Amuseddaysleeper
02-15-2012, 10:28 AM
Figured I'd combine the two since they probably don't deserve a thread each.
I know these rankings don't mean squat but I figured it is still interesting to know when the Spurs get props in the media:
Grantland Rookie Rankings:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7575190/rookie-rankings-including-klay-thompson-ricky-rubio-kawhi-leonard-more
3. Kawhi Leonard
Leonard has played most of his minutes at small forward and a few at power forward. His offensive rebound rate of 8.4 is well above the league average of 5.3, according to Hoopdata.com. On the defensive end, the 6-foot-7 Leonard's size allows him to be a very effective post defender. When players try to post up against Leonard, he holds them to 15.8 percent shooting and allows them to score only 0.458 points per possession. That places Leonard in the 98th percentile of NBA individual post defenders.
When small forwards try to post up Leonard, he does a good job of edging them out of the paint before they catch the ball. Once he's got them there, he's usually too big for them to back down. The result is often Leonard forcing players to shoot quick turnaround jumpers, and outside of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, not too many players have looked good taking those shots.
ESPN Power Rankings:
http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/7
#2
The annual Rodeo Road Trip is generally good to the Spurs, but this one looks like it'll go down as an all-timer. The Spurs figure to be 5-0 before their next tough test Feb. 18 in Clipperland, Duncan has four straight double-doubles after just five in his first 23 games ... and Manu just came back!
I know these rankings don't mean squat but I figured it is still interesting to know when the Spurs get props in the media:
Grantland Rookie Rankings:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7575190/rookie-rankings-including-klay-thompson-ricky-rubio-kawhi-leonard-more
3. Kawhi Leonard
Leonard has played most of his minutes at small forward and a few at power forward. His offensive rebound rate of 8.4 is well above the league average of 5.3, according to Hoopdata.com. On the defensive end, the 6-foot-7 Leonard's size allows him to be a very effective post defender. When players try to post up against Leonard, he holds them to 15.8 percent shooting and allows them to score only 0.458 points per possession. That places Leonard in the 98th percentile of NBA individual post defenders.
When small forwards try to post up Leonard, he does a good job of edging them out of the paint before they catch the ball. Once he's got them there, he's usually too big for them to back down. The result is often Leonard forcing players to shoot quick turnaround jumpers, and outside of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, not too many players have looked good taking those shots.
ESPN Power Rankings:
http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/7
#2
The annual Rodeo Road Trip is generally good to the Spurs, but this one looks like it'll go down as an all-timer. The Spurs figure to be 5-0 before their next tough test Feb. 18 in Clipperland, Duncan has four straight double-doubles after just five in his first 23 games ... and Manu just came back!