Misleading stats and Shane Battier

tobiazz

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I don't see any thread that was ever written on this article, but it is a must read from 2009, and helps explain how this Suns team is the best in years despite having less star power than previous Suns teams.

While mentioning Nash and Kobe, it mostly discusses how Shane Battier is a much better player than his primary statistics suggest because his actions on the court generally lead to the best outcome for his team rather than his own stats. I think the Suns have a number of such players.

Annoying version:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

Print version:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?_r=3&pagewanted=print
 

Drop D

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Thank you, tobiazz.

I found it very interesting. Especially the tips for guarding Kobe and the parallels with Dudley. You can see Jared block the vision of players in the act of shooting instead of just putting his hand up as well.

-Dennis
 
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tobiazz

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Battier sent his dossier on Kobe to Grant Hill, nice! Sorry to keep bumping my own thread, but it is very topical right now.
 

Absolute Zero

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Battier sent his dossier on Kobe to Grant Hill, nice! Sorry to keep bumping my own thread, but it is very topical right now.


40 points later, that dossier couldn't play defense worth a damn.
 
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tobiazz

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40 points later, that dossier couldn't play defense worth a damn.

Either you didn't read or comprehend the article, but it's not about keeping Kobe from scoring, it's about making him take less efficient shots than he would otherwise. Grant Hill was doing that (e.g. hand in the face) until he was saddled with cheap fouls.
 

Absolute Zero

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Either you didn't read or comprehend the article, but it's not about keeping Kobe from scoring, it's about making him take less efficient shots than he would otherwise. Grant Hill was doing that (e.g. hand in the face) until he was saddled with cheap fouls.


I get it, and the concept. They discussed this on the broadcast last night and showed clips of Battier and then showed Hill. Hill's defense wasn't even close. Kobe had a few self imposed difficult shots. But his shooting percentage was over 50%. So I don't care what Shane shared, it didn't have an effect.
 

Superbone

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I get it, and the concept. They discussed this on the broadcast last night and showed clips of Battier and then showed Hill. Hill's defense wasn't even close. Kobe had a few self imposed difficult shots. But his shooting percentage was over 50%. So I don't care what Shane shared, it didn't have an effect.

It did. Kobe only scored 16 when Hill was guarding him.
 
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