Robert Williams (Merged Threads)

[footey]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Sorry, you can't quote facts here.  Board consensus is already out; Williams was abysmal defending AD last night. 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Great stats. TP to you.

This idea that Robert Williams allowed 41 points on him is wrong.

And CBS gameplanned to encourage Davis to go one-on-one against him and Theis.

[tarheelsxxiii]

With Yabu out for a while I'm guessing we will finally see more Robert Williams.

Or Horford and Baynes will get healthy quick and the bigs rotation will be Horford, Morris, Baynes, Theis Ojeleye and Williams will never see the floor

Tonight, Williams had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in 26 minutes against the best big in the game.

You mean the big that had 41 points tonight?

Although i don't agree with the exaggerations said about RW , in his defence DA can drop 41 on  anyone.

Sure he can, but as a projected defensive big, Williams isn't effective if he allows other Centers to score 14 points more than their per game average.  Especially if your role is to part-time anchor the best defense in the league.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Williams and Theis (who also guarded him, by the way) had to stick with single coverage; that Holliday had an off night; that Mirotic didn't play most of the game. Yes Williams is young and makes mistakes. He tries to block shots too much.  He will learn.  But let's not chalk up Davis' 41 points on his back alone.

Someone below you provided the split with him and Theis - he was better, but neither were good.  Holiday and Mirotic not playing arguably makes Davis' job harder.

[tarheelsxxiii]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Sorry, you can't quote facts here.  Board consensus is already out; Williams was abysmal defending AD last night.

Per 100 possessions, Davis average 34 ppg.  Pels average 108 possessions per game.  Not sure it's possible to overlay those stats exactly, but they suggest both Williams and Theis may well have allowed Davis more ppg than his average.  That Theis was worse doesn't suggest Williams was good - those stats are probably unfavorable.  I like Williams and he shows promise, but you're criticizing others for a bias in the face of yours.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Sorry, you can't quote facts here.  Board consensus is already out; Williams was abysmal defending AD last night.

Per 100 possessions, Davis average 34 ppg.  Pels average 108 possessions per game.  Not sure it's possible to overlay those stats exactly, but they suggest both Williams and Theis may well have allowed Davis more ppg than his average.  That Theis was worse doesn't suggest Williams was good - those stats are probably unfavorable.  I like Williams and he shows promise, but you're criticizing others for a bias in the face of yours.

I don't get what you are trying to say, here.

Remember that CBS left Williams and Theis on an island against AD. The gameplan was to allow him to go one-on-one against those guys, as long as the rest of the team didn't get going. In possessions against AD, Williams 15 points on 7-17 shooting. Williams didn't break against AD one-on-one, and this allowed the rest of the Cs to stay home on their guys, which ultimately limited a team that normally averages 117 ppg to 100 points.

Williams could have done better, for sure. He lacked fundamentals and gave up some easy buckets to AD, but he played him pretty well for the most part.

We're probably saying the same thing. I know it just annoys some posters on here when you take an overly negative take when you could be more much more positive about it.

[Big333223]

Williams also made some nice, solid reads and good passes. Just like... BILL RUSSELL!

[Chris22]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Williams length bothered Davis' jump shots.

[moiso]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Williams length bothered Davis' jump shots.

Davis does ok against a lot of players with length.  I think the speed in which Williams can pogo into the air was on his mind even more than the length.

[Vermont Green]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

So is it correct to interpret this as Davis scoring 15 pts in 32 possessions against Williams so this would be 46.9 pts per 100 possessions?  I know by this same math Theis would have given up over 65 pts/100 but I am just trying to make sure I am interpreting these data correctly.

I am not trying to knock Williams (or Theis).  It was clear that NOP was working the Davis match up.  He took 34 shots.  41 pts on 34 shots is not crazy, it is a lot of shots.

I think Williams is coming along nicely.

[Chris22]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Williams length bothered Davis' jump shots.

Davis does ok against a lot of players with length.  I think the speed in which Williams can pogo into the air was on his mind even more than the length.

The Celtics need to bring in Bill Russell to mentor Williams.

[apc]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

Williams length bothered Davis' jump shots.

Davis does ok against a lot of players with length.  I think the speed in which Williams can pogo into the air was on his mind even more than the length.

The Celtics need to bring in Bill Russell to mentor Williams.

Like Bill Russel said: The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot.

I think Williams is going to do just that with his leaping capabilities and his high activity level around the rim.

[jambr380]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

So is it correct to interpret this as Davis scoring 15 pts in 32 possessions against Williams so this would be 46.9 pts per 100 possessions?  I know by this same math Theis would have given up over 65 pts/100 but I am just trying to make sure I am interpreting these data correctly.

I am not trying to knock Williams (or Theis).  It was clear that NOP was working the Davis match up.  He took 34 shots.  41 pts on 34 shots is not crazy, it is a lot of shots.

I think Williams is coming along nicely.

I don't think that is what he means. Williams guarded AD on 32 possessions. In those 32 possessions, AD took 17 shots, converting on only 7 of them (this doesn't include free throws). On the remaining possessions, other Pelicans' players took shots with varying levels of success. This would add to the total amount of pts/100 since AD isn't the only player taking and making shots...even if it sometimes feels like it.

What the data does show is the Williams did a considerably better job defending AD 1 on 1 than Theis. Stevens probably also noticed this which is why Williams was re-inserted quickly (I think near the end of the 3rd) when Theis was letting AD have a field day on him on several consecutive possessions.

What the data does not really show is team defense, where I think Theis currently has a discernible edge on Williams...but that's because one is a young rookie and the other a 26 yo former DPOY in his former league.

The tl;dr of it all - Williams was surprisingly good and we should be happy he is developing at a nice pace.

[RodyTur10]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)

TP. I was looking for those stats. You take that type of shooting every day of the week from a superstar like Davis.

And I think it shows that Williams is better on man-to-man defense, while Theis is a better team defender.

[playdream]

People really need to watch the game

Williams gave Davis a extremely hard time, outside first rookie mistake Davis barely got four buckets against Williams, one he used the rim to protect himself , one is after a phantom call, only two solid but vert difficult shot,all others had been blocked or altered by Williams, Davis basically have no answer for Williams

Other then that Davis can only score when Brown and Rozier closing out too much and let their man through and Williams need to cover , they are in front the basket and they jump so Williams had no choice but to jump, then they pass to Davis with a easy dunk because no one came to help

I remember someone claimed Williams is going to foul alot because he is a rookie, whoever said that clearly never saw his game before, he play very smart defense, always in the right position and make the right move, tonight against AD and Randle in 25min he didn't pick up any foul(his only foul was really a rookie call which he didn't touched Davis)

Also he is a +13(team high) and held Davis to a -18(team low) with more blocks and rebound than Davis, most important he got the win

[Roy H.]

Holding Davis to sub-50% shooting and keeping him off the FT line is solid work for a rookie playing his first real meaningful minutes.

I mean, the kid looked like an NBA player.  That's good enough for me.  The rest of it -- ball denial, help defense, switches, etc. -- comes with experience and repetition.  I still feel confident that Williams can be Sam Dalembert, which would be a steal for where he was drafted.