the afternoon) and today he was just drowning in lame excuses: "other than the two blow out losses to good teams, we've been in every game"

yeah you shouldn't be having a "close game" against the Pelicans in MSG when they lose anthony davis in the 1st quarter to injury. you shouldn't be being blown out by San Antonio at home when the spurs starters played like less than 20min (classic coach Pop move).

woodson for some reason has Shumpert in his doghouse this whole year, after the argument shump had with melo over a blown defensive assignment (where shump was totally in the right) woodson sat shump for half of the 3rd and for the rest of the game. shump is sadly the knicks best defender right now, and potentially score near 15+pts/game with this garbage offense, but woodson is sitting him for god knows what reason (stumping his development).

i don't even like the knicks, but they are making hard for my ******* celtics to tank for wiggins.

So I just want to put this out there so that when things turn around I am not called a fair weather fan, even though I am sure I will be laughed at now. The Knicks have pretty much been in every game, even though their best defensive player and rebounder has been out and they have been learning how to integrate Bargnani into the offense.

The Knicks are not as bad a team as their record states, which is not saying much but they are actually playing well given the circumstances. Bargnani is having a better than expected year, he is terrific facing the basket from 18 feet in. He has fallen in love with the 3pt shot, where he is not as effective, but he is had been great inside the 3pt line. Defensively, where he is supposed to really suck, he has been stellar. He has turned out to be a really effective man to man defender, but he truly sucks balls on switches or team defense. He outplayed Howard, Drummond and Hibbert in one stretch. Ate them up defensively. Carmelo is having a good year, not as good as last year but not that far off. Smith is sucking, but he is coming off an operation and Shumpert will be fine, either he'll be traded (which I will hate) or he'll get back to his normal playing self once he is not traded. Woodson has shown that he hates young players and that once you get in his doghouse, you are done (see: Landry Fields/Tony Douglas/Jeremy Lin) but the Knicks will win in spite of him, not because of him.

Knicks biggest issue has been defending the rim. Tyson Chandler has basically been out the whole season. He will stabilize the team defensively once he get back. When you have a rim protector, just by him being on the floor, it changes the dynamic of the other teams offense, even without him actually doing anything. Also, with him back, Woodson should move Carmelo back to PF, move Bargnani to the bench (or small forward) where he can come in and provide a spark along with Smith. When you see the Knicks, they are so out of whack on the defensive end, guys literally screening other teammates, with Chandler back and the others back to their normal roles, I think that will change. And this Knicks team generates offense from their defense.

Also, here is a bigger laugher for you guys, I think Stats is actually looking real good. He is explosive around the rim again (obviously not back to Phoenix days), he has been getting stuffed but he is playing out of position and is still getting his timing back. Again, another awful defender but his career is not over.

Anyway, the TLR version. Knicks will be better (barring injury, Dolan trades) as the season moves on and this team is quite capable of making noise in the East and beating the Pacers in a series.

 

[indesertum]

Great article and interview on grantland about Lebron, spoelstra, the heats, and the changes they've made to their offensive sets over the years

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10080338/lebron-james-nba-most-highly-evolved-offense

 

[NAMOR]



I have a feeling the motion data stuff will eventually prove shump is a better defender than carmelo/felton/jr smith.

so far the motion data has only really pointed out malcom gladwell like stuff (seems very interesting, ends up being totally simple) like how the 2012 celtics were actually a fast brake/transitional team (which conventional talking heads would assume that an old team like the celtics are a half court team - but older teams actually score more in transition).

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

this is a fantastic video - mind blown

 

[Kid Nickels]

Nets got owned by that other ****** team... oh yeah, the Knicks. Hilarious.

 

[foodguy]

really interesting story on how the heat have evolved. sure we hate them, but they are playing good basketball, too.

 

[indesertum]



Great article and interview on grantland about Lebron, spoelstra, the heats, and the changes they've made to their offensive sets over the years

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10080338/lebron-james-nba-most-highly-evolved-offense

really interesting story on how the heat have evolved. sure we hate them, but they are playing good basketball, too.

Dude...

He wrote another story about how specifically lebrons game changed that is also a fun read. There's a link in that article in the first paragraph

 

[ethanm]

I don't hate the Heat! They're the only non-Knicks team I will sit down and watch.

 

[HRoi]

Good to see you guys finally coming around and loving the Heat like they love you