Omri Casspi cannot guard elite big PFs – Math or Myth?

Hi all!

I see tons of posts arguing that the main problem with playing Casspi as our 4
is that he can't guard big, physical 4's like Randolph, Boozer etc.
The issue was mostly stressed by many CF's in CXbby's recent thread 'Start Asik or Casspi'
(Twin Towers vs Stretch-4).

Well, you can't avoid the fact that Omri IS undersized for a PF, at least in the NBA,
and especially when the main alternatives in our squad are DH12 (in Twin Towers formation)
or 7ft DMo…

Still – when so many of us here state this as a fact, I can’t help but wonder –
Is this notion really based on hard evidence, or just a knee-jerk concept?
I would really like to check this out (with your help) based on our previous
preseason games, but also in the future, as the season unfolds:

Can Omri Casspi guard elite big PFs?

I need your help in this follow-up, as I'm not sure I have the info resources for the task…

Meanwhile, just to get the feel of it – a short non-methodical probe:

In our last game with the Grizzlies, I noted that the NBA TV commentator actually commended Casspi -
at least once - for his defense on ZBo, (Denying him of the pass sometime in Q1).

Hence, I decided to take a look at our last preseason game vs the Grizzlies with Casspi/Asik on court,
and specifically at the way we handled ZBo (below), as I figured he is one fine specimen
of the kind of players that Casspi is supposedly struggling against.


I feel that need to add some reservations right up front:

1. That's just a pitch for others to follow. One game is a VERY small sample, and on top of that –
it WAS preseason.

2. After the way the game started (9:0 with the Twin Towers…) the "Shock and Owe" effect
may have been carried over to influence ZBo's game for the rest of the night…

3. Having Casspi on court without Asik usually means, of course, having Casspi and DH12 on court…
(But then again - having Dwight as backup is a part of the deal for anyone on our front-court,
and it's the very reason we CAN play stretch-4 for such long minutes.
Also - I remind you that Dwight had Marc Gasol on his hands…)


So what are the nums?

All in all ZBo only played about 24 minutes, and Casspi – less than 20.
Casspi only shared the court with Randolph very briefly (4.5 minutes in 3 short stretches).
Interesting enough – it wasn't because McHale tried to spare Casspi of hardship and humiliation!
In 2 out of 3 cases it was Joerger, Memphis coach, who took ZBo out
just 1-2 minutes after Casspi started guarding him.
I find that intriguing – If indeed Casspi is a weak link in D, as some say,
not to mention when he's guarding Randolph, shouldn't an NBA coach try to maximize and exploit that?

Code:

Our Lineup	          ZBo's Minutes     ZBo's score    Asik's/Casspi's score      Comments
================================================================================================================

1. Asik [B][COLOR="SeaGreen"]in[/COLOR][/B] & Casspi [COLOR="Red"]out[/COLOR]	     12	               4	                4	
(Mainly Twin Towers)

2. Casspi [B][COLOR="SeaGreen"]in[/COLOR][/B] & Asik [COLOR="red"]out[/COLOR]	     4.5	        2	                 5	       No field goals for ZBo on Casspi
                                                                                       'And-1' for Casspi on ZBo

3. Asik & Casspi both [B][COLOR="SeaGreen"]in[/COLOR][/B]     1.5	        2	                 0
(No Dwight…)

================================================================================================================

Total	                     18	               8	                 9	

I don't know about you, but it doesn't seem like Casspi got slaughtered in there…
Looks more like Dwight is the decisive factor.

Oh, and BTW – the best anti-ZBo lineup was:

Code:

Our Lineup	             ZBo's Minutes      ZBo's score 
=============================================================

4. Asik & Casspi both [COLOR="Red"]out[/COLOR]          6               2	
(Mostly DH12 + DMo)
     
=============================================================

 

Now THAT's hard evidence,
(oh mighty Lithuanian God of facts...)
Thanks for helping me see the light!

 

Yes, me too...
And how long was it when DMo left Zalgiris Kaunas to join the Rockets?

 

Please read my post again...

I ASKED for evidence, and for wider samples from YOU, fellow CFs.
I MADE CLEAR mine were no stats but a glance at one preseason game.
I NEVER IMPLIED I was even trying to propose an answer to the question in my thread.

Why is a thread a FAIL if it poses just a question for others to answer?

How come no one could offer an answer based on anything other than their own feelings, beliefs, convictions and/or prejudice?
what's so brilliant about NO SAMPLE?
Why would it trump over a SMALL sample?
Why R U all so reluctant to even try and get a BIGGER sample?

I saw that I was already called stupid in this thread, so I love an intelligent (based in Intel) response to help me wisen up.