Thursday, October 27, 2005

Do Bob Weiss's pair match up by the numbers

Sonics seeing double in frontcourt | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA: "Seattle SuperSonics coach Bob Weiss has become enamored of the concept of tandems in his frontcourt.

For instance, Weiss likes the way Reggie Evans and Vitaly Potapenko play together because of the latter’s scoring ability and with the former’s rebounding.

He likes rookie Johan Petro and Vladimir Radmanovic together because of Petro’s defensive focus and Radmanovic’s ability to spread the floor and score from the perimeter.

And he likes the offensive rebounding and defense that Danny Fortson and Nick Collison provide on the court at the same time, the reason Weiss envisions that duo coming off the bench and playing extended minutes."

That is from today's Tacoma News Tribune.
Here is what the numbers breakdown says from last year about Bob Weiss and his playing pairs of big men. Thanks to 82games.com for this information

Weiss likes Radmanovic and Petro – Petro is a rookie so there is no comapirison
Radmanovic and Evans: +11 and the best defensive unit with Radmanovic
Radmanovic and Collsion: +11 and the second best defensive unit
Radmanovic and James last season was the most ineffective line-up with Vlady on the floor

Weiss likes Evans and Potapenko
Evans and Potapenko: -1 - limited minutes but the worst defensive unit on the team
Evans and Radmanovic was the only positive combo for Reggie with a big man last season.
Potapenko and Collison were an awful –7.6 per 48 minutes.

Weiss likes Fortson and Collison together.
Collision and Fortson last season were a +1. They struggled offensive but were good on the D
Collison and Radmanovic was the best combo at +10 per 48 minutes
Collison and Evans were not successful at –3.9
Fortson and Collison was the best defensive unit for Fortson to play with
Fortson and Radmanovic was Fortson best pair at +5.9 per 48 minutes
Fortson and Evans were one of the worst combos on the team at –9.1. They couldn’t score.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

looks like you have to play radmanovic, because the numbers don't lie. every big man is better with him on the floor at the same time.

Anonymous said...

Collison and Radman would be good together because Collison likes to do the dirty work and pass, Radman likes to shoot and run the floor.

Anonymous said...

The +/- data has some value but it is not adjusted for player quality and is 60% based on what the perimeter players in the game with the big men do. You can look at it but then step back from it and handle the question pretty well with general knowledge of the players and logic about balanced tandems:

Radmanovic is your best scorer. If you want balance with him, you go for a center rebounder/defender. Petro might be that guy for Weiss, it is worth a look, but if not I'd say Fortson could fit the bill too.

Evans is your best rebounder. If you want balance with him, you go with your best center shooter. That is Potapenko, as Weiss plans.

Collison is pretty good with everyone except Evans. By bringing him of the bench he can come in for either postion. So Weiss' plan again is reasonable.

If you go with the first pair as starters, Nick probably comes in for Petro. Then Fortson comes in and Nick slides to the PF. Evans comes in later but probably get as mny minutes as in the past as you dont really want him with Collison.

If you go with the second pair as starters, you probably bring in Radmanovic and Collison, and then Fortson later who pairs well with either Rad or Nick. That seems simpler and keeps Evans on the floor more, especially in the first and third quarters with the higher scoring starters. That is probably what I'd do if Potapenko gets heathly and sounds like what weiss plans.

Collison and Radmanovic are probaby your closers except when the opponent has a large, scoring center, then Potapenko or Fortson might share the center spot some with Nick.

Anonymous said...

Thank god there aren't that many big centers around like there used to be or the sonics would be in big trouble. If the biggies continue to clean the boards, put back miss shots, and take the high percentage shots then the Supes can be successful. It's when they try to do to much a.k.a. Jerome James, that gets them in deep doo doo. Reggie, Petro, and Shard should start, with Nick, Vlade, Mikki Moore coming off the bench. I don't think Swift is ready for bigger minutes yet. They should send him to the NBDL to play minutes. He needs to play to get experience but not in the NBA yet. Cross your fingers that Vitaly comes back healthy soon.