Bucks: I'm really impressed with the bucks this year..

[apalisoc_9]

Impressed with Kidd's work and the team in general...

[Malik Hairston]

Kidd has easily replaced Tom Rivers as the best motivational coach in the NBA, tbh..

[Venti Quattro]

And this is with Larry Sanders quitting on life

[Malik Hairston]

Look at the Nets' drop-off, too..they were one of the best teams in the league in the 2nd half of last year, and now they're a complete joke with Lionel Hollins as coach..

Brandon Knight is pretty overrated, though, the newest system PG that will be overrated because everybody loves hyping PGs..

[Mr Bones]

Khris Middleton-- Most underrated player in the NBA right now. Of course Malik Hairston immediately goes to a topic he relentlessly grinds on-- PGs being over-rated-- instead of talking about the most relevant topic-- under-appreciated two way players.

[Malik Hairston]

Middleton is a good offensive player, he's not a good defender, though, not sure where you got that from..

And my criticism of the Knight hype means I'm complimenting the rest of the team, including Middleton..

[PingPong]

Bucks have that greek Kawhi in their roster... thats why apalioc_9 is impressed with them.

[Raven]

Middleton is a good offensive player, he's not a good defender, though, not sure where you got that from..

And my criticism of the Knight hype means I'm complimenting the rest of the team, including Middleton..

he's actually a true talent on D. Been following him for years now. A guy i've been rootinh for since the start.

[Technique]

I'm really impressed with your sig

[DisAsTerBot]

lol these gots have matching avatars now?
christ.

[Malik Hairston]

he's actually a true talent on D. Been following him for years now. A guy i've been rootinh for since the start.

His metrics on D were horrible last year..maybe he has improved this year, but I haven't watched much of them this season..

[Mr Bones]

Middleton is a good offensive player, he's not a good defender, though, not sure where you got that from..

.

His metrics on D were horrible last year..maybe he has improved this year, but I haven't watched much of them this season..

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rp...RPM/position/2
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...01&p4=&p5=&p6=
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...middlkh01.html
http://www.82games.com/1415/14MIL10.HTM

If you haven't watched much, why do you have an opinion?

[Malik Hairston]

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rp...RPM/position/2
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...01&p4=&p5=&p6=
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...middlkh01.html
http://www.82games.com/1415/14MIL10.HTM

If you haven't watched much, why do you have an opinion?

He had a -2.9 Defensive RAPM last year, which was one of the worst in the entire NBA..his opponent's PER was around 16-17, which is atrocious, too..

It's possible that Kidd has him motivated to play D, but we'll see how the numbers look once the season is over..

[Mr Bones]

He had a -2.9 Defensive RAPM last year, which was one of the worst in the entire NBA..his opponent's PER was around 16-17, which is atrocious, too..

It's possible that Kidd has him motivated to play D, but we'll see how the numbers look once the season is over..

Right, so advanced metrics matter when you want them to, and are easily dismissed if you're skeptical about them, even though you admit you haven't watched him play much. Gotcha. You always argue that people are blinded by their vision of Parker in the past and not the Parker of today, but then you do the same exact thing when it benefits your argument.

Middleton is young and still improving and maturing, and that's why he's a much better defender. The same thing happened with Draymond Green this year.

[Malik Hairston]

When did I say they didn't matter? I said the sample size is small, especially when I have an entire season of data from last year to gauge..I said I can agree if the numbers remain similar once the season is over(there's still 3 months of basketball left, which is a lot)..

Draymond Green had great defensive numbers, last year, too..this isn't a sudden improvement..he's better, sure, but he was still really good, last year..

There aren't many examples of terrible defensive players that become great in half a year..

[Raven]

I would say, there is always a lull period, between the time when advanced metrics catch up with basic stats like steals, for young 3andD players. Basically the time that is needed for the team to understand that they have an asset instead of a late round scrub.

[Mr Bones]

I would say, there is always a lull period, between the time when advanced metrics catch up with basic stats like steals, for young 3andD players. Basically the time that is needed for the team to understand that they have an asset instead of a late round scrub.

Yeah, I would agree with that. It's also the time, if you think the signs are right, to sign a good young free agent to a contract where he makes $4-5 mil/year rather than the $9-10mil/year he'd make after consecutive productive years.