Blackjack
01-25-2010, 01:34 PM
Small-Ball and Defensive Rating
by Timothy Varner
This is a short addendum to the Rockets/Spurs recap (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/23/houston-rockets-116-san-antonio-spurs-109/) just down the page.
Why does Gregg Popovich like to play small?
As I wrote over the weekend, the Spurs’ forays into small-ballish lineups garner a certain amount of success. But for many fans–those who grew up on a twin towers approach to defending the lane–this doesn’t sit well. Those fans aren’t asking for the return of David Robinson. They’d happily accept a lane clogger after the fashion of Rasho Nesterovic or Nazr Mohammed. Their complaint is not that small-ball doesn’t produce points, or at least that’s not what I hear them saying. Their complaint is that small-ball gives the Spurs a different defensive identity.
How does small-ball factor into the Spurs’ overall defensive play? Stats geeks of the world unite.
Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/25/small-ball-and-defensive-rating/)
See also:
Matt Moore Makes Charts (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/25/matt-moore-makes-graphs/)
by Timothy Varner
This is a short addendum to the Rockets/Spurs recap (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/23/houston-rockets-116-san-antonio-spurs-109/) just down the page.
Why does Gregg Popovich like to play small?
As I wrote over the weekend, the Spurs’ forays into small-ballish lineups garner a certain amount of success. But for many fans–those who grew up on a twin towers approach to defending the lane–this doesn’t sit well. Those fans aren’t asking for the return of David Robinson. They’d happily accept a lane clogger after the fashion of Rasho Nesterovic or Nazr Mohammed. Their complaint is not that small-ball doesn’t produce points, or at least that’s not what I hear them saying. Their complaint is that small-ball gives the Spurs a different defensive identity.
How does small-ball factor into the Spurs’ overall defensive play? Stats geeks of the world unite.
Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/25/small-ball-and-defensive-rating/)
See also:
Matt Moore Makes Charts (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/01/25/matt-moore-makes-graphs/)