Well, the stats must be drinking some strong Kool Aid as well: Top players in the league by on-court team defensive rating: http://basketballvalue.com/topplayers.php?year=2007-2008&mode=summary&sortnumber=83&sortorder=ASC Top players in the league by on-court team defensive net (on/off) rating: http://basketballvalue.com/topplayers.php?year=2007-2008&mode=summary&sortnumber=85&sortorder=ASC Chuck Hayes is the *only* player in the league ranking in the top 10 in both categories. The Rockets are a whopping 97.58 def rtg when he is on the court. The only other players in the league with a better on-court defensive rating all play for the Celtics, who are by far the best defensive team in years.
Who chooses the defensive awards? Is it coaches or GM's or scouts? No. It's the media. A media that likes blocks and steals and big names. They don't like undrafted undersized power forwards that are only good for an "underdog morale" story.
It's a possibility that what you say is true. I posted something like this after this particular game. Because most tacticians think a move ahead of their opponent... taking Chuck out of that game was the most probable scenario after that intentional foul. Even the announcers for the Magic said something along the lines of VanGundy letting Adelman know if he kept Chuck in the game that they were going to foul him to force him to the FT line. Until they realized it was the first team foul. Then they were perplexed at the move. However, if Stan Van Gundy just wanted to break a rhythm of the offense, couldn't he do that in another way? Why get a foul when you can switch up the defense or do something else to stop the Rockets from scoring. Instead he fouls the guy Adelman knows can't hit a FT and effectively changes the players on the court to his advantage on the offensive end. He didn't disrupt our offense, because Chuck doesn't score. It's a debatable point, and I'd love to hear what SVG was thinking before he issued the order to do it. Knowing that he spent last year watching his brother coach this team, I think he had to know that Chuck was affecting the offense of Lewis, whether Lewis said anything or not. So he took a chance on Adelman jerking Chuck off the floor... and it worked. Edit: I apologize for responding twice in a row
Where is his all team defensive awards? Your answer is I don't know. Yep, that proves your theory about the GM's and coaches doesn't it? Well There it is! The Stats +/-. I had no idea that was the criteria for elite defenders, J Is Chuck as good as KG? Duncan? Elton Brand? Is he a better man defender than Ron Artest, Bowen, or Kobe? Bill Cartwright was known as a good position defender, as well as the likes of Kurt Thomas and even Kwame Brown, but they weren't even blasphemed as being in a group they don't belong in.
I don't want to hear the excuses. If Quinton Ross and Jason Collins can get honrable mentions then Mr Elite should get some too. It's just not the case, but I digress because this one isn't worth the time. I love Chuck's hustle, I love his fighting spirit, he has good taste in women, but on any other team Chuck Hayes is a full time bench player and that's the reality of the league. Maybe not the Rockets but of the rest of the NBA.
Where is your analysis and supporting evidence? The other folks offered plenty, all you are doing is meaningless b****ing. Offer something subustantial, please. Jonathan Feigan stated, and I quoted in an earlier thread, that recently when he talked to two front office folks from other teams about topics other than Chuck, they spent significant time raving about Chuck to him. If you heard front office people or scouts having a contrary opinion, please post them.
Last reply, I promise... Thinking about this more, I think whatever he was thinking SVG had a win-win situation with fouling Chuck. Basically he could continue to foul him while Adelman left him on the floor and reap the benefits of Chuck's eventual poor free throw shooting or get him out of the game and reap the benefits of the weaker defender with Scola or whoever replaced him.
Here you want someone in the media who likes Chuck... http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi...ory?columnist=hollinger_john&page=All-Defense
I don't like that people call it "hack-a-chuck." It doesn't sound good. I propose "Shuck-a-Chuck," or "Thug-a-Chuck."
Chuck is a good defender, good hands, position and effort. The only stats I would look at is how he defends Boozer, Duncan, Marion, Garnett, Dirk, West, Bosh, Wallace etc. all the bad boy PFs in the league. What are their stats against the Rockets, compared to their overall stats? That would show me something before I would use the word elite or lock-down.
Does he belong in their class of defenders? I say no and i'm sure you do too, and hayesfan using another statguy is doing the same thing J did. Hollinger said the Rockets would win it all didn't he? based on his stat driven articles. He gives the flopper Varejao the nod over and honorable mention to KG. NOW THAT is funny! I have nothing against Chuck nor his D, but elite defender is not what he is. That's my opinion anyhow.
Who exactly was going to take Rafer Alston? Incidentally, have you seen how they play *without* him? The team plays worse without him than when the Rockets play without Yao, or McGrady.
Wow, Almost every Celtics are top defender, and none other than out Luther Head makes the top list too. Long live the stats, LMAO.
The team play worse than mediocre without Rafer, for how many games? It is certainly not worse than being mediocre for two years and counting. How long will Yao and TMAC have to suffer Rafer? How much window do they have? PG is the most important position of a team. will Rafer compete with elite guards? No? what should we do? wait a rookie growing up while seeing Rafer logging 40 minutes a night? Morey, convince your boss, break then make.
Props to Morey for good work, but It's obvious that team needs another slasher as Morey said. hmph...
I am in total disagreement with the Rocket's organization regarding the starting lineup. Too, too many offensive liabilities. Too, too little overall talent. The current lineup without TMac is near comical. I would love to hear pre-game comments from other team's players about going against Alston, Head, Hayes, and Battier. I bet they aren't terrified. Have you recently compared lineups with the Suns, Spurs, Mavs, almost anybody? I think the Rockets are near delusional about some of their players, however, reality is knocking on the door.
You have to actually *understand* stats before making inferences. The Celtics have a team defensive efficiency rating of 97.0. That is ridiculous considering no other team has come close to that mark in the past 3 years, and overall offensive efficiency across the league has increased by a significant amount recently. The second best defensive team in the league is the Detroit Pistons at 103.6 (Rockets are #3 at 103.9). The reason why the entire Celtic team is at the top is because, well, they are averaging as a team 6 whole points better than the rest of the league. This is why I said recently -- most people like to dismiss stats because they either don't understand them (and are too lazy to try), or they can't handle anything that challenges their baseless opinions.
Give me a break, what you said is exactly why that stats is not that useful comparing across the teams for individual information, not the other way around. Who are these guys defensively until KG arrived?BTW, Rafer almost made top 10 in both lists too, being No. 11 on one and No. 10 on the other, Is Rafer a top 10 defender in the league also? How about Luther Head? ps. The list seems to change drastically when I try to resort them, strange.
