Comments on: Morning Coffee – Nov 20

By: Buddahfan

Buddahfan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:15:31 +0000

The only reason that some people consider the NBA season to be too long is because of the huge influx of International players who go home for the summer and play competiviely there.

Take away the international players then except for the team that make it to the NBA Finals and once in every 4 years for the Olympics and the NBA season is just fine.

It is the football season that is too long.

By: Buddahfan

Buddahfan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:41:45 +0000

Unless they worked for the government. In that case they would probably get promoted.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:34:10 +0000

If the Raptors were an employee they would have been fired along time ago. Under acheivers in every sense of the word.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:32:37 +0000

There is a difference between not playing competitively and not training. Do you think LeBron, Wade, Kobe etc. shut it down for the summer? Never ever ever!!! My point was that he “rested” all summer to be fresh and 12 games into the season he is complaining about being tired. Which is it? You can’t take the summer off and then complain about fatigue!!!! He is a chump.

Cuban doesn’t want guys playing international ball but he probably suggests lifting a weight or maybe some cardio with a jump shot mixed in might help?

The Raptors are the most frustrating team in the NBA…Maybe sports!!!! Has this team ever surpassed expectations in its 15 year history? No.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:19:55 +0000

I think the Raps were fine with Jose taking the summer off. Many teams want their players rested at the start of the season and in shape for the stretch run and subsequent playoffs.

Mark Cuban has been vocal about not wanting his players, specifically Nowitzki to be playing for their national teams in the summer. Popovich has said the same thing in San Antonio. Duncan now takes the entire summer and even training camp off.

The NBA season is much too long, and there has been lobbying in the past to have 20 games shaved off and/or the playoffs shortened. It would be a good idea.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:57:32 +0000

We spend 5 mil a year on Jack (who has done Jack) and Calderon watches TV all summer instead of training like all the GOOD PLAYERS DO and 12 games into the season Jose is tired? Is this guy a professional athlete or what? I am so sick of excuses from the Raptors. They always talk about their potential but they do absolutely nothing to reach it. Jack and Hedo clearly got paid and decided they don’t need to give an effort anymore. The Raps should have seen it coming from Hedo bacause anyone who would take an extra 3 mil to play for Toronto over Portland clearly doesn’t care about winning. Enjoy your paychecks boys. I guess the money spends with or without the wins.

Bosh is the only player putting out above expectations and shockingly he’s in a contract year. This team is so disheartening to watch its sad. I am almost to the point where I am going to stop watching. The effort is a joke.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:07:15 +0000

Good use advanced stats in this post. I think I’d look at two others. Evans has alarmingly high turnover% numbers. Last year 21% — one out of five — of all possessions with Evans on the floor ended in a turnover by Evans. That’s a typical season for him. Also, his field goal shooting is disastrously low for a guy who hangs around the hoop all the time. His 2-point field goal percentage is .468 career, and he’s a horrible foul shooter.

When you miss field goals and foul shots, your team typically gives up possession of the ball, without scoring. Evans turns the ball over far too much, which starts fast breaks and leads to easy points for the bad guys.

What this all may mean is simply that Evans is an inefficient player. Compare him to Joakim Noah, who has similar rebounding percentages this year. Noah shoots 100 points higher at the line and from the field. He takes good shots and makes them. His turnover percentage this year is 14.8. Noah’s Ortg-Drtg this year yields a +20, to Evans’s career -1. The simple fact is Noah is an efficient, productive player and Evans is the opposite.

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By: Arsenalist

Arsenalist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:59:20 +0000

Technically speaking, you’re right. But it does make a difference when you throw a guy like that out on the floor during the second quarter when the team’s drifting. He’s a wake-up call to play harder and although his play is not that of a “game changer”, he can still prevent offensive rebounds which are always key parts of the big runs given up by teams.

Amir’s picking up as of late so I wonder how much of what Reggie brings is already covered, I suspect there’s still plenty of room for him to play (whenever Bargnani’s screwing up on defense).

By: yertu damkule

yertu damkule — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:52:28 +0000

yeah, i was wondering wtf feschuk was thinking when he wrote that evans would actually help the raps defense. granted, rebounding is a key part of defense, but strictly as a defender, evans is, to put it mildly, below average. but, when a guy is as gawd-awful offensively as he is, even if his defense ain’t great, that aspect gets played up. and he is a good hustle-guy, rebounder, garbage man, intimidator. so there’s that. but he’s no game-changer, since they can’t afford to have him on the court for extended continuous minutes…short bursts at best. actually, you could say the same for amir. and rasho. fuck, you could say the same for most of the frontcourt…

By: Buddahfan

Buddahfan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:12:12 +0000

Evans – Do Stats Lie and Deceive?

High rebounding rate for sure

Per 36 minutes

2008 – 09 11.4
2007 – 08 11.7

however

2008-09

Roland Rating of -7.8 which was the 2nd worst of all 76ers who saw regular minutes

On court vs off court points allowed per 100 possessions – 111 vs 108
On court vs off court FGA% – 52% vs 50%

2007-08

Roland rating of -4.7 which the worst of all 76er players

On court vs off court points allowed per 100 possessions – 106 vs 108
On court vs off court FGA% – 51% vs 50%

So of the six stats listed above compiled by 82games.com five of them were negative, indicating that the team defense is worse when he is on the court then when he is not.

http://82games.com/teams07.htm

2008 – 09 Offensive Rating vs Defensive Rating – 102 vs 105
2007 – 08 Offensive Rating vs Defensive Rating – 97 vs 103

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/evansre01.html

The last two years as compiled by basketballreference.com his rating on offense was below his rating on defense indicating like the Roland Ratings that he has a overall negative impact on his team when he is on the court and his negative impact is even greater than the those he plays with at the time.

Almost everyone loves a banger who hustles but the quesstion is does all his banging and hustling make the team better or worse? Does his hustle make the team better?

It appears that at least in the case of Evans stats may lie and deceive? We shall see soon enough.