The 2 for 1 debate

Might not be the place for it but reading BSH's comment about Amare, that is the reason I would go Gasol over Jordan. Without freakish athleticism Jordan is Timofy Mozgoz (if that). Over the next few years Jordan might be able to jump out the gym, but on the tail end of that contract you are going to be looking to move him for day old mashed potatoes and cut up credit cards. Father Time is undefeated, and he will take athletecism as quickly as its presented. Gasol on the other hand will still have his basic pedestrian skills as they don't require 1/4 the athletecism that Jordan's do. So he will age like Tim Duncan.

But all of that is neither here nor there.

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Originally Posted by iNolaNightmare

Is Jrue as elite defensively as we think he is?

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I'll take Jrue Holiday triggering the on-ball defense any day of the week. In that first matchup in OKC, stealing the ball from Westbrook and feeding AD for the game-winner was classic! Mind you, that play happened with three minutes remaining in the game and pushed us ahead 101-99. The Thunder nor Westbrook scored a point in that duration and ends with Jrue stopping Russell's penetration by poking the ball loose and forcing a missed jumper from beyond the arc to preserve the win. I'll take my chances with Jrue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSPL0ndox6E

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Originally Posted by RENFO

I'll take Jrue Holiday triggering the on-ball defense any day of the week. In that first matchup in OKC, stealing the ball from Westbrook and feeding AD for the game-winner was classic! Mind you, that play happened with three minutes remaining in the game and pushed us ahead 101-99. The Thunder nor Westbrook scored a point in that duration and ends with Jrue stopping Russell's penetration by poking the ball loose and forcing a missed jumper from beyond the arc to preserve the win. I'll take my chances with Jrue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSPL0ndox6E

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I agree with you. Jrue may give up some points, but he's a pest. I was just simply pointing out the stat.

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Originally Posted by iNolaNightmare

I agree with you. Jrue may give up some points, but he's a pest. I was just simply pointing out the stat.

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I hear ya. It's all good! :)

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Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

An interesting thing to me is the perception that D'Antoni is a bad coach. Why? Because of record. Yet the same guy was considered a great coach years before. Why? Because of record.

It can't be this simple. It just can't.

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It's not about wins and losses. Its about his ability to coach a certain style on offense and having no ability to coach defense. Plus, when he left his teams, they never got worse (like in Phoenix) and actually improved (New York).

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Originally Posted by N.O.Bronco

This stuff isn't the be all end all and is still in its infancy when you think about it, but it was a little disheartening to see that both Monty and Demps are pretty skeptical and adverse to using analytics in their decision making.

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Why do you say this? Is it because of that ESPN list? The way the team has played this season seems to say otherwise. For offense, 3pt shots and shots at the rim are up, mid-range shots are down, team creates a hell of a large amount of open shots. On defense, they successfully limit 3PA, especially corner 3s. Those choices all stem from decisions based on analytics, imo.