Do numbers really prove a point?
I’m sure like me you’ve had a number of sports arguments. Have you used stats to define or strengthen your point of view? It might depend on the numbers you are checking--maybe?
How about this one on NBA defense, which of these teams defends its opposition best Lakers or Heat? January 21 the Lakers are 16-26 and the Heat 29-12. This is no trick question, without checking official records off the top of your head which team. No need to rack your brain I’ll provide you the answer. It’s the Lakers who are giving up .453 to the opposition placing them 17 out of 30 NBA teams. The Heat is .461 which makes them 23rd in the league defensively. This should be proof positive numbers don’t always tell the complete story.
His growth continues
This report is no reference to Joel Embiid’s height; he’s already 7-feet tall. The growth in this instance refers to the maturity of his court game. Interesting all the hype surrounding Andrew Wiggins at Kansas and I’ve written more stories about his teammate Embiid than Wiggins. The reason is clear to me; we believed Wiggins was a budding talent who would continue to grow at the collegiate level. We knew Embiid could possibly play but certainly not at the skill level he’s demonstrated. His game continues to impress over his more well-known teammate. Don’t misunderstand me I certainly am not stating he’s better than Wiggins it’s just he was not expected to play at the level he’s shown thus far.
It wasn’t his fault he did what he could to prevent his teams defeat by San Diego State. The loss halted a 68-game home winning streak. As for Embiid his box score consisted of 5 blocked shots, 12 rebounds and 12 points plus 3 assists. Foul trouble contributed to lower number in his next two games. Embiid returned against Iowa State with 16 points 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. The next game against Oklahoma State found him with 13 points 11 rebounds and 8 blocked shots. He scores without the offense being tailored specifically for him. Offense aside his defense is what impresses most (and I’m sure most NBA scouts). I’m going to borrow a term they might use; Embiid has plenty of upside to his game.
The Unibrow
We heard (I’m unsure if it was done) Anthony Davis was to patent the term “unibrow”. For those unfamiliar with his appearance his eyebrows grow together unlike most of us. A funny thing happened on the way to the 2012-13 NBA season Davis was not rookie of the year, he arrived from Kentucky as the NBA number one pick and expectations were high for him. He didn’t have a horrible rookie year but it was not as good as many expected.
Although Davis made the All Rookie team he lost out on Rookie of the Year to the Blazers Damian Lillard, this year is a far different story. The Pelicans have not played as well as expected but it’s not all Davis’s fault. If you check his numbers they are all up including his scoring. He didn‘t arrive in the NBA with a scoring reputation but has raised his average from 13.5 his rookie year to the present 19.1 as this is written. His rebound numbers have risen from 8.2 to 10.4; in addition he leads the NBA in blocked shots with 3.1 per game average.
The forgotten Celtic
Recently I heard the voice of Dave Cowens providing the color commentary for the Celtics-Knicks exhibition game. I’m probably incorrect; it seems discussions on the Celtic history seem to focus on the Bill Russell teams or those of Larry Bird. There was history between those teams; they were the Dave Cowens Celtics. The majority of Celtic fans are too young or those old enough have forgotten the play of Cowens. At 6-9 and 229 pounds he was undersized as a center even in the 1970 NBA.
Cowens gave up inches and weight to 7-1 Kareem Abdul Jabbar, 7-1 Wilt Chamberlain and 6-11 Walt Bellamy and other post men of the period. The recommendation to draft him came from a former player the same height of Cowens. This player retired a year prior to Cowens being drafted---William Felton Russell. NBA Rookie of the Year, 2X NBA Champion, NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1991 Cowens was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield (MA).
