Should I just change this to the playoff thread? Anyway, so my last post doesn’t get lost:
While we’re on the topic of Kobe–his numbers may be down but he’s leading the league in points per 48 minutes. I can’t tell if his reduced minutes are to save energy for the playoffs or because of wear and tear forcing him to take it easy, but if it’s the former than look for his numbers to go up to where they were in years prior when the playoffs start.
Should’ve named the thread NBA Playoffs 2011.
Good work OP 
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
Old: http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/music_movies_girls_life/20102011_nba_season_20?id=4306550&pageNo=45
Should I just change this to the playoff thread? Anyway, so my last post doesn’t get lost:
While we’re on the topic of Kobe–his numbers may be down but he’s leading the league in points per 48 minutes. I can’t tell if his reduced minutes are to save energy for the playoffs or because of wear and tear forcing him to take it easy, but if it’s the former than look for his numbers to go up to where they were in years prior when the playoffs start.
[/quote]
Last I checked this was the fewest mpg Bryant’s played since his second year, and he’s still putting up 25/5/5. That’s crazy. I think part of it is sto conserve him for the playoffs and part of it is to just give his body a rest. He’s put a lot of miles on his body and he’s dealt with some pretty gnarley inuries the last few years. I will say that this season he’s been jumping better than he has in the last 2 years. He’s gotten a lot more dunks [especially in traffic] that he didn’t get the last 2 seasons.
^lol maybe I’ll edit in a couple of days
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
Old: http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/music_movies_girls_life/20102011_nba_season_20?id=4306550&pageNo=45
Should I just change this to the playoff thread? Anyway, so my last post doesn’t get lost:
While we’re on the topic of Kobe–his numbers may be down but he’s leading the league in points per 48 minutes. I can’t tell if his reduced minutes are to save energy for the playoffs or because of wear and tear forcing him to take it easy, but if it’s the former than look for his numbers to go up to where they were in years prior when the playoffs start.
[/quote]
Last I checked this was the fewest mpg Bryant’s played since his second year, and he’s still putting up 25/5/5. That’s crazy. I think part of it is sto conserve him for the playoffs and part of it is to just give his body a rest. He’s put a lot of miles on his body and he’s dealt with some pretty gnarley inuries the last few years. I will say that this season he’s been jumping better than he has in the last 2 years. He’s gotten a lot more dunks [especially in traffic] that he didn’t get the last 2 seasons.[/quote]
He’s also putting up those stats because he’s putting up the 2nd most shots per minute of his career (2nd only to 05-06 when he was scoring 35 a game because he had D-League players as his supporting cast).
However the fact he is dead on his per minute averages for assists, rebounds and FT attemps is pretty damn impressive. He REALLY needs to stop taking 4.5 3s a game though, he’s shooting a ghastly 32.2% from behind the line. Cmon Kobe you don’t have to carry Smush Parker and Kwame Brown anymore!
Still a top-5 on my MVP ballot but not what he once was unfortunately
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
Old: http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/music_movies_girls_life/20102011_nba_season_20?id=4306550&pageNo=45
Should I just change this to the playoff thread? Anyway, so my last post doesn’t get lost:
While we’re on the topic of Kobe–his numbers may be down but he’s leading the league in points per 48 minutes. I can’t tell if his reduced minutes are to save energy for the playoffs or because of wear and tear forcing him to take it easy, but if it’s the former than look for his numbers to go up to where they were in years prior when the playoffs start.
[/quote]
To answer a different part of your post - generally the less minutes a player plays, the more efficient he is. So that is part of the equation, but Kobe is still really damn good.
To answer questions on the previous thread:
My picks: I hate going with the Bulls in the finals, given their lack of experience in deep playoff runs, but with their defense and the issues with the other teams in the East I really think they can take it. My West pick really depends on Bynum’s health.
EAST: Round 1 - Bulls, Magic, Heat, Celts… Round 2 - Bulls vs. Heat (upset special! No Kendrick = no one protecting vs. Wade/James)… EC Champs = Bulls
WEST: Very hard to pick, but I’ll go Round 1 (assuming current seeding holds through last games) - Lakers, OKC, Spurs, Blazers (upset special!)… Round 2 - Lakers, Spurs… WC Champs = Lakers
Given a healthy Bynum by then, Lakers over Bulls in 7. Rose lights up Fisher like a christmas tree, but the rest of the Bulls have trouble scoring and the Lakers’ talent in the top 6 players is too much.
Also - rajraj - yes a lot of people make the “better record” argument for rose but I am not one of those people. Rose’s supporting cast is 1000x better than Dwights and I’m not gonna penalize Dwight for that (though the MVP award is so incredibly nebulously defined that if you want to make that argument I can’t really say you’re wrong)
I’m gonna go with Bulls-Thunder in the Finals. With the Bulls winning in 6.
so I guess Bynum only has a “bone bruise” and “will be ok for the playoffs.”
we’ll see…
If you can’t directly compare their stats because they play different positions what can you compare?
This tells me how very little about basketball you actually know if you have to even ask this and really thought it was legitimate to compare a center’s FG % to a guard’s. Wow. Just wow.
And to answer the fuckers claiming I think Hollinger’s power rankings are flawed because of how he ranks the Lakers was an ignorant comment. If you followed it enough you would notice that he often had teams that werent playing well or had good records topping the list.
Also, I’m not going to spoonfeed you why their flawed. Do a google search.
[quote]randman wrote:
If you can’t directly compare their stats because they play different positions what can you compare?
This tells me how very little about basketball you actually know if you have to even ask this and really thought it was legitimate to compare a center’s FG % to a guard’s. Wow. Just wow.[/quote]
You missed the part where I said any sort of direct comparison you make between Dwight and Rose can be pointed to being not wholly accurate in some way.
I also clarified that Rose doesn’t well compared to others in his position either.
Because I don’t think getnitdone knows how to use google. Here you go punk:
You took one statistic FG % and compared him to other PGs. You neophytes keep trying to make the NBA a completely stat based sport. There is no one in the league that made his teammates better by his pure commitment to a new coach, and a new offensive and defensive system. No one. You can argue it all you want, I’m willing to bet he’s going to win and deservedly so.
I swear some of you guys know shit when it comes to basketball but argue your opinions like your scholars.
[quote]randman wrote:
You took one statistic FG % and compared him to other PGs. You neophytes keep trying to make the NBA a completely stat based sport. There is no one in the league that made his teammates better by his pure commitment to a new coach, and a new offensive and defensive system. No one. You can argue it all you want, I’m willing to bet he’s going to win and deservedly so.
I swear some of you guys know shit when it comes to basketball but argue your opinions like your scholars. [/quote]
That was ONE of MULTIPLE points made.
Try again.
No one is arguing who WILL win. We are arguing who SHOULD win.
There is very little “we” when it comes to DHoward, mostly “you”
[quote]gregron wrote:
so I guess Bynum only has a “bone bruise” and “will be ok for the playoffs.”
we’ll see…[/quote]
Dude, Im traveling so I didnt see it live but it looked season ending. I can’t believe he’ll be ready 2 play this weekend. I’ll take it.
Another article that rips apart all of Hollinger’s analysis rankings PER and power rankings.
All you have to do is go to google and type “Hollinger’s power rankings flawed” and go through the mountainous volume of articles debunking this idiot’s prowress of a basketball analyst trying to dehydrate basketball into pure “stats”. Yes, I’m talking to u sjc119 Aka the guy who laughs at player injuries.
so randman, what are your playoff predictions?
In my opinion it’s between the Thunder and the Lakers in the West and the Celtics and the Bulls in the East. Without Bynum, the Thunder are the longer team and would probably win even with the Lakers experience. But based on the most recent prognosis on Bynum, even a 50% Bynum in the Western conference finals I think would be enough to eke by the Thunder still. So I have to stick with my original prediction. Lakers in the west.
As for the east, I originally said Boston. But when Boston traded away Perkins I almost think that the Heat that I laughed off before would give them a lot more trouble in addition to Chicago. I am really really tempted to say Chicago in the East but I have to stick with my original prediction until the Celtics prove to me otherwise that their done. So it’s the Celtics in the East.
And the Lakers will win in 6. Gulp…I hate predicting…