ACisKING
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As if this already wasnt the worst contract in the nba
As if this already wasnt the worst contract in the nba
A win for Dolan's checkbookHe doesn't get paid when suspended though, right? I'd call that a win for the Knicks. H aha
Noah being suspended hurts their tank, thoughHe doesn't get paid when suspended though, right? I'd call that a win for the Knicks. H aha
I'm gonna change my mind here. Had no idea the Suns were fouling late to try and get Booker more buckets. That's not as impressive.
LaMarcus Aldridge
We all know Aldridge is a gifted offensive player. As a brief aside, per Synergy Sports Technology (all statistics provided by Synergy unless otherwise noted), when Aldridge is posting-up on the left block and turns his left shoulder, he averages 1.06 points per possession in total, and 1.29 points per possession when he shoots his hook shot. Those are some of the best post-up numbers in the NBA.
[video]
When somebody explains to me how you are supposed to guard that, I will absolutely listen, because not one team or analyst has figured it out.
Anyways, as I was noting, Aldridge has played outstanding defense this season. The pick-and-roll seems to be reaching its peak in NBA fashion, but being able to guard it is crucial, as some of the best offensive teams – Cleveland, Golden State, Houston, and Toronto – can use it to decimate opponents.
Aldridge has become a very good “switch” defender. A switch occurs when an opponent sets a screen and the two defensive players switch assignments. On these plays, overall, LaMarcus is allowing only .84 points per possession, which ranks in the top 44% of NBA players.
Yet, the numbers bring even more into light. On 18% of pick-and-rolls Aldridge defends, the opposing team will set a screen and the ball handler will go away from pick. This forces the Spurs to either switch defenders on contact or to go over the screen and prevent the ball handler from having an easy lane to the basket. The Spurs “go over” on 34% of these plays, and Aldridge is the best at this in the association, giving up a measly .35 points per possession.
[video]
The first example in that video shows just how much Aldridge has transformed as a defensive player since his Portland days. He was able to go over and follow Harden preventing an easy drive to the hoop and then LaMarcus has a great close-out preventing an open three-pointer.
Moreover, when there is a switch on a pick-and-roll resulting in an isolation play, Aldridge allows .88 points per possession, which is in the top 44% of all NBA players.
This gets to the fact that Aldridge is an elite isolation defender when it occurs on the left (30.3% frequency) or right side (34.9% frequency) of the court. He allows .67 and .66 points per possession respectively.
Perhaps Aldridge’s worst defensive possessions come as an isolation defender on the top of the key (34.9% frequency), allowing 1.184 points per possession. Nonetheless, given how bad of a defender he was in Portland, his emergence as a positive defensive player this year has drastically improved San Antonio’s defense.
[video]
Aldridge’s ability to contain most isolation plays and switch on pick-and-rolls results in him being playable against teams like Golden State, Cleveland, and Houston who will try and get opposing bigs in unfavorable positions.
Booker scored 50 points in the 2nd half and turned the game from a 26 point blowout into a ten point loss..
the picture itself is pretty modest and this idea that a team should spend the entire postgame moping around and be too sad to take a group poto when their teammate makes history is ridiculous.
as fan if Young Kyrie had sored 70 as a 20 year old. we wouldn't give a shit if the team lost the game.
70 is an amazing accomplishment
That trade by Portland to get Nurkic was a freaking steal.
I've gotten a collection of old Lakers and Magic games that I've found on YouTube. I was just a young kid (eleven years old) during his last championship in LA, but I remember loving how dominant he was. Even watching his playoff games now, though, it's damn clear. In today's league I'd imagine Shaq would average close to 1.5 points per shot. Nobody could stop him physically.I wish Shaq was still in the league, or I was old enough to appreciate young Shaquille O'Neal.
Check out the first article I have written in a few months.
An In-Depth Look At How The Spurs’ Suffocating Defense Is Making Them The Best Team In The NBA
https://sportsbystats.com/2017/03/2...ense-is-making-them-the-best-team-in-the-nba/
I'll copy/paste the Aldridge section because it relates to what we talked about in this thread a few nights ago.