The Official NBA Regular Season 07-08 Thread

[Spellmen]

Wow, Dwight Howard having a beast of a game so far 39 points, 15 reb, 4 blocks on 12/17 from the field and more impressively 15/20 from the line. Really nice to see him improve there since he was pretty bad last year

[kidcolin]

he's shooting 60% this year

[Semtex]

i didn't watch the cavs game, but from the highlights didn't the foul on lebron (that injured him) look like a clean block? whether it was or not it was close but i love how the sportscenter guys were trying to insinuate it was some kind of dirty foul, just cause its lebron vs the pistons.

[hanster]

Semtex,
You still pay attention to the commentators? [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

All,
You're welcome for the 'Toine link. Let us gogogo

[squashington]

Man, Dwight Howard is a beast and most fans don't even realize it yet. He's only 21 years old and is averaging 24/15 with ~3 blks.

What's this kid's ceiling? Can't remember the last time I saw someone his size with such remarkable agility. Once his offensive game is more refined it's very possible he'll have some 30/15 seasons.

[Vyse]

[ QUOTE ]
Once his offensive game is more refined it's very possible he'll have some 30/15 seasons.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe if the NBA goes back to averaging 110 points per game.

People said the same thing about LBJ someday averaging a triple double, but come on, let's be realistic. Both are great players as is.

[tuq]

Vyse,

Lower scoring generally = more rebounds. I wouldn't be surprised if league leaders in the 80s/early 90s were around 11 RPG, then when FG% dropped rebounding freaks like Rodman and Kevin Willis came out of the woodwork. Thus I think 30/15 is doable by anyone talented enough in today's league.

[kidcolin]

tuq,

you're sorta making crap up. While FG% is a factor, generally scoring is a factor of pace. The lower the pace, the lower # of shots, thus lower scoring and lower rebound possibilities.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...gue_stats.html

I mean.. look at the 60s. They were scoring like 115 and grabbing 55 boards a game.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
tuq,

you're sorta making crap up.

[/ QUOTE ]
There has to be a nicer way to say that.

OK, busted. I almost looked it up prior to posting and if I did I wouldn't have made my post. I was under the general assumption that lower scoring was at least partially the byproduct of lower FG% and wouldn't be totally offset by a slower pace. I stand corrected.

[kidcolin]

I think your thought process is OK, it's just you need to think about how the change in rebound opportunities vs. the effect pace has.

Take the current game, with ~80 FGs per game. With a FG% of 45%, that leaves 44 opportunities for a rebound. (I'm guessing the reason there are only 41 RPG is blocks and balls out of bounds). If they shot 48% instead, that's only 2.5 less rebound opportunities. Not enough to swing your top rebound guy from 12 per game to 14 or 15.

But if you're chucking 100 shots instead, then blammo. You've got a ton of opportunities, regardless of whether you shoot 40% or 50%.

Probably more importantly, I've thus far ignored that the big reason FG% is down is the love affair with the 3pter, so looking just at FG% with respect to scoring is flawed.