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How Good is Beverley on defense?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by jtr, Dec 7, 2014.

  1. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    This analysis uses SportsVU data. Please do not respond with unreliable old defensive stats unless it is xRAPM. Even the experts could not make heads or tails of of those defensive stats because of confounding factors such as different line ups.

    There are only two things that come to my mind that are not covered by the SportsVU data. Steals and teams just going away from the offensive option because of the defensive player. Steals you will have to dig into yourself. Avoiding an offensive option can be inferred from the data by the number of opposing players FGA.

    A short explanation of the data. The more negative the rightmost column is, the better the defensive player.

    Beverley
    [​IMG]
    Curry
    [​IMG]
    Paul
    [​IMG]
    Parker
    [​IMG]
    Lowrey
    [​IMG]
    Rondo
    [​IMG]

    One thing that becomes completely obvious is that Rondo is incredibly over rated on defense. Another obvious thing is that Bev is the best defensive PG in the league. I actually was surprised at how good Curry is on the defensive front.
     
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  2. J Sizzle

    J Sizzle Member

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    Precisely why he shouldn't be let go.
     
  3. VBG

    VBG Member

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    Well, even this stat is a little skewed. The Celtics interior defense and defensive scheme is horrific. They really just rely on a lot of ball pressure from their guards but when your bigs are Olynyk and Sullinger it's just hard to have good numbers.

    It's like how Rubio had bad numbers on some individual defensive stats last year despite being a fantastic defender. The Wolves scheme and have Pekovic/Love not really moving on pick and rolls and never fouling really made him look worse.


    But that's all just tangential. Bev is an awesome defender. He's one of the few at the PG position who truly change the game defensively.
     
  4. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    SportsVU data tracks individual player on player shots. Then it adjusts for each individual players overall FG%. If a switch occurs on defense SportsVU accounts for it. You just cannot get more precise than that.
     
  5. JHarden713

    JHarden713 Member

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    2nd best defensive PG in the league

    Rondo is still better, how many active PGs can guard LeBron James, like Rondo did? None
     
  6. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    I believe this data has issues when a guy loses his man.
     
  7. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    Is that an issue? Since it uses play by play video analysis it should be ridiculously good at assigning blame. It accounts for defensive switches. I have no idea how it assigns responsibility if a player has a wide open shot. No data analysis tool will ever be 100% accurate. But it certainly is one heck of a lot better than anything fans have ever had.
     
  8. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    I'm convinced Beverley will always be elite defensively due to his mentality and skill set. His tenacity is far too much for most opposing PGs to overcome. Psychologically, he seems to know how to get in their heads. His Chicago street ball 'gamesmanship' really does come through.

    That being said, I'd like for him to cutdown on silly fouls in the backcourt. Seems like he loses composure after turnovers and commits untimely fouls far away from the basket.

    At any rate, he's already among my all-time favorite Rockets competitors (up there with Mr. Mean, Mad Max, Elie, Hayes and Sura).

    Really hope he retires a Rocket.
     
  9. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    God I loved watching Mad Max.
     
  10. TheRealAllpro

    TheRealAllpro Morey only fan

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    What this data says to me is that defensive really is about effort.
     
  11. Sadboy

    Sadboy Member

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    Bev still the better fit for this team. Can Rondo rebound like Wolverine?
     
  12. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    It also tells me it's about skill, agility, intelligence, team strategy and individual game planning.
     
  13. oakdogg

    oakdogg Contributing Member

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    Beverley is the perfect 3&D player at a position where 3&D players are least valued (PG's are expected to be playmakers). Fortunately for the Rockets, the team doesn't need his playmaking as much with Harden doing his thing, so Beverley is the perfect PG for the Rockets.
     
  14. JHarden713

    JHarden713 Member

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    Are you serious?

    Rondo is averaging 7.4 rebounds per game
     
  15. photojoe

    photojoe Member

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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  16. TheRealAllpro

    TheRealAllpro Morey only fan

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    Lol thats good...I'm just saying Curry is a plus defender and Rondo is a minus. Why would that be? Maybe because its easier to give defensive effort when you are winning.
     
  17. SC1211

    SC1211 Contributing Member
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    Where did you pull this data from? Having trouble finding it on nba.com
     
  18. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    Yeah, I see what you mean but the difference between Boston's and GSW's record isn't 'effort'. It's all those other things mentioned. So it's not really fair to say Rondo is a poor defender merely because of poor effort.

    At the end of the day, it's about team basketball. That's why scheme, strategy and overall talent on the floor is so crucial.
     
  19. photojoe

    photojoe Member

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    Maybe it also has to do with the fact that GSW can put their good defenders (Thompson, Iguodala, Green) on the other team's best offensive players and hide Curry on the other team's weak offensive player, while still having one of the best interior defenders (Bogut) in the game behind them.

    Ranking individual defenders is so hard because defense is such a team game.
     
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  20. try

    try Member

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    Select player -> Stats -> Tracking -> Defense Dashboard
     

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