tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post303112426375130705..comments2024-03-22T05:48:26.129-05:00Comments on Braves & Birds: Michael Lewis is not AmusedMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-55066730889922132402008-01-07T11:41:00.000-05:002008-01-07T11:41:00.000-05:00Yeah, they do tend to be sloppy, but I think it's ...Yeah, they do tend to be sloppy, but I think it's usually because they're making a superficial point and don't bother to explain it's limits/flaws. I wonder if it has to do with their readership...the average SportsGuy fan is, well, not quite as well-educated as your average reader.<BR/><BR/>What, scoring 25 on 40% shooting doesn't always make your team better? Isiah's inability to recognize that Starbury makes his teammates worse was just the first sign he was an idiot. <BR/><BR/>I'm not convinced that there's always a real connection between chemistry and character. To take a weird example, Rodman was far from a boy scout but he was good for the Bulls' chemistry; then again Jordan was there to keep him in line. And there are plenty of people who are good guys off the court--Jerry Stackhouse comes to mind--who would suck to play with. Unless they're worried about scaring off their fans, people should mostly be worried about "basketball character", right?<BR/>But there is a lot to be said for acquiring guys who fit together, will sacrifice for the good of the team, and who will pass, defend, rebound, etc. rather than just worry about getting theirs.Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05040111079726286477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-68955732380070065472008-01-07T10:23:00.000-05:002008-01-07T10:23:00.000-05:00Simmons and Mandel are both capable of better writ...Simmons and Mandel are both capable of better writing than the schlock they sometimes put out (Simmons especially). <BR/><BR/>I sorta agree that NBA execs (save one) are realizing that players like Zach Randolph and Stephon Marbury aren't worthwhile because they are crazy people, but there is also an argument that there are plenty of objective ways to criticize their games, as well. A better point would be that teams are figuring out that guys who get their points through volume shooting and contribute little in other areas aren't especially useful. <BR/><BR/>Daniel, I knew that Dwyane spelled his name funny and I went with the wrong funny spelling. The sad thing is that I got the spelling right in my post after the Hawks-Heat game that I attended and then got it wrong on Saturday.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-75075675460823803152008-01-07T09:57:00.000-05:002008-01-07T09:57:00.000-05:00Just one note, it's Dwyane, not Dewayne.Good artic...Just one note, it's Dwyane, not Dewayne.<BR/>Good article though!Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17352215736406950631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-71603088515040600832008-01-07T09:08:00.000-05:002008-01-07T09:08:00.000-05:00You really have a hard-on for Mandel and Simmons d...You really have a hard-on for Mandel and Simmons don't you.<BR/><BR/>It sure seemed like Simmons was making a simpler point--that the newfound emphasis by some in the NBA on chemistry is a sea change in how teams approach team-building in the same way that Billy Beane changed the way baseball execs built their teams. He certainly wasn't saying that NBA execs adopted the Moneyball approach (although some, like Houston and Dallas sort of have).<BR/><BR/>You are absolutely right that Miami was a horrible example by him--their problems are less to do with chemistry and more to do with a startling lack of talent and bad cap management decisions necessary to win the title a few years' back. (It's hard to be good when you're paying a semi-useless player about half your cap space. <BR/><BR/>A much better example would have been Portland of four years ago versus Portland now--both teams probably had about the same amount of talent but this group plays especially well together and so is playing above their heads.Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05040111079726286477noreply@blogger.com