cd021
09-20-2013, 02:36 PM
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/12/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-100-51/?sct=nba_t2_a1 (http://http://nba.si.com/2013/09/12/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-100-51/?sct=nba_t2_a1) (100-51)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/17/nba-top-100-players-50-31-anthony-davis-josh-smith/?sct=nba_t2_a2 (50-31)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/18/nba-top-100-players-30-21-kevin-garnett-paul-george/?sct=nba_t2_a3 (http://http://nba.si.com/2013/09/18/nba-top-100-players-30-21-kevin-garnett-paul-george/?sct=nba_t2_a3) (30-21)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/19/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-20-11/?sct=nba_t2_a4 (20-11)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/?sct=nba_t2_a5 (http://http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/?sct=nba_t2_a5) (10-1)
Tiago Splitter-74th
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio Spurs (C, 28)
2012-13 stats: 24.7 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 24.7 MPG, 56.0 FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 18.7 PER, 8.2 Win Shares, +3.7 RAPM
Far too many consider Splitter to be a mere sidekick for Tim Duncan or a prop of Lebron James, but the Spurs’ center is one of the few big men capable of both high-level team defense and highly efficient pick-and-roll play. That combination makes him more or less ideal for the modern NBA, where the ability to navigate the space in the lane on both offense and defense is paramount. When looking to score, Splitter does a terrific job of hesitating on his rolls to the rim — a simple delay that allows him to capitalize on the gaps in the opponent’s coverage. The result? An impressive 66.3 percent shooting in pick-and-roll scenarios, with a healthy dose of drawn fouls to boot. Splitter also brings that same understanding of space and timing to wall off opponents from the paint, where he’s just quick enough to help against opposing guards before then recovering to his assigned man on-point. That he strikes that balance so consistently makes him quite a catch, no matter his limitations.
Danny Green-96th
"Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs (G, 26)
2012-13 stats: 27.5 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 44.8 FG%, 42.9 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 14.1 PER, 5.9 Win Shares, +0.4 RAPM Green is one of the league’s better three-and-D types, a classification that makes him amenable to most any team or system. The ability to guard multiple positions allows Green to complement his perimeter teammates through defensive cross-matching, while his elite three-point shooting helps the Spurs clear space for a high-functioning offense. Within that system he’s shown a knack for both scripted and unscripted offense, thriving in structure and chaos. Players who perform well under both conditions are rarer than they should be, but Green has an excellent feel for when to follow assigned cutting routes and when to break free for needed improvisation."
Manu Ginobili-56th
" Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (G, 36)
2012-13 stats: 23.2 MPG, 11.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 42.5 FG%, 35.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 19.0 PER, 4.5 Win Shares, +3.7 RAPM The end is in sight for San Antonio’s sixth man, and he toyed with the idea of retirement this summer after dealing with injuries and uneven play in the postseason. Ginobili might be a shell of his former self, but he’s still capable of magic, and his PER remains in the top five at his position. After a series of high-turnover, poor-shooting games in the postseason, Ginobili momentarily quieted his critics by delivering 24 points and 10 assists in San Antonio’s Game 5 victory against Miami in the Finals. How many two-guards in the game today are capable of a night like that on a stage like that? (Not many.) Yes, his body can no longer handle a huge workload over an 82-game season. And, yes, Kawhi Leonard has replaced him as San Antonio’s No. 3 guy. But Ginobili will remain one of the game’s most respected guards until he finally decides to hang it up. — B.G."
Kawhi Leonard-37th
"Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (F, 22)
2012-13 stats: 31.2 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 37.4 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 16.4 PER, 6.2 Win Shares, +1.5 RAPM
Plenty of players recalibrated their reputations during the 2013 playoffs, but Leonard is right there with Stephen Curry in a two-man race for best postseason breakout. The Spurs’ third-year forward is famous for rarely speaking, so we’ll gladly step in to shout his credentials: 13.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.8 steals, 55 percent shooting and 39 percent three-point shooting in 21 postseason games (San Antonio went 15-6). Not enough to impress you, even though Leonard turned pro after his sophomore year at San Diego State and slipped to the middle of the first round? Leonard shot 51.3 percent and had four double-doubles in seven Finals games against the Heat, playing unflappably despite intense pressure, up-and-down offensive performances from Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and the toughest defensive assignments imaginable.
When Leonard missed a key free throw in the closing seconds of regulation during Game 6, a shot that could have helped seal the title, he produced one of the purest “you can’t blame him because his team never would have been there without him” moments in basketball history. The focus here has been on his spring/summer coming-out party, but Leonard was a key cog in San Antonio’s machine all season, putting up a comically high +10.1 net rating. Gregg Popovich has indicated that he plans to retire whenever Tim Duncan does; Leonard’s potential, paired with Parker’s prime, makes a strong case for Pop to think twice about that exit strategy."
Tony Parker- 4th
"
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (G, 31)
2012-13 stats: 32.9 MPG, 20.3 PPG, 7.6 APG, 3 RPG, 52.2 FG%, 35.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 23 PER, 9.3 Win Shares, +3.3 RAPM
Coming to a consensus ranking on Parker was tricky for a couple of reasons. First, should he be above Duncan? Who is more indispensable to the Spurs? Would a Duncan-less team go further in the postseason than a Parker-less team? Can you you even imagine a Spurs team without either of them after this past season/postseason? Second, where does Parker fall in the ultra-competitive point guard hierarchy? How do you really define “better” between Parker, Westbrook and Chris Paul (and Derrick Rose when he’s healthy)? Parker is the oldest and by far the most accomplished from a team perspective (three rings, one Finals MVP), but he’s not the most complete, or the most athletic, or the most-decorated from an individual standpoint.
Unintentionally, Parker’s relative ranking here mirrors the results of the 2013 MVP voting. Parker finished sixth on that ballot, one spot ahead of Duncan, and second to Paul among point guards. This ranking might not please everyone but it does seem fair.
Parker was the leading scorer and the leading assist man on an offense that has ranked No. 7 in 2013, No. 2 during the 2013 playoffs, No. 1 in 2012 and No. 2 during the 2012 playoffs. His quickness, poise, decision-making, natural distribution instincts, and his ability to get to the hoop seemingly at will combine to make him the engine behind San Antonio’s spectacular attack. During the Spurs’ 2013 run to the Finals, Parker beat the Warriors with his scoring (32 points in a key Game 3 win on the road), he beat the Grizzlies with both his passing (18 assists in a Game 2 win) and his scoring (37 points in a closeout Game 4 on the road), and he beat the Heat with pure ingenuity . Parker’s shaky health during the Finals is one of the many laments that San Antonio fans were left with following the soul-crushing series defeat. If Paker delivers an “A” night in either Game 6 or Game 7, the Spurs go back to Texas as champions.
Tim Duncan-6th
"Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs (C, 37)
2012-13 stats: 30.1 MPG, 17.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.7 BPG, 50.2 FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 24.4 PER, 8.3 Win Shares, +7.3 RAPM Get up. No, seriously. Get up. Whether you’re in your cubicle, or on the bus, or in your living room, get up and give Duncan the standing ovation he deserves.
The initial reaction to seeing any big man ranked above Howard might lead to confusion and a desire to protest. That’s understandable: as recently as 2011 Howard was the No. 2 player in the league and Duncan seemed just about read to exit stage left. In 2015, two years from now, it seems more likely than not that Howard will once again be regarded as a top-five overall player; at that point, Duncan will have reached the end of his current contract and will almost certainly be headed for retirement.
But let’s not talk about 2011 or 2015. Let’s talk about 2013, a season in which Duncan was the league’s best big man, period. Duncan was the most important player on the NBA’s third-rated defense and the second-leading scorer on the No. 7 offense. He earned All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team, and All-Star honors, and he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. His PER ranked No. 6 in the league, his RAPM ranked fourth in the league, his individual defensive rating led the league, he boasted a gaudy +10.5 net rating (among the very best in the league), and he registered more blocks (183) than fouls (117). The only player to post a PER as high as Duncan’s was Karl Malone Then, Duncan averaged 18.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks as he led San Antonio to a 15- 6 postseason record. In case you somehow forgot, he put up a whopping 30/17 Game 6 of the Finals, a stat line that only Shaq has matched in a Finals game since 1986. Duncan came within 5.2 seconds of his fifth NBA title and his fourth Finals MVP award. Let’s say that again for emphasis: he came within about six inches on one Ray Allen three-pointer of beating out a 28-year-old, top-of-the-world LeBron James for Finals MVP. That’s why you were asked to stand up and applaud at the opening of this section. (By the way, it’s cool to sit down now.)
Could this be the season Duncan finally declines (and stays declined)? That’s definitely a possibility, even though we’ve thought that before on numerous occasions. But if the choice here is to penalize Duncan for that possibility or to reward him for his historic season, that should be an easy one. Need more convincing? Compared to Howard, Duncan averaged more points, more assists and more blocks, less turnovers and less fouls, had a better PER, had a better Win Shares, had a better offensive rating, had a better defensive rating, and the Spurs totally outperformed the Lakers on defense while also ranking higher on offense. Duncan beat out Howard in All-NBA and All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Duncan won more games against the Heat in the Finals (3) than Howard has won over the past three playoffs combined (2). You don’t need Shaquille O’Neal to tell you that Duncan has a better all-around offensive game and a more refined defensive game than Howard, or that, in addition to this year’s long playoff run, Duncan also went to the 2012 Western Conference finals.
On the flip side, Howard averaged more rebounds and shot a higher percentage. So he’s got that going for himself, which is nice.
Still not convinced Duncan should be above Howard? Ask yourself this: If both teams are fully healthy come playoff time, who would you pick in a Spurs/Rockets match-up? Which player, Duncan or Howard, do you trust to show up?
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/17/nba-top-100-players-50-31-anthony-davis-josh-smith/?sct=nba_t2_a2 (50-31)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/18/nba-top-100-players-30-21-kevin-garnett-paul-george/?sct=nba_t2_a3 (http://http://nba.si.com/2013/09/18/nba-top-100-players-30-21-kevin-garnett-paul-george/?sct=nba_t2_a3) (30-21)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/19/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-20-11/?sct=nba_t2_a4 (20-11)
http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/?sct=nba_t2_a5 (http://http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/?sct=nba_t2_a5) (10-1)
Tiago Splitter-74th
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio Spurs (C, 28)
2012-13 stats: 24.7 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 24.7 MPG, 56.0 FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 18.7 PER, 8.2 Win Shares, +3.7 RAPM
Far too many consider Splitter to be a mere sidekick for Tim Duncan or a prop of Lebron James, but the Spurs’ center is one of the few big men capable of both high-level team defense and highly efficient pick-and-roll play. That combination makes him more or less ideal for the modern NBA, where the ability to navigate the space in the lane on both offense and defense is paramount. When looking to score, Splitter does a terrific job of hesitating on his rolls to the rim — a simple delay that allows him to capitalize on the gaps in the opponent’s coverage. The result? An impressive 66.3 percent shooting in pick-and-roll scenarios, with a healthy dose of drawn fouls to boot. Splitter also brings that same understanding of space and timing to wall off opponents from the paint, where he’s just quick enough to help against opposing guards before then recovering to his assigned man on-point. That he strikes that balance so consistently makes him quite a catch, no matter his limitations.
Danny Green-96th
"Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs (G, 26)
2012-13 stats: 27.5 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 44.8 FG%, 42.9 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 14.1 PER, 5.9 Win Shares, +0.4 RAPM Green is one of the league’s better three-and-D types, a classification that makes him amenable to most any team or system. The ability to guard multiple positions allows Green to complement his perimeter teammates through defensive cross-matching, while his elite three-point shooting helps the Spurs clear space for a high-functioning offense. Within that system he’s shown a knack for both scripted and unscripted offense, thriving in structure and chaos. Players who perform well under both conditions are rarer than they should be, but Green has an excellent feel for when to follow assigned cutting routes and when to break free for needed improvisation."
Manu Ginobili-56th
" Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (G, 36)
2012-13 stats: 23.2 MPG, 11.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 42.5 FG%, 35.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 19.0 PER, 4.5 Win Shares, +3.7 RAPM The end is in sight for San Antonio’s sixth man, and he toyed with the idea of retirement this summer after dealing with injuries and uneven play in the postseason. Ginobili might be a shell of his former self, but he’s still capable of magic, and his PER remains in the top five at his position. After a series of high-turnover, poor-shooting games in the postseason, Ginobili momentarily quieted his critics by delivering 24 points and 10 assists in San Antonio’s Game 5 victory against Miami in the Finals. How many two-guards in the game today are capable of a night like that on a stage like that? (Not many.) Yes, his body can no longer handle a huge workload over an 82-game season. And, yes, Kawhi Leonard has replaced him as San Antonio’s No. 3 guy. But Ginobili will remain one of the game’s most respected guards until he finally decides to hang it up. — B.G."
Kawhi Leonard-37th
"Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (F, 22)
2012-13 stats: 31.2 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 37.4 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 16.4 PER, 6.2 Win Shares, +1.5 RAPM
Plenty of players recalibrated their reputations during the 2013 playoffs, but Leonard is right there with Stephen Curry in a two-man race for best postseason breakout. The Spurs’ third-year forward is famous for rarely speaking, so we’ll gladly step in to shout his credentials: 13.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.8 steals, 55 percent shooting and 39 percent three-point shooting in 21 postseason games (San Antonio went 15-6). Not enough to impress you, even though Leonard turned pro after his sophomore year at San Diego State and slipped to the middle of the first round? Leonard shot 51.3 percent and had four double-doubles in seven Finals games against the Heat, playing unflappably despite intense pressure, up-and-down offensive performances from Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and the toughest defensive assignments imaginable.
When Leonard missed a key free throw in the closing seconds of regulation during Game 6, a shot that could have helped seal the title, he produced one of the purest “you can’t blame him because his team never would have been there without him” moments in basketball history. The focus here has been on his spring/summer coming-out party, but Leonard was a key cog in San Antonio’s machine all season, putting up a comically high +10.1 net rating. Gregg Popovich has indicated that he plans to retire whenever Tim Duncan does; Leonard’s potential, paired with Parker’s prime, makes a strong case for Pop to think twice about that exit strategy."
Tony Parker- 4th
"
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (G, 31)
2012-13 stats: 32.9 MPG, 20.3 PPG, 7.6 APG, 3 RPG, 52.2 FG%, 35.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 23 PER, 9.3 Win Shares, +3.3 RAPM
Coming to a consensus ranking on Parker was tricky for a couple of reasons. First, should he be above Duncan? Who is more indispensable to the Spurs? Would a Duncan-less team go further in the postseason than a Parker-less team? Can you you even imagine a Spurs team without either of them after this past season/postseason? Second, where does Parker fall in the ultra-competitive point guard hierarchy? How do you really define “better” between Parker, Westbrook and Chris Paul (and Derrick Rose when he’s healthy)? Parker is the oldest and by far the most accomplished from a team perspective (three rings, one Finals MVP), but he’s not the most complete, or the most athletic, or the most-decorated from an individual standpoint.
Unintentionally, Parker’s relative ranking here mirrors the results of the 2013 MVP voting. Parker finished sixth on that ballot, one spot ahead of Duncan, and second to Paul among point guards. This ranking might not please everyone but it does seem fair.
Parker was the leading scorer and the leading assist man on an offense that has ranked No. 7 in 2013, No. 2 during the 2013 playoffs, No. 1 in 2012 and No. 2 during the 2012 playoffs. His quickness, poise, decision-making, natural distribution instincts, and his ability to get to the hoop seemingly at will combine to make him the engine behind San Antonio’s spectacular attack. During the Spurs’ 2013 run to the Finals, Parker beat the Warriors with his scoring (32 points in a key Game 3 win on the road), he beat the Grizzlies with both his passing (18 assists in a Game 2 win) and his scoring (37 points in a closeout Game 4 on the road), and he beat the Heat with pure ingenuity . Parker’s shaky health during the Finals is one of the many laments that San Antonio fans were left with following the soul-crushing series defeat. If Paker delivers an “A” night in either Game 6 or Game 7, the Spurs go back to Texas as champions.
Tim Duncan-6th
"Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs (C, 37)
2012-13 stats: 30.1 MPG, 17.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.7 BPG, 50.2 FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 24.4 PER, 8.3 Win Shares, +7.3 RAPM Get up. No, seriously. Get up. Whether you’re in your cubicle, or on the bus, or in your living room, get up and give Duncan the standing ovation he deserves.
The initial reaction to seeing any big man ranked above Howard might lead to confusion and a desire to protest. That’s understandable: as recently as 2011 Howard was the No. 2 player in the league and Duncan seemed just about read to exit stage left. In 2015, two years from now, it seems more likely than not that Howard will once again be regarded as a top-five overall player; at that point, Duncan will have reached the end of his current contract and will almost certainly be headed for retirement.
But let’s not talk about 2011 or 2015. Let’s talk about 2013, a season in which Duncan was the league’s best big man, period. Duncan was the most important player on the NBA’s third-rated defense and the second-leading scorer on the No. 7 offense. He earned All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team, and All-Star honors, and he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. His PER ranked No. 6 in the league, his RAPM ranked fourth in the league, his individual defensive rating led the league, he boasted a gaudy +10.5 net rating (among the very best in the league), and he registered more blocks (183) than fouls (117). The only player to post a PER as high as Duncan’s was Karl Malone Then, Duncan averaged 18.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks as he led San Antonio to a 15- 6 postseason record. In case you somehow forgot, he put up a whopping 30/17 Game 6 of the Finals, a stat line that only Shaq has matched in a Finals game since 1986. Duncan came within 5.2 seconds of his fifth NBA title and his fourth Finals MVP award. Let’s say that again for emphasis: he came within about six inches on one Ray Allen three-pointer of beating out a 28-year-old, top-of-the-world LeBron James for Finals MVP. That’s why you were asked to stand up and applaud at the opening of this section. (By the way, it’s cool to sit down now.)
Could this be the season Duncan finally declines (and stays declined)? That’s definitely a possibility, even though we’ve thought that before on numerous occasions. But if the choice here is to penalize Duncan for that possibility or to reward him for his historic season, that should be an easy one. Need more convincing? Compared to Howard, Duncan averaged more points, more assists and more blocks, less turnovers and less fouls, had a better PER, had a better Win Shares, had a better offensive rating, had a better defensive rating, and the Spurs totally outperformed the Lakers on defense while also ranking higher on offense. Duncan beat out Howard in All-NBA and All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Duncan won more games against the Heat in the Finals (3) than Howard has won over the past three playoffs combined (2). You don’t need Shaquille O’Neal to tell you that Duncan has a better all-around offensive game and a more refined defensive game than Howard, or that, in addition to this year’s long playoff run, Duncan also went to the 2012 Western Conference finals.
On the flip side, Howard averaged more rebounds and shot a higher percentage. So he’s got that going for himself, which is nice.
Still not convinced Duncan should be above Howard? Ask yourself this: If both teams are fully healthy come playoff time, who would you pick in a Spurs/Rockets match-up? Which player, Duncan or Howard, do you trust to show up?