Pelicans: Pau Gasol tracker without Kobe

[ambchang]

+/- is only useful for determining optimal lineup combinations.
They are useless in one off comparisons ...thought a stat guru like you would know this.
Not really more useful than simple scoring numbers.

An a player who would be useful in more variety of favourable matchups would be a better player to use ... no?

[Killakobe81]

An a player who would be useful in more variety of favourable matchups would be a better player to use ... no?

I get where you are going. And Im not engaging you in any Kobe debates ...have at it with Deuce ... just saying in the context I read it's is pretty useless. You picked a few players to compare ... lineups are better, but still imperfect. if you were to compare interchangeable players say:

Wade Battier chalmers Haslem and Bosh

vs.

Lebron Battier Chalmers Haslem and Bosh

that would work because the lineups are the same (minus the comparison players) both players play "similar" positions and roles on the same team ... the comparisons though not ideal are close.
Comparing Pau and Kobe is so flawed. different positions. different roles and different mindsets. And although they play in similar starting lineups ... Kobe obviously plays in more combinations and Pau would be more effective with the bench that would feature him while Kobe "should" stay relatively flat (production wise) since he will shoot regardless of lineups or matchups.

Anyway I know Kobe bashing is your thing and I guess him being out doesnt matter. Carry on. But I have enjoyed Harlem's (for example) focus on players that are playing and actually matter. But I guess Kobe is more interesting sitting on the side in a custom suit than most NBA players ... I guess. i'd rather discuss Paul George, Lebron or CP3 ...

[ambchang]

Comparing Pau and Kobe is fundamentally flawed in the way you mentioned, but the numbers have consistently shown that Pau was more important to the Lakers than Kobe over the last few years. Does this mean MVPau > Kobe? No, it just means that the Lakers system revolves more around MVPau than it does Kobe.

As for people who are actually playing, there has been lots of discussions and my points have already been covered before I made them, so no point making a repeated point.