Eric Bledsoe (Phoenix Suns)
35 MPG, 45% FG, 38 % 3PT, 4 Reb, 6 Ast, 20.9 PTS, -1.4 +/-, 107 ORtg, 104 DRtg
Bledsoe's numbers are about the same as they were last year. Sad to say Phoenix is doing about as well as it did last year. This current collection of players does not seem to be a team that can make the playoffs even in a weakened West.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
14 MPG, 48% FG, 57% 3PT, 1 Reb, 1 Ast, 5.4 PTS, -1.4 +/-, 112 ORtg, 108 DRtg
So far Booker is doing what he needs to do. He came into this League as a shooting guard prospect and in order to make it he has to prove he can shoot the ball at this level of competition. So far so good. For this first year he just needs to continue to be consistent with his shooting.
Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento Kings)
19 MPG, 61% FG, 5 Reb, 4,8 PTS, 1.7 +/-, 117 ORtg, 104 DRtg
Cauley-Stein has been a surprise to me. I never expected he would play this well right off the bat, but he's getting a lot of minutes and making the most of it. For a guy who came into the League as a defensive specialist I'm sure everyone is surprised by his offensive efficiency. I would expect that to drop as the year progresses and his defensive efficiency to improve as well, but still he's off to a very good start.
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)
33 MPG, 42% FG, 31% 3Pt, 11 Reb, 2.8 Ast, 24.5 PTS, 1.0 +/-, 101 ORtg, 102 DRtg
One of my favorite all time Kentucky players was Jamal Mashburn. I thought he would be a great pro player, but he was not. In many ways Cousins reminds me of Mashburn. His numbers look much better than he actually is. You can see this when you look at his offensive efficiency numbers. Sure he's averaging a double double, but it's not efficient at all. I believe Cousins could be great, but part of me wonders if it is simply too late for him. The best I think we may ever see him be is when he's playing for the Olympic team. Of course as it seems is always the case Cousins is in the news. Now it is because he wants to be traded. There is a lot of curiosity as to who would be willing to take a chance with Cousins.
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
36 MPG, 49% FG, 10.9 Reb, 2 Ast, 23.6 PTS, -1.5 +/-, 108 ORtg, 104 DRtg
The Pelicans and Davis are struggling this year. He was playing so far above himself last year it was hard to imagine it continuing, but he's had a disappointing season so far. His offensive efficiency last year was 122 and his defensive was 100. He's had a big drop-off this year, and it will be curious to see how he responds in the new year.
Archie Goodwin (Phoenix Suns)
11 MPG, 51% FG, 2.2 Reb, 1 Ast, 5.1 PTS, 2.3 +/-, 101 ORtg, 107 DRtg
This is Goodwin's third season and though is offensive efficiency has greatly improved from last year, I'm not sure he's doing enough to stay in the League.
Terrence Jones (Houston Rockets)
23 MPG, 45.5% FG, 41.3% 3Pt, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 10.3 PTS, -2.6 +/-, 107 ORtg, 108 DRtg
Jones like the whole Rockets team is having a down year. His offensive and defensive numbers are down so far this year.
Enes Kanter (Oklahoma City Thunder)
20 MPG, 55.7% FG, 8.2 Reb, 11.4 PTS, 1.5 +/-, 121 ORtg, 102 DRtg
Kanter's minutes played are way down, but his efficiency numbers are fantastic. For a guy who has always been knocked on his defensive play his DRtg is very solid. Interesting to see how this year plays out for him and Oklahoma City.
Brandon Knight (Phoenix Suns)
35.7 MPG, 42.7% FG, 34.4% 3Pt, 4 Reb, 5.2 Ast, 19.8 PTS, -1.3 +/-, 103 ORtg, 107 DRtg
After a miserable year last year with the Suns, Knight is back to putting up similar career numbers. Last year with the Bucks was the only time his offensive efficiency was higher than his defensive efficiency. Funny how things look different when you are on a winning team.
Trey Lyles (Utah Jazz)
13.5 MPG, 36.7% FG, 3.2 Reb, 2.7 PTS, -2.2 +/-, 92 ORtg, 108 DRtg
Not unusual numbers for a rookie in the NBA. He's getting a good amount of playing time which should tell us something. Curious to see if his numbers can improve in the new year.
Jodie Meeks (Detroit Pistons)
His time in Detroit has been a real bust for him. He's out after foot surgery.
Nerlens Noel (Philadelphia 76ers)
29.6 MPG, 46.3% FG, 7.9 Reb, 1.3 Ast, 10 PTS, -10.4 +/-, 87 ORtg, 104 DRtg
Wow Noel's efficiency numbers are horrible. His defensive rating is OK though not good for a defensive specialist and his offensive efficiency numbers are completely horrible. Last year his ORtg was 96, an OK number for a rookie. 87 is simply awful. I know the 76ers are a horrible team, but still.
Patrick Patterson (Toronto Raptors)
22.9 MPG, 37.1% FG, 31.4% 3Pt, 4.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast, 5.7 PTS, 3.8 +/-, 98 ORtg, 103 DRtg
Patterson is having his worst year so far as a professional in terms of offensive efficiency. His shooting percentage is way down this year. Hopefully this will turn around in the second half of the season.
Tayshaun Prince (Minnesota Timberwolves)
19.8 MPG, 42.7% FG, 2 Reb, 1 Ast, 2.6 PTS, -0.3 +/-, 94 ORtg, 111 DRtg
Keep getting them checks.
Julius Randle (Los Angeles Lakers)
27.4 MPG, 41.6% FG, 9.4 Reb, 1.7 Ast, 11.4 PTS, -8.1 +/-, 95 ORtg, 107 DRtg
As we've seen with others these efficiency numbers are pretty common for a rookie. We'll look to see if this improve in 2016.
Rajon Rondo (Sacramento Kings)
35.7 MPG, 45.8% FG, 35.5% 3Pt, 6.7 Reb, 11.3 Ast, 12.4 PTS, -3.1 +/-, 104 ORtg, 106 DRtg
Rondo is back to putting up his career average kind of numbers. I was not sure he would bounce back this year, but he seems to be doing OK.
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)
28.7 MPG, 53.4% FG, 9.3 Reb, 1 Ast, 16.1 PTS, -1.2 +/-, 109 Ortg, 101 DRtg
As you can see from our other examples, these numbers from Towns are quite special. Out of all the UK players who are now in the League it's funny how few really stand out, but Towns so far really stands out.
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
35.3 MPG, 43.5% FG, 35% 3Pt, 4.1 Reb, 9.7 Ast, 19.5 PTS, 1.5 +/-, 103 ORtg, 105 DRtg
Wall and the Wizards are both having disappointing seasons. Wall likes to think of himself as a top point guard. So let's look at his efficiency numbers compared to others in the League. Well Rondo actually has a better offensive efficiency so far this year, so that should probably tell us all we need to know, but how about some others. Stephen Curry 125 ORtg, 100 DRtg; Russell Westbrook 114 ORtg, 99 DRtg. Bledsoe has better efficiency numbers so far this year.
James Young (Boston Celtics)
10 MPG, 35.3% FG, 25% 3Pt, 1.5 Reb, 1.5 PTS, -0.6 +/-, 96 ORtg, 102 DRtg
Young has improved his defense, but we need to see his offensive numbers improve if we hope to see him in the League next year.
I imagine pro basketball and hockey are kind of like distance running or those long, Tour-de-X cycling races or that great Formula 1, "Prepare To Qualify" video game, where the whole deal is to get yourself in position to compete at the end with the right match ups or whatever. I think pro football doesn't really work so much that way. This is where pro baseball is making a big mistake by expanding its playoffs; it's turning the long regular season into a jockeying-for-position exercise, which is so much less interesting than pennant races.
ReplyDeleteUnless it helps the A's.