JJ is having a great year. But Powell is just more efficient in Dallas’s fast lineups, which are also their best lineups
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25583225/10-things-like-including-steph-curry-nba 2. Figuring out DeAndre Jordan turning into a statue Jordan is emerging as the ultimate stats-versus-eye-test guy this season. He ranks third among ESPN's defensive real plus-minus, behind only Robert Glovington and Marc Gasol. A lot of proprietary team analytics paint him as average or slightly above average. Meanwhile, I see a lot of this: Vid The Mavs have clearly told Jordan to plant himself near the rim, dissuade enemies, and rebound everything. Jordan is on pace to lead the league in individual defensive rebounding rate for the second straight year; the Mavs rank fourth as a team. He rarely fouls. Only seven teams have allowed a lower share of opponent shots at the rim than Dallas, per Cleaning The Glass. Perimeter defenders stay home on shooters instead of helping on drives, knowing Jordan is there. But, my man, could you bother, like, moving and jumping now and then? Vid Jordan challenges only four shots per game at the basket, a remarkably low number considering he lives in the block-charge circle. Opponents shoot at the rim at the same rate against Dallas regardless of whether Jordan is on the floor. The Mavs' defense is way stingier when he is on the bench. There also has to be a spiritual cost to witnessing Jordan's temporary calcification. Trust can erode when teammates funnel their guys toward Jordan, only to watch him chill with his hands at his sides. Jordan plays like a man saving his jumps for offense, and counting stats. The Mavs have no stylistic flexibility with him on the floor. And yet: Some advanced numbers are saying another thing. The Mavs still defend at a borderline top-10-level with Jordan on the floor. The Mavs' bench might appear stingier than it really is; they get to defend backups. There must be more value than the eye test suggests in Jordan's brand of strategic do-nothingness. Leap at too many shots, and you expose the offensive glass and quick interior passes that lead to even easier dunks. But Jordan is erring too far in the direction of nothingness. You can't convince me he's as good as those numbers suggest.
So the entire point of this (8 page now??????) thread WAS in fact to sh** on Clint Capela. Congrats on your major accomplishment! Here you go:
Nope. It is about helping you understand the value of the center position and the devaluing of a centers impact on winning unless he's an all-world defender that can defend both the perimeter, paint, and rim and still rebound and/or shoot the 3. When a center can't shot the 3 and they are not the class of defender that can both cover the 3 while getting back to the paint to defend and rebound....they are JUST ANOTHER BIG MAN in a vast sea of limited big men in today's game. Their role on a championship team is to eat minutes during the regular season playing against inferior teams that can be beat with them running the little PnR or hiding out baseline (garbage man) while the other four guys move the offensive action. But when it comes to winning a championship they need to sit in favor of a small ball 5 that can both either/both shoot the 3 and/or switch defend drivers and shooters on the perimeter while defending the paint and controlling the glass.
https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article224556330.html The Mavericks reportedly will not look to re-sign DeAndre Jordan as a free agent this summer. The uber-athletic Jordan will be 31 when he hits the open market this summer, and the Mavs don't want to commit massive money to a guy whose play could drop off precipitously as his athleticism declines. It sounds like the Mavs would like to add a big at the deadline to make this decision easier, with Dennis Smith Jr. being their primary trade chip.
