With Lebron’s free agency less than four months away, everyone’s wondering what The King is going to do. He’s not going to tell us, of course, as that would ruin the suspense, but, like any attention-loving superstar, he’s enjoying the media’s endless coverage and speculation. Conventional wisdom has him either staying in Cleveland or heading to the Big Apple so where will he end up? Is there any way to know? We can analyze how much he says he loves New York and the Yankees versus how loyal he is to Cleveland, but that doesn’t really tell us much and, besides, he’s just intentionally adding drama to the story like any good suspense novelist would do.
So, it doesn’t matter that much what Lebron says, but what about things he actually does? The other week, Lebron filed paperwork to change his number to 6, his Olympic number. As others have suggested, it probably has less to do with paying homage to Jordan than it does with paying his bills (ok, more than just bills) via jersey sales. But, why bother changing your number to boost jersey sales if you’re going to be wearing new colors next year anyways? Hmm…could Lebron be telling us he might not be wearing new colors next year?
It’s hard to argue with the idea that Lebron is changing his number to boost jersey sales. Kobe did it and shot to number one on the jersey sales list and Lebron is surrounded by savvy business advisors who tell him to maximize his earning potential every day. It’s possible Lebron decided that with the Cavs being one of the dominant forces in the East and him feeling comfortable there, he doesn’t want to start over and, thus, he’s stuck with a Cavs jersey…so he’d better run and change his number if he wants to ever catch Kobe (in jersey sales or anything else).
Of course, we also have to keep in mind that Lebron has been dropping hints about this jersey change for a while (over a year, perhaps?) and this could mean nothing. He’s mentioned numerous times before that he doesn’t think anybody should wear #23. Then, some suggested he take the lead and stop wearing it (playing right into his hand) so he did. This has played out over some time so maybe he knew he was going to wear #6 regardless if it was Cleveland or New York. So, a jersey change doesn’t tell us everything, but, like everything else, you can read into it what you want. The timing sure is interesting.
Or, maybe you believe Lebron’s being completely candid about honoring MJ.
We were hoping you would just let it go, but two days after being called for traveling on your “Crab Dribble,” you’re still trying to convince us it was a legal move. We’re sure you’ve seen the video of you taking THREE steps by now, but if you haven’t, here it is again:
One, Two, Three…and Jalen Rose goes on to inform you that you’re even confused what a crab dribble is.
Since we are here to help you live up to your billing of The Chosen One, we wanted to inform you of 3 other moves that are illegal before you try them in a game. Please let us know if you find these helpful as we might let Donovan McNabb know about some NFL rules once he’s finished with the playoffs.
“The Chalk Move” - Your new commercial is nice, but make sure you don’t actually clap chalk into your opponents face DURING the game. For instance, do not dribble across half-court, scoop up some chalk, clap in your opponent’s face to blind them, and drive to the basket. This would most likely earn you a technical foul.
“The Tornado” - After hearing you talk about Crab Dribble and watching your footwork over your career, we get the feeling you think anything is illegal when you’re pivoting. We just wanted to let you know that you cannot just spin, spin, and spin to the basket without dribbling just because you are “pivoting.”
“Traveling” - An oldie, but a goodie. We understand you are aware of the rule, but we just wanted to give you yet another reminder since you…well, you do stuff like this:
We would have listed “The Charge,” but it seems you are allowed to get away with this one. Good luck!
Today, Tom Brady went down with a serious knee injury and it looks like he is done for the season. Brady is undoubtedly one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and has been practically injury-free throughout his career. In fact, he’s so injury free that his name appears on the team injury report every single week as a joke because everybody knows he will be out there. So, if Brady can get hurt, anybody can get hurt. Think about that. Any NBA player could go down in the 1st quarter of the 1st game this season…just like Brady. Brady is obviously one player no team could afford to lose, but who are the NBA’s most indispensable players?
Remember when David Robinson was injured (allegedly) in the ’96 – ’97 season to propel the Spurs to the bottom of the standings and top of the draft board? We’re looking for guys that would have that kind of effect on a season. In order, the top 5:
5. Joe Johnson – It’s hard to convince some people that anybody on a 37-win team could possibly be considered indispensable, but after JJ’s playoff performance against the Celtics last season, it’s hard not to be convinced. The Hawks could win 45+ this season, but if JJ goes down you’ll hear more about the Hawks in Letterman’s punch lines than you will in SportsCenter highlights.
4. Steve Nash – Nash was never the best player. He won back-to-back MVP awards for the sole reason that he is indispensable. It’s not hard to figure out why Amare Stoudemire is so well known for his power dunking.
3. Dwight Howard – Just looking at Orlando’s roster you’ve got to wonder how they managed to win 52 games last season. Howard, like Shaq in his prime, is a classic example of a guy who makes his teammates that much better just by drawing so much defensive attention.
2. Lebron James – Lebron does it all and the Cavs would certainly have fallen flat on their face in the past without the King, but things might finally be a little different this season. With Mo Williams in town, a little bit of the burden is lifted off Lebron. Just a little. He’s still indispensable.
1. Chris Paul – Paul showed how indispensable he was last season surprising the basketball world by taking the Hornets to 56 wins and a #2 seed in the West. David West is nice. So is Tyson Chandler. But, this team is lottery material without Paul.
Who do you think has that Tom Brady-esque quality of indispensability?
After the Disaster in Athens in 2004, Team USA has pretty much hit rock bottom, but now they’ve gotten the gold medal back and everyone surrounding the team is ecstatic. But, we thought it would be interesting to single out the 5 people who are the happiest about getting the gold back. Here’s the list.
5. Doug Collins – Doug’s son, Chris, is one of Coach K’s assistants on the Team USA staff and has said he’d be giving his gold medal to Doug who was cheated out of his own gold medal in the disputed 1972 Olympics. Doug, you finally got your gold medal, now stop talking about a game that happened 36 years ago!
4. Coach K – Just before Team USA went down in Athens in 2004, Coach K had turned down the Lakers, opting to continue coaching in the college ranks. Now, with a gold medal in hand, Coach K has quieted at least some of his doubters that he couldn’t coach a bunch of superstar millionaires.
3. Lebron James – All the players are happy about winning gold, but it’s extra important to Lebron as he won’t have to hear “Lebronze” anymore. That’s one nickname you’d rather not have.
2. Jerry Colangelo – Jerry assembled the team and it was always his goal to be seen as some sort of evil basketball genius. Well, you got your wish, Jerry.
1. Kobe Bryant – This one unfolded perfectly for Kobe. He didn’t play in 2004 or even in the 2006 World Championships, and he was the star of the gold medal game. The way it looks is that Kobe is the secret ingredient, like he’s Mr. Miyagi in his prime or something, the master of basketball excellence.
I’ve got no problem with NBC promoting Michael Phelps and Shawn Johnson as the best thing since sliced bread…they’ve had an amazing Olympics, but what’s with the treatment of Olympic basketball? Not televising any of the pool play in primetime is understandable, but now they aren’t going to show the medal round live at a reasonable time? If you want to catch tomorrow’s USA-Argentina semi-final showdown and you have a full-time job, you’re going to have to make up an excuse to get out of work. The game starts at 10:15 AM ET. This is single elimination against a team the USA has lost to the last two times they’ve faced each other! Want to watch the gold medal game? If you’re on the east coast, have fun staying up to 4:30 AM to watch the entire game.
It’s almost bizarre how little coverage the Redeem Team is getting. You’ll have no problem seeing Lebron James and Kobe Bryant watch some beach volleyball or watch Michael Phelps in the pool, but to watch them actually play basketball? No, how horrible! At least, that’s what NBC seems to think. They don’t even bother to show any of the day’s basketball highlights or give any scores in primetime. Have you seen a basketball score during their primetime coverage? Let me know if you have because I haven’t, nor have I seen a highlight. Sure, a hoops game takes two hours so you don’t have to show the whole thing, but could you spare us a few minutes? Come to think of it, you showed an entire marathon a few nights ago!
Of course, whoever made the Olympic schedule deserves a great deal of the blame as well (though, I’m sure NBC had a hand in that). It’s not like the schedule is completely booked either. Swimming, gymnastics, and to some extent track are compelling events and deserve their coverage, but diving, distance track events, and all the filler tear-jerker clips? No offense to any of those athletes, but I’m just asking for a little hoops coverage!
A lot of people didn’t pay much attention to Mo Williams last season and that’s understandable since he was playing in Milwaukee and in the shadow of Michael Redd and even Andrew Bogut, but that is all going to change this season now that he’s in Cleveland. This trade is huge for Cleveland. It’s just what the doctor ordered if that doctor is Lebron James. Mo Williams, in case you had forgotten, brings an average of 17 points and 6 dimes to the Cavs, taking a whole lot of pressure off The King. No more Sasha Pavlovic at point guard, no more Damon Jones pouting on the bench. Larry Hughes couldn’t deliver as Lebron’s sidekick a few years ago, but Mo Williams will.
This puts the Cavs right in the mix in the East. They are serious contenders to the Celtics and Pistons. Given that the Celtics will be a year older and less motivated, the door is wide open for Lebron James. For the first time in his career, he’ll be able to trust that his teammates can get it done when he needs a breather. I’m not ready to call the Cavs the East champions, but I’m getting close.
When I first heard the rumors that the Greek team Olympiakos was going to make a run at Lebron in 2010, I didn’t take it seriously at all. I figured they had no chance at luring James away who makes enough money to feed even Latrell Sprewell’s family here in the USA, but now I’m having second thoughts. ESPN is reporting Lebron would seriously consider leaving if he were offered $50 million per year! He couldn’t even make $20 million a year here (poor soul) given the NBA salary cap so maybe Lebron is thinking about it? I have to admit it’s hard to turn down $50 million…and the opportunity to make history.
According to “sources close to Lebron,” he’d view it as an opportunity to popularize himself overseas and become rich enough to build a statue of himself so large that it can be seen from anywhere on the planet, or even from space. Lebron also would like to see David Stern down on his knees begging him to come back while Jay-Z raps his new hit “The League is Mine.” Ok, I’m getting carried away…
But, seriously, can the Greek team pay that much and would Lebron accept? I don’t know if we have the answer right now (any Euro basketball experts out there?). The fact that this is even a possibility should be a bit troubling to the NBA. We’ve already seen numerous players leave for foreign leagues this year so its clear the NBA is no longer the only business in town. The NBA sees these players as replaceable, and they are right now, but you can only lose so many players before your product begins to decline. A lot of people would claim the league is already watered down and it’s not going to get any better if you’re losing players to other leagues on a regular basis.
The only problem for the NBA here is there ain’t much they can do about it. You either let the free market rule and scrap the salary cap, letting Lebron make $50 million here. But, that’d turn the NBA into MLB and the Knicks would actually be good, meeting the Lakers in the Finals every year. Or, you work with the foreign leagues and add some of their teams to the NBA, creating a logistical nightmare. Neither of those options are any good so the NBA needs to find a middle ground and at least do something. Either that or they can sit on their hands like they did with the referee crisis and risk going the way of the ABA.
The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed in principle to trade Yi Jianlian to the New Jersey Nets for Richard Jefferson, two league sources told SI.com.
It seems the Nets are absolutely making way for Lebron James when he becomes a free agent. And, Yi gets a chance to play in a big market that he really wanted to. The Bucks certainly improve, but they’ll need more than RJ to be a factor in the East. We’ll have more on this tomorrow.
It’s a quote you hear rather often watching NBA telecasts. Usually it seems pretty accurate and its hard to argue with, but do our eyes deceive us? I decided to take a look at who the most consistent players in the league really are. And, then I’ll analyze whether or not coaches can make their team more consistent by playing their guys consistent minutes.
First, a word on the methodology. If you ever took statistics, you’ve heard of the standard deviation (SD), and, everyone knows what an average is. Well, if you took even more statistics, you might have heard of the coefficient of variation (CV), which is simply the SD divided by the average. The CV tells us how widely dispersed a sample is, or, on the flip side, how consistent it is. A low CV means the sample is consistent. The useful property of the CV, for our purposes, is that it can be compared between players even when their averages aren’t close (ie. Lebron James‘ scoring consistency can be compared to Kwame Brown‘s), and, thus, we can use it to rank every player in the league in terms of consistency.
So, without further ado, here are the 10 most consistent scorers in the 2007-08 regular season:
Player
PP48
SD
CV
Corey
Maggette
29.71
6.61
0.22
Amare
Stoudemire
35.58
8.23
0.23
LeBron
James
35.76
8.44
0.24
Andre
Iguodala
24.11
6.13
0.25
Carmelo
Anthony
34.13
8.83
0.26
Kevin
Garnett
27.69
7.35
0.27
Allen
Iverson
30.62
8.14
0.27
Kobe
Bryant
34.89
9.32
0.27
Dwyane
Wade
30.18
8.10
0.27
Yao
Ming
28.03
7.66
0.27
As you probably would have guessed, the highest scorers are generally the most consistent scorers as they can count on their shot attempts from game to game while role players take what they can get. It would be very unlikely a player could average, say 10 points per game, and consistently do that every game. Kevin Garnett and Andre Iguodala, though, stand out a bit given their lower averages, relatively speaking. If a longer list were listed, you would see that Chris Kaman is the only guy in the top 30 who averages less than 15 PPG.
And, now here are the 10 players who get the most consistent minutes:
Player
MPG
SD
CV
Richard
Jefferson
38.98
3.81
0.10
Al
Jefferson
35.52
3.63
0.10
Andre
Iguodala
39.52
4.40
0.11
LeBron
James
40.27
4.86
0.12
Lamar
Odom
38.07
4.76
0.13
Rashard
Lewis
38.06
4.77
0.13
Tony
Parker
33.49
4.19
0.13
Antawn
Jamison
38.75
4.85
0.13
Dirk
Nowitzki
35.97
4.57
0.13
Caron
Butler
39.76
5.08
0.13
So, interestingly, there is an overlap of two players who are on both top 10 lists (Andre Iguodala and Lebron James). Of course these players are both stars and you would expect them to rank in at least the top 30, but it’s curious why other stars aren’t ranking. Kevin Martin, for example, was the 7th leading scorer this season, but ranked only 44th in scoring consistency. Could this possibly have something do to with the fact that he got only the 29th most consistent minutes in the league? Would Kings coach Reggie Theus get more consistency out of his top scorer if he were to give him more consistent minutes? Not surprisingly, the injury-prone Tracy McGrady ranked the least consistent scorer of anyone averaging over 20 PPG.
This all leads us to the question of whether or not coaches would be wise to play their players on a more consistent basis to get more consistent scoring output. What is the correlation between consistency of minutes and consistency of scoring? Correlation, to refresh your memory, is a number between -1 and 1, indicating how closely related two variables are in either a negative or positive direction. A correlation over 0.5 is considered strong in the positive direction.
It is probably not surprising, then, that if we take all the players in the league we get a very strong correlation of 0.79 between consistency of scoring and consistency of minutes. This is a very strong correlation, but not all that useful since we already know that players who don’t play much are less consistent than those who play regularly (in other words, if a guy is so consistent, he’d probably be playing more anyways). It’s a lot more useful to break the players down into groups based on their MPG. So here is what we get:
MPG
Correlation
Less than 10
0.37
10 to 19.99
0.60
20 to 29.99
0.51
30 or more
0.53
Looking at those numbers above, one can make a good argument that guys who get the most consistent minutes score more consistently. Even for players who play less than 10 minutes per game, there is a moderate correlation. It’s really intriguing when you look at the 30 or more category. We might assume that guys who are playing 30 or more minutes must be pretty consistent as a group to earn that kind of time, but the numbers show that the more consistent their burn the most consistent their scoring is.
So, are you surprised by any of the names on the list or the results?
Loading ...
Be the First to Comment