NBA Gauntlet

Albert “Al” Harrington Out With Head Ridges

Harris Beringer — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:24:05 +0000

Al Harrington, blissfully unaware

Al Harrington, the leading scorer last season for the New York Knicks, is expected to miss the rest of the season with previously undiagnosed ridges in his cranium.

About ten years ago, Harrington began to wonder why sweat tended to channel down his head, like head rivers. Headbands and questionable hairstyles followed, but they only dealt with the symptoms, not the underlying issue. As the side effects were beginning to hamper his career, Harrington decided to find an answer to this medical mystery before becoming a free agent this summer.

Rendering of the possible progression if left untreated

Naturally, Al went to the foremost NBA physician, Dr. Julius Erving. Dr. J, a respected Orthopaedic surgeon, hypothesizes that the ridges may have begun to apply pressure to a number of areas of Harrington’s brain. This would cause a tendency to drive, head-first, to the basket. Head ridges may also reduce peripheral vision, limiting Harrington’s passing ability. The deepening creases also make any physical contact unbearable, so defense is mostly impossible.

Donnie Walsh announcing the medical condition

Treatment includes exposure to a green goo found only in New Jersey, ironically similar to the substance that is believed to have caused the condition. Dr. J expects a full recovery after 3-4 months, but makes no promises. “There is a very good chance Al will reach his potential, and dominate the NBA the way Donnie Walsh expected when he drafted him in 1998, and traded for him in 2006 and 2008. However, we might only be able to halt the progress of the condition. In that case, he would be the same frustrating talent that Donnie Walsh traded away in 2004 and 2007.”

In related news, Shane Battier has decided to retire after his head ridges ripped right through his eyes.

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Danilo Gallinari vs. Eric Gordon

Harris Beringer — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:44:13 +0000

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Rooster vs. EJ, the nickname challenged

With the 6th pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected Danilo Gallinari, a 6′10″ forward with a sweet stroke, questionable defensive ability, limited assists, and a health issue. Some experts clamored for Eric Gordon, the 6′3″ guard with a sweet stroke, questionable defensive ability, limited assists, and a health issue. Danilo was 225 pounds and too thin to defend other forwards. Eric was 225 pounds and too heavy to defend other guards.

Statistical gurus like John Hollinger projected bad things for each of them. Danilo’s shot wouldn’t translate to the U.S. Eric Gordon’s game would fall short of NBA standards, considering his poor shooting percentage and abundant turnovers. Of course, his projections didn’t consider Eric Gordon’s injuries or his style of play.

Each player shows tantalizing potential this season, with increased minutes and excellent shooting percentages. Some still claim the Knicks should have gone with Brook Lopez, who would have transformed the Knicks, at least in theory. If he’s such a good defender, why have the Nets been 24th in the league in defense the past two seasons?

There were two other guys the Knicks should have considered drafting or acquiring. Marreese Speights, picked 16th by Philadelphia, has been the statistical stud of the draft so far. Anthony Randolph has received rave reviews down in Golden State.

Yet since they were focused on a three point shooter to spread the floor, who should they have chosen?

Danilo: 22.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 APG

Just scored a career-high 30 points in one game.
He’s no longer hampered by a back injury.
Danilo’s on pace to nearly double the record for three pointers in a season.
His rooster celebration is one of the best in the game.
He might be able to learn defense from his father, a star European defender in his day.

Eric: 18.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.0 APG

He has injured his wrist, ankle, and hamstring in the past few years, but appears healthy now.
This season, he has increased his assists and cut down on turnovers.
At PG and SG, he outplayed his counterpart (though still allowed a high PER).
His nickname is EJ. That must be the worst nickname in the league.
He might have played even better if he wasn’t on the worst team last year.

Maybe it’s too early to tell, since number one pick and last year’s rookie of the year, Derrick Rose, is playing like trash. But even if we can’t put too much stock in the current numbers, you can see their abilities. You can imagine their potential. That’s what makes projections fun. Also, don’t say nicknames are pointless. Nicknames are marketable, and a team wants to be able to market its players.

Which rising shooter should have been picked sixth in the 2008 draft?

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Something’s Different About Melo

Harris Beringer — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:52:44 +0000

Carmelo Anthony has not been the same player this season. Articles across the country have lauded him for an improved all-around game. Surely his stats are more balanced since his rebounding and assist numbers increased, but that does not mean he plays better basketball overall.

His rebound rate ranks among the top for small forwards, but the increase can be attributed to the departure of Marcus Camby, who previously snagged those boards. No one else on the team rebounds well, and someone has to get the ball.

His shooting percentages are at a career low, and his possessions result in turnovers at a far higher percentage than ever before. Melo apologists cite a sore elbow, but great players learn to deal with injuries.

For the stat geeks out there, Carmelo’s PER has fallen to 16 this season, after three straight seasons between 21.1 and 22.1. Can we really blame the elbow?

Here are the top 4 possibilities why Carmelo is missing shots and making more mistakes:

He’s hurt
Usually when someone’s arm hurts, they can’t shoot or dribble as well.
Solution: He is still making free throws, so he should try to limit himself to high percentage shots. Carmelo has never shown good shot selection, but this time he really should try.
He’s too fat
He reportedly lost 9 pounds in the offseason, slimming down from 245 to 236. However, he does not look any thinner. Athletes often say they lost weight, packed on muscle, or are in the best shape of their lives. Usually lies. His NBA profile lists him at 230, but that was probably his rookie weight. This article mentions 228-230 is Melo’s ideal weight. He weighed 220 at Syracuse. Maybe his chef is too good.
Solution: He may lose his personal chef, Daniel Young. Young cooked for Obama at the DNC, and may be moving to the White House.
He got a haircut
Everyone knows unique hair helps you play better. Look at Ben Wallace. No one cares about his hair anymore, and he plays like an old man.
Solution: Shave a nugget into his hair.
The Nuggets need a new shooting coach
Does anyone remember JR Smith? This was supposed to be his breakout season. His assists and rebounds are at career highs (sound familiar?), but he can’t buy a bucket.
Solution: Is Reggie Miller available?

Do you think Carmelo can recover and post his fourth straight excellent season?

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Tayshaun Prince vs. Luol Deng

Harris Beringer — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:09:56 +0000

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Tayshaun vs. Deng

Tayshaun Durell Prince grew up in Compton, and moved on up, sorta, to Kentucky and now Detroit. This must have hardened him up, since he has a quite a reputation as a durable defensive specialist. He parlayed this onto a spot on the US Olympic team, and won a gold medal. Clearly, Prince is a glue guy who would be a welcome addition to any other team, right?

A certain Chicago Bull might contest that idea. The Bulls’ starting small forward was once considered one of the top young players in the game, and was part of a proposed trade for Kobe Bryant. However, after one down year, he is now off the radar. He too has an interesting background. Luol Deng is from Wow, Sudan (which sounds pretty exciting). He was overrated, and his defense is nothing special, right?

Well, maybe Tayshan and Luol are a better gauntlet pairing than you may think. Check out the vital stats first:

Tayshaun: 13.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.3 APG

Has not missed a single game the past five years.
His numbers fell last season, but only because he played fewer minutes per game.
Tayshaun’s assist/turnover ratio greatly improved last season.
Prince has much greater shooting range than Deng.
He has been a winner at every level.
He has been All-Defensive (2nd team) the past four years.

Luol: 17.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.5 APG

He is five years younger.
Though his per game numbers fell, this was the result of playing fewer minutes per game. His per 36 minute averages remained almost exactly the same.
His team was poorly coached and had no chemistry last year.
Deng shoots at a much higher percentage than Tayshaun Prince.
Deng’s PER is much higher, while Tayshaun is just average (around 15).

In 14 head to head games, each player’s team won 7. Deng, perhaps underrated defensively, has held Prince to 37% shooting. He has drawn two fouls per game from Prince, who normally only fouls about once a game. All evidence points to Deng being underrated, and Prince being supported by some reputation that he has never earned.

Who deserves more recognition?

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Ron Artest vs. Caron Butler

Harris Beringer — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:35:48 +0000

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Ron vs. Caron

They’re both 28 years old, prone to missing games, spent two years in college, have been traded a couple of times, and are members of high-powered trios. Artest joins McGrady and Yao this season, while Caron continues to play with Arenas and Jamison.

They each also rank among the league leaders in steals, although Ron Artest is more heralded for his defense.

They each have a somewhat menacing appearance, with Ron sporting large muscles and words shaved in his head, and Caron showing off some ink of a skull on his arm.

These two players have much in common, but their names are not among the similarities.

Ron is short for Ronald, from Queensbridge, NY. He says he grew up in the streets and always follows that code of honor. No one, including fans, may disrespect him or his friends.

Caron is Mr. Butler’s middle name. James Butler, born in Wisconsin, went to high school in Maine and college in Connecticut, does not sound like a very dangerous sort of guy. Naturally, he went with Caron and got the aforementioned skull tattoo.

Background aside, who would you rather have on your team right now?

Ron Artest: 20.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG

Each time he missed games, his team was much worse.
He won Defensive Player of the Year in 2003-2004.
He was selected to the 2004 All-Star game.
He played well in his sole All-Star game appearance, unlike Caron.
His PER has improved every year except the 2005-2006 season, when he was traded from Indiana to Sacramento.
Artest had to play with Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, and numerous other bad influences.
He is fiercely devoted to his teammates- he now loves Yao Ming.
Knicks fans have been depressed for the last 9 years that the team drafted Weis over him.

Caron Butler: 20.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.9 APG

He was an All-Star in 2007 and 2008.
Caron’s PER has risen each season except his second, when Miami imported a bunch of new players, and he could never get in a rhythm.
He greatly improved his passing and shooting last year, and helped the Wizards make the playoffs despite a major injury to Gilbert Arenas.
Last year, he had a higher PER and Win Score than Ron Artest.
He has played second fiddle to Arenas, Bryant, and Wade, and clearly plays better without them.
He is less likely to retire, join the Knicks, or release a music album.

In 11 head to head games, Artest has held Butler to 37% shooting. Last season, Butler shot only 29% against Artest. Defense matters quite a bit.

Who would you rather have by your side?

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Paul Pierce vs. Carmelo Anthony

Harris Beringer — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:36:44 +0000

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The Truth vs. Melo

In this battle we have the self-proclaimed “best player in the world” against the versatile young snitch-hater.

When Paul Pierce was interviewed by the Spanish newspaper Marca, he revealed that he thinks he is the best player in the world. He attributes this statement to confidence, not conceit.

He also said that LeBron is the most difficult player to defend, Magic Johnson is one of his idols, and his teammates are his favorite players.

In response to a question, he said that Gilbert Arenas is better than Jose Calderon because Calderon has room for improvement, but Arenas is already a superstar. Those years in Spanish class really paid off.

Carmelo has among the most egomaniac websites around. He enjoys photography and blogging, and recently was published by the NY Times. To be fair, many would be doing the same things if in his position.

Last year, Pierce and Anthony were voted All-NBA (3rd team). Their PER and scoring numbers over the past few seasons have been similar. Let’s see the argument for each:

Paul Pierce: 19.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.5 APG

Pierce won a ring with the Celtics in 2007-2008.
The Celtics were terrible when he missed 2006-2007 with an injury.
He returned from a critical stabbing injury early in his career.
He managed to play with Antoine Walker.
He has been a much more accomplished passer, despite playing on some lousy teams.
Pierce is a better three-point shooter and gets to the line more often than Carmelo.
He never ran away during an NBA fight.

Carmelo: 25.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.4 APG

He won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.
Melo had the fifth most popular jersey last year, while Pierce’s jersey was 13th.
He greatly improved his rebounding last year, and had a career high in field goal percentage.
He ranked one spot higher in MVP voting last year.
He only needed one year of college, and he won the NCAA tournament that year.
Pierce has been blamed for Team USA’s past failures.

To level the playing field a bit, consider that Pierce could not put up as great numbers as usual since he was on a team filled with all-stars. In addition, the Denver Nuggets played at one of the fastest paces, which allowed Carmelo to score more often and collect more rebounds.

Which all-star is more justified in his self-promotion?

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Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James

Harris Beringer — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:44:48 +0000

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Doberman vs. King James

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James routinely factor into the discussion for MVP candidates. Each year, they have among the highest scoring averages, PERs, Win Shares, and any other metric commonly used to determine the best basketball player.

Last year, LeBron flirted with a triple double for the season, but slowed down a bit as the season progressed. Even so, he still ended up with numbers that would often win the MVP. Unfortunately for him, many players had compelling arguments for the MVP award. The highest rated by many metrics were Kobe and LeBron.

Kobe: 28.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.4 APG

Kobe won the MVP, followed by Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard.
Kobe was the best player on the second best team in the NBA.
LeBron’s team was just average in a worse conference.
Kobe prides himself on defense and frequently asks to guard the opposing team’s top scorer.
Kobe shoots better from three point range.
He plays more like Michael Jordan, the most popular basketball player ever.
Some voters thought Kobe was “due” for the award after many fantastic seasons.

LeBron: 30 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG

ESPN conducted a poll and determined LeBron should win MVP.
Of course, LeBron had a much weaker supporting cast, so you can’t blame him for winning fewer games.
LeBron also has none of Kobe’s character issues. He has never asked to be traded, was never indicted for a major crime, never changed his uniform number, and doesn’t complain about bad teammates.
LeBron also has posted many great seasons back to back, yet still hasn’t gotten recognition. Also, if they’re including a whole career in MVP discussion, why did Chris Paul end up second?

Did MVP voters made a mistake?

The MVP just counts the regular season, so how do they compare in the postseason?

They have each carried their teams through the playoffs, but could not win a championship without an all-star sidekick.

In NBA Finals, each man faltered when confronted with stifling defense. LeBron and his Cavs were swept in the 2007 NBA Finals by the Spurs, who had won four championships in nine years. Kobe and the Lakers could not handle the intense pressure applied by the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals.

If we just compare how each man’s team did against the Boston Celtics last year, LeBron has a definite edge. LeBron and the Cavs pushed the Celtics to 7 games.

Which Nike shoe salesman would you rather have on your team?

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Cavs 2008-09 Preview: Is Mo Williams an Upgrade?

Harris Beringer — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:36:18 +0000

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a bold push to improve the team and retain LeBron James in the future. In a three team deal with Oklahoma City and Milwaukee, the Cavs brought in Mo Williams and sent out Damon Jones and Joe Smith.

But is Mo Williams, who turns 26 this season, an actual upgrade or a misguided attempt to make LeBron happy?

Though he is not an excellent facilitator or defender, Mo Williams has become an efficient scorer, and has improved each year. He also has been good on the boards.

Mo Williams, a scoring point guard, adds about 2.5 wins above average to a team in 2400 minutes, while Damon Jones is about 2.5 wins below average in just 1300 minutes.

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The remaining 1100 minutes that Mo Williams will take can come from any other less talented player, such as Devin Brown, who would be about two wins below average in that amount of time.

The loss of Joe Smith, an above average power forward, would create minutes for rookie J.J. Hickson, who should figure to be have a fairly successful rookie season, about one win below average.

Add everything together and you see that the team should win about six more games. The young players like Daniel Gibson should improve a bit and Sasha Pavlovic should recover from a dreadful season.

However, the team must hope that Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas don’t age five years overnight. LeBron James will also need to find a way to stay fresh after a long off-season playing for team U.S.A.

2008-2009 Cavaliers Prediction: 51 Wins.

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Dwyane Wade vs. Gilbert Arenas

Harris Beringer — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:25:26 +0000

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Pookie vs. Agent Zero

Born just 11 days apart, a case can be made for each player.

Dwyane Wade carried the 2005-2006 Miami Heat to an NBA championship, but his frequent injuries and inefficient three point shot have held him back.

Gilbert Arenas, a prolific blogger and Halo player, also happens to put up great stats. He missed most of the 2007-2008 season with a knee injury, but has been durable for most of his other seasons.

Since half of Gilbert’s games played last season were basically a rehab assignment, we’ll use 2006-2007 stats to compare the two. In that season, Arenas was All-NBA 2nd team, Wade was All-NBA 3rd team. The previous year, the honors were reversed.

Wade: 27.4 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 SPG

Arenas: 28.4 PPG, 6.0 APG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG

These numbers are certainly comparable. If you add in an argument about Wade’s higher FG%, you can counter with Gilbert’s better 3PT%. Wade assisted on a higher percentage of his possessions, but also turned the ball over far more.

Many of Wade’s teammates on the US Olympic team say he’s healthy and better than ever. But could he break down again? Arenas had a summer to recover from his latest injury. Will the upcoming season be a showcase of each star’s return to prominence?

Which charismatic superstar would you rather have on your team?

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Baron Davis vs. Chauncey Billups

Harris Beringer — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:57:59 +0000

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Boom Dizzle vs. Mr. Big Shot

In this gauntlet matchup, we have the point guard who left his Warriors at the altar for the Clippers going against the PG who disappeared for the Pistons in the 2008 playoffs. That said, each floor general has had remarkable success over the past few years after spending years unable to capitalize on their talent.

Last year, each player put up all-star stats:

Baron Davis: 21.8 PPG, 7.6 APG, 2.3 SPG

He helped bring Golden State back to respectability.
Baron has a much cooler nickname.

Chauncey Billups: 16 PPG, 6.8 APG, 1.3 SPG

He won a ring with the Pistons in 2004.
Chauncey is regarded as a clutch shooter.

Based on the numbers NBA.com highlights, Baron Davis is a much better player.

However, Chauncey Billups excels in less-heralded stats such as True Shooting Percentage.

Plus, although Baron Davis racks up more assists per game, he also has many more possessions, and gets assists on a smaller percent of his possessions. So, which do you think is more important- getting an assist each time you have the ball, or having the ball more often because your team needs you to?

As a result of higher shooting percentages, lower turnover rate, and higher assist rate, Billups actually accumulated more Win Shares and Player Efficiency Rating. Unsure what that means? Check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Who would you rather have on your team?

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