SB Nation User Blog: iverigma2

hey Storyteller/douglast, do Blake/Outlaw really have unguaranteed contracts?

iverigma2 — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:21:36 -0000

from the news of KP intending to keep Outlaw/Blake, It really sounds like they have team options instead of unguranteed contracts.

Another possibility is Oregonian didn't understand their contract terms and just assumed it's team option. Because from KP's quote: "We'll keep them, I can't see a scenario where we don't. They've been terrific for us this year. They were major parts of 54 wins. We'll pick them up." He didn't use the specific words - "team option".

But he did seem to predicate that he will keep them no matter what. I don't know, if he can potentially trade them before July 1st, he shouldn't deprive himself of that flexibility and the great benefit comes with that. It's just not KP-style. He usually like to be vague and keep all the options open.

I think it's likely they have team options instead of unguaranteed. In this case keeping them is indeed the no-brainer (I know they can still be traded after July 1st though)

DX's salaries page also lists their final year as partially unguaranteed. Hoopshype doesn't but they don't seem to know unguaranteed contracts exist. Patricia's site also doesn't have it but again there's no "unguaranteed contracts" on any players on her site.

So Storyteller, douglast, or any other CBA gurus, what's your take on what KP said? Please educate me!!! Thanks.

archived recommended fan posts?

iverigma2 — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:22:53 -0000

archived recommended fan posts?

any way to view old recommended fan posts? If no I hope there would be some way to extend that rec'd list. 5 rec'd fan posts at a time is really too few for a high quality site like Blazer's Edge!

How much our defense has been improved in final 15 games

iverigma2 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:35:04 -0000

Watching the games recently I've had a feeling that our defense is getting better, also saw some other fans on the internet and even a reporter (I forgot who) mentioning this trend. I'd like some statistical proof so here's what I've done.

I grabbed the game log data from the basketball-reference.com and calculated the possession, offensive/defensive efficiency and team/opponent effective FG% for each game. It's very easy because B-R.com provide the data in csv format so all calculation is done in Excel.

I put the result together in this google spreadsheet, feel free to download, modify and publish any way you'd like.

Now let me get to the bottom line first:

During the first 67 games, Defensive efficiency: 110.0, opponent's effective FG%: 50.6%

During the final 15 games, Defensive efficiency: 102.5, opponent's effective FG%: 46.6%

For the entire season, Defensive efficiency: 108.9, opponent's effective FG%: 49.9%

Now I've got to admit my efficiency numbers can't quite match the ones on B-R.com. ( eFG% has no such problem) But the discrepancy is less than 1% plus my number is higher (which means worse defense) than B-R.com. So my analysis should still be very accurate and even slightly pessimistic.

To give you an idea about these numbers:

First 67 games -

110.0 D efficiency ranks 22nd

50.6% opp efg% ranks 20th in the league.

Final 15 games -

102.5 D efficiency ranks 4th (behind only Orlando, Cleveland and Boston)

46.6% opp efg% ranks 2nd in the league (behind only Orlando)

Now why do I pick the final 15 games, which start from the road game in Indiana at March 18th? Am I cherry-picking numbers just to support my argument?

1. That was the game where Greg Oden came back. Although I don't want to call this a "Greg Oden saves our team defense single-handedly" post because I've seen marked improvement in defense from a lot of players. Still his presence and better condition/judgement is one of the key differences.

2. That was during the 5-games-in-7-days road trip, which most people (including me) think is the starting point of our late-season surge. Except for the forgettable first game in Atlanta, all other games are either easy win or an almost upset in Cleveland. Defense definitely played an very important role in it.

3. I think it should be fair to consider 15 games in 29 days as a large enough sample to define a trend. This stretch also includes some of the best & worst teams in the league.

You can point out that we take advantage of some weak opponents but I'd say, come on, we're just doing the exact same thing as other defensive powerhouse have been doing. Teams like Orlando, Cleveland and Boston have been blowing out bad teams all year long and numbers from those games definitely helped their brilliant season-average defensive efficiency. Taking away those kinds of games would hurt Blazers' number a lot, just as much as Orlando's, Cleveland's and Boston's.

Besides numbers, I have some observation on how our defense has been improved on the court:

1. First and foremost, we handled the pick-and-roll a lot better. Especially Oden, he is much better in backpedaling and controlling the space against the guard coming off the screen. Przybilla is already a master in this area and Oden should be able to do even better in the future thanks to his superior athleticism.

2. Our weakside help is also better in picking up the roller (opposing big man), which allowed Joel or LMA to occasionally use more aggressive strategies like "hedge" or "trap" against the opposing guard.

3. All these factors enabled us to switch slightly less (although not as few as I'd like to see) and thus created less mismatch against us.

4. In the non-pick-and-roll situation, our help defense in the paint has also been improved . I'd like to point out one player especially - Roy. He was already a very good 1-on-1 defender but recently his help D has been spectacular. I've seen him roaming in the paint more often to double-team, pick up the penetrator or disrupt the passing lane. Aldridge is another guy who's been better in this area.

5. Generally our defensive rotation have been much more crisper. Transition D is better as well. I've seen less defensive lapse, less wide-open under the basket and less coast-to-coast one-man fastbreak.

Of course, 15 game is only 15 game. This Blazers team haven't proven they can sustain this kind of intensity for all 82 games. But I can safely say the improvement in D compared to earlier this season has truly been leaps and bounds.

Making the Leap: Brandon Roy, Superstar

iverigma2 — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:08:28 -0000

Making the Leap: Brandon Roy, Superstar

It is obvious now: Roy has made the leap to superstardom.

The numbers agree. With his performance Thursday, Roy vaulted into sixth in the NBA in Wins Above Replacement Player for the 2008-09 season. The group he trails--James, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Wade and Tim Duncan, in that order--makes up the early competition for MVP, with the possible addition of Bryant. To that extent, the chants of "M-V-P" that rung from the Rose Garden rafters during Roy's career night weren't unreasonable.

Roy joins a elite group

iverigma2 — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:08:45 -0000

This is what I just found out: since 1986-87 season, Brandon Roy is the 3rd player to have

50 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists with ZERO turnover in a game.

The other two? Reggie Miller & Michael Jordan:

Miller: 1992-11-28, 57-5-8 (16-29 FG, 4-11 3PG, 21-23 FT)

Jordan: 1989-11-03, 54-14-6 (19-31 FG, 1-2 3PG, 15-17 FT)

from basketball-reference.com

video of kevin garnett's taunting Jerryd Bayless, including all crawling and barking!

iverigma2 — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:43:33 -0000

video of kevin garnett's taunting Jerryd Bayless, including all crawling and barking!

Breaking news: Artest traded to Rockets

iverigma2 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:58:06 -0000

Rockets agree to send Jackson, pick, player to Kings for Artest

link

Rocket would send Bobby Jackson, probably Donte Greene and a No. 1 draft pick in 2009 to Kings.

quote from the ESPN:

"The Houston Chronicle reported that the Kings would receive Bobby Jackson, a No. 1 draft pick in 2009 and another player that the newspaper's source could not identify. The Associated Press, citing anonymous league sources, said that the other player would be rookie forward Donte Greene.

That means the deal can't be announced yet because Greene, acquired by the Rockets on draft night last month, signed a contract with Houston on July 14. A player can't be traded within 30 days of signing a contract, according to league rules.

KRIV television in Houston reported that the Kings will also receive cash."

Barrett talks about Bayless trade

iverigma2 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:10:31 -0000

http://mikebarrettsblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/blazers-get-their-man-again.html

don't know if it's true. If it is then KP just flat out owned the whole draft and every GM in the league, it's not even fair to let him participate.

Maybe we can have more inside information tomorrow.... Hope we can get some more juicy stuff.

Go Bayless!! Go Blazers!!!

Go Bayless!! Go Blazers!!

Some video highlights of that BEAT-LA night

iverigma2 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:39:09 -0000

If that wasn't the game of the year, it should be one of the most inspiring game this season. I don't know about you but I am still feeling the thrill of it right now. Please allow me to post some video highlights I edited here:

play of the day: Roy manhandled Walton

(high quality version): http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/2008/03/brandon-roy-manhandled-walton-with-his.html

and more...

Aldridge's monster putback jam and crowds - including me - went nuts
completely!!

(high quality version):
http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/2008/03/lamarcus-aldridge-with-monster-putback.html

Roy showed off his dribbling skill again and assisted to Blake for 3

(high quality version):
http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/2008/03/brandon-roy-showed-off-dribbling-skill.html

oh boy did you see Jack last night?

(high quality version):
http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/2008/03/jarrett-jacks-highlights-20080229.html

Aldridge's highlights

(high quality version):
http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/2008/03/lamarcus-aldridges-highlights-20080229.html

a beast is coming...

iverigma2 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 07:05:31 -0000

Jason Quick has an encouraging article about Greg Oden. Check it out.

quick summary: Oden has gained 30 pounds but still maintains the same (7.8 percent) bodyfat percentage!! That means it's 30 pounds of pure muscles!! Amazing!

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/11/big_bad_oden.html