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Posted on Tue, Dec. 05
Varejao takes charge on defense for Cavs
Forward leads with 18 offensive fouls absorbed
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - At the end of each month, the Cavaliers player who draws the most charges gets a bonus from coach Mike Brown.
To Brown, drawing an offensive foul is one of the most exciting plays in the game. He has been known to plant kisses on his players' foreheads after they take one.
There is almost no suspense in the monthly contests anymore. The guy going home with all the cash, and the kisses, is always forward Anderson Varejao.
Varejao doesn't seem to get proper credit for it, but he might be the NBA's best at taking charges. This season, Varejao unofficially has drawn 18 offensive fouls in the Cavs' first 17 games, an incredible pace.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns' Raja Bell led the NBA by drawing 76 charges in 79 games. That's an impressive number.
Bell took one charge for every 38.9 minutes that he played.
Varejao ranked 30th in the league with 32 charges drawn last season, in part because he missed 34 games with a shoulder injury. He led the league by drawing one offensive foul for every 23 minutes that he played.
It is an important part of Varejao's game. Because he is not a gifted shot blocker, drawing charges is his way of creating turnovers.
This season, Varejao has increased the pace, drawing an offensive foul about once every 20 minutes on the floor. He already had one game this season in which he took four charges, and he took three in another.
He's on pace to lead the NBA in total offensive fouls drawn and fouls drawn per minute.
``It is about body position,'' Varejao said. ``You have to judge where the man is going to go and try to be ahead of him.''
The charge factor is just one facet of Varejao's versatility and agility that the Cavs take advantage of. He's probably the team's best pick-and-roll player because he's quick enough to get in position, yet big and strong enough to set solid screens. Paired with gifted passer LeBron James on the plays, Varejao can become an offensive weapon.
He's also good at finishing around the basket, the valuable aspect of the ``roll'' in basketball's most basic play. The Cavs have increased his pick-and-rolls this season, which is why he's averaging a career-high 7.1 points and leading the team in shooting at 56 percent.
Varejao honed those skills playing three years for FC Barcelona. In Europe, big men generally are more active and set more screens.
His raw talent and judgment seem to be as valuable as experience in getting his 6-foot-10 frame into position.
``I try not to let the man see where I am coming from. That is the best,'' Varejao said. ``If it is a screen or getting a charge, you don't want them to see you until it is too late.''
Hughes back?
Larry Hughes took part in Cavs practice Sunday in Houston and is expected to practice today, after the team took Monday off. His sprained ankle is holding up and he's improving. If everything goes well and there are no setbacks, there's a chance Hughes could return to the floor Wednesday when the Cavs play host to the Toronto Raptors.
Hughes has missed the past nine games with the injury.
Analyzing Gibson
Perhaps the sample is too small to be meaningful, but the stats suggest that rookie Daniel Gibson is helping the Cavs when he's on the floor. He has played in only seven of the team's 17 games and 82 minutes overall, but he has the highest plus/minus ranking of anyone on the team. That means the Cavs have outscored their opponents by the largest rate when Gibson, who is averaging 4.7 points, is on the floor.
Conversely, fellow rookie Shannon Brown, who has started the past four games in place of Hughes, has the worst plus/minus rating of any of the Cavs' regulars.
Of course, it is still early.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/basketball/nba/cleveland_cavaliers/16166941.htm
Varejao takes charge on defense for Cavs
Forward leads with 18 offensive fouls absorbed
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - At the end of each month, the Cavaliers player who draws the most charges gets a bonus from coach Mike Brown.
To Brown, drawing an offensive foul is one of the most exciting plays in the game. He has been known to plant kisses on his players' foreheads after they take one.
There is almost no suspense in the monthly contests anymore. The guy going home with all the cash, and the kisses, is always forward Anderson Varejao.
Varejao doesn't seem to get proper credit for it, but he might be the NBA's best at taking charges. This season, Varejao unofficially has drawn 18 offensive fouls in the Cavs' first 17 games, an incredible pace.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns' Raja Bell led the NBA by drawing 76 charges in 79 games. That's an impressive number.
Bell took one charge for every 38.9 minutes that he played.
Varejao ranked 30th in the league with 32 charges drawn last season, in part because he missed 34 games with a shoulder injury. He led the league by drawing one offensive foul for every 23 minutes that he played.
It is an important part of Varejao's game. Because he is not a gifted shot blocker, drawing charges is his way of creating turnovers.
This season, Varejao has increased the pace, drawing an offensive foul about once every 20 minutes on the floor. He already had one game this season in which he took four charges, and he took three in another.
He's on pace to lead the NBA in total offensive fouls drawn and fouls drawn per minute.
``It is about body position,'' Varejao said. ``You have to judge where the man is going to go and try to be ahead of him.''
The charge factor is just one facet of Varejao's versatility and agility that the Cavs take advantage of. He's probably the team's best pick-and-roll player because he's quick enough to get in position, yet big and strong enough to set solid screens. Paired with gifted passer LeBron James on the plays, Varejao can become an offensive weapon.
He's also good at finishing around the basket, the valuable aspect of the ``roll'' in basketball's most basic play. The Cavs have increased his pick-and-rolls this season, which is why he's averaging a career-high 7.1 points and leading the team in shooting at 56 percent.
Varejao honed those skills playing three years for FC Barcelona. In Europe, big men generally are more active and set more screens.
His raw talent and judgment seem to be as valuable as experience in getting his 6-foot-10 frame into position.
``I try not to let the man see where I am coming from. That is the best,'' Varejao said. ``If it is a screen or getting a charge, you don't want them to see you until it is too late.''
Hughes back?
Larry Hughes took part in Cavs practice Sunday in Houston and is expected to practice today, after the team took Monday off. His sprained ankle is holding up and he's improving. If everything goes well and there are no setbacks, there's a chance Hughes could return to the floor Wednesday when the Cavs play host to the Toronto Raptors.
Hughes has missed the past nine games with the injury.
Analyzing Gibson
Perhaps the sample is too small to be meaningful, but the stats suggest that rookie Daniel Gibson is helping the Cavs when he's on the floor. He has played in only seven of the team's 17 games and 82 minutes overall, but he has the highest plus/minus ranking of anyone on the team. That means the Cavs have outscored their opponents by the largest rate when Gibson, who is averaging 4.7 points, is on the floor.
Conversely, fellow rookie Shannon Brown, who has started the past four games in place of Hughes, has the worst plus/minus rating of any of the Cavs' regulars.
Of course, it is still early.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/basketball/nba/cleveland_cavaliers/16166941.htm
