Comments on: Why the Blazers Have Improved http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/ More Stories from The Wages of Wins Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:09:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Hugeback http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-60672 Hugeback Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:23:46 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-60672 It's quite wishy-washy, but let's consider the environment created by the other players on the floor. The most obvious way I see this in the 08-09 season is the Blazer's passing when Oden was on the floor his first few games. Frankly, Oden instantly became the focus of the opposing teams defense. The double-team on Oden allows Batum to pass to Blake to find the open man and Rudy shoots an uncontested three. I'm struggling to find exactly what I would like to say, but I believe I'm challenging the notion of Wins Produced as a measure of a player by citing intangibles. Say Player 1 has a below average WP, and Player 2 has an above average WP, and that they both play for the same team. Say opposing teams structure their defense specifically to stop Player 1 and accept that they do not cover Player 2 adequately. Because of the unmeasured qualities of Player 1, Player 2 has less coverage and receives better shots. Player 1, to keep the focus on himself (to keep the extra defense honest) must attempt some difficult shots. Thus, the numbers will indicate that Player 2's efforts produce wins whereas Player 1 is overvalued. It’s quite wishy-washy, but let’s consider the environment created by the other players on the floor.

The most obvious way I see this in the 08-09 season is the Blazer’s passing when Oden was on the floor his first few games. Frankly, Oden instantly became the focus of the opposing teams defense. The double-team on Oden allows Batum to pass to Blake to find the open man and Rudy shoots an uncontested three.

I’m struggling to find exactly what I would like to say, but I believe I’m challenging the notion of Wins Produced as a measure of a player by citing intangibles. Say Player 1 has a below average WP, and Player 2 has an above average WP, and that they both play for the same team. Say opposing teams structure their defense specifically to stop Player 1 and accept that they do not cover Player 2 adequately. Because of the unmeasured qualities of Player 1, Player 2 has less coverage and receives better shots. Player 1, to keep the focus on himself (to keep the extra defense honest) must attempt some difficult shots. Thus, the numbers will indicate that Player 2’s efforts produce wins whereas Player 1 is overvalued.

]]> By: Portland Hope « The Wages of Wins Journal http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-59487 Portland Hope « The Wages of Wins Journal Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:42:27 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-59487 [...] Beneath this table we can see another view that explains much of this improvement.  The second view considers how many wins the Blazers could have expected if Joel Przybilla, Steve Blake, and Channing Frye played as each did in 2005-06.  If we had expected these three players to return to what we saw two years ago, then our expectation for this team would have risen to nearly 33 wins. In sum, most of the improvement we saw in Portland this year was tied to Przybilla, Blake, and Frye returning to form (a point made last January).    [...] [...] Beneath this table we can see another view that explains much of this improvement.  The second view considers how many wins the Blazers could have expected if Joel Przybilla, Steve Blake, and Channing Frye played as each did in 2005-06.  If we had expected these three players to return to what we saw two years ago, then our expectation for this team would have risen to nearly 33 wins. In sum, most of the improvement we saw in Portland this year was tied to Przybilla, Blake, and Frye returning to form (a point made last January).    [...]

]]> By: nlj http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53484 nlj Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:59:59 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53484 Brandon Roy in games won this year (20): 22.5 ppg 5.1 reb 6.6 apg .483 fg pct 38.4 min in games lost (13): 14.8 ppg 4.0 reb 4.4 apg .378 fg pct 36.0 min I think Roy might be a little more critical to the Blazers improved play than your system credits. Brandon Roy in games won this year (20):
22.5 ppg 5.1 reb 6.6 apg .483 fg pct 38.4 min

in games lost (13):
14.8 ppg 4.0 reb 4.4 apg .378 fg pct 36.0 min

I think Roy might be a little more critical to the Blazers improved play than your system credits.

]]> By: Sam http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53369 Sam Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:35:28 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53369 James Jones is leading the league in 3 pt percentage. He's also a fine help defender. However he can't defend anybody 1 on 1 and he was a terribly streaky shooter with the Suns. That leads me to believe he will decline back to previous levels once his shooting cools off and teams take advantage of him on isolation plays. James Jones is leading the league in 3 pt percentage. He’s also a fine help defender. However he can’t defend anybody 1 on 1 and he was a terribly streaky shooter with the Suns. That leads me to believe he will decline back to previous levels once his shooting cools off and teams take advantage of him on isolation plays.

]]> By: friarminor http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53253 friarminor Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:15:45 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53253 Roy and Aldridge were consistent but I gotta give Outlaw and James the benefit of coming out and doing a heck of a contribution. Special thanks to the Suns for Jonesy! Roy and Aldridge were consistent but I gotta give Outlaw and James the benefit of coming out and doing a heck of a contribution.

Special thanks to the Suns for Jonesy!

]]> By: Jayb0 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53133 Jayb0 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:06:43 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53133 The Blazers are better because the outwork teams and overwhelm them with effort and sheer numbers. They have a bunch of guys who are focused and work hard, buying into Nate's system. Plus, Brandon Roy is a complete stud! The Blazers are better because the outwork teams and overwhelm them with effort and sheer numbers. They have a bunch of guys who are focused and work hard, buying into Nate’s system. Plus, Brandon Roy is a complete stud!

]]> By: grigs http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53117 grigs Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:36:59 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53117 The Blazer's season has really been two seasons: before December and after December. Roy was in a slump before December. If you are looking for answers, you need to narrow it to post-December numbers to see what has changed and what they are doing now. The Blazer’s season has really been two seasons: before December and after December. Roy was in a slump before December.

If you are looking for answers, you need to narrow it to post-December numbers to see what has changed and what they are doing now.

]]> By: Top Posts « WordPress.com http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53108 Top Posts « WordPress.com Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:59:26 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53108 [...] Why the Blazers Have Improved When the Blazers won the draft lottery and the rights to Greg Oden, people immediately expected Portland to improve in […] [...] [...] Why the Blazers Have Improved When the Blazers won the draft lottery and the rights to Greg Oden, people immediately expected Portland to improve in […] [...]

]]> By: shake'n'bake http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53098 shake'n'bake Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:58:24 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53098 It's Chemacterility! http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080102&sportCat=nba It’s Chemacterility!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080102&sportCat=nba

]]> By: Mark http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53088 Mark Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:27:59 +0000 http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/why-the-blazers-have-improved/#comment-53088 Westy, wash your mouth out with soap. Westy, wash your mouth out with soap.

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