2010 CB Draft: Pacific Division Press Conferences

[Fafnir]

is dampier even that good anymore? Roy i thought you hated him haha

I don't remember ever saying anything bad about Dampier, and no, I don't hate him.  In fact, I like him a lot.  The only reason I traded him was because my team was hurting for depth, and I had the chance to get Big Z (a downgrade), Tyler Hansborough (an upgrade over having no backup PF), and Courtney Lee (an upgrade over having no backup SG).

Regarding whether Dampier is any good any more, he had the same rebound rate as David Lee last year, tied for 18th in the entire NBA.  He led the NBA in FG% (among players playing 20+ mpg).  He's also a very good defender and an above-average shot blocker.

He's just a non factor on offense and his defense has really started to fall off from where it was a few years ago.

He's still a good rotation big though. (The C's gave Jermaine O'Neal 12 million for goodness sakes...)

[Roy H.]

I mean, forgive me for posting this in the Pacific Division thread, but look at DeJuan Blair on your own roster.  He's 6'7", but he's your backup center.  Plausible?  Of course it is:  he played 25% of the Spurs total minutes at the position last year.  The same is true of Boozer, but for whatever reason, people seem to think he's solely a PF.

Boozer can play center, but he's a defensive liability at that position against many players.

His ability to finish at the rim is also hindered when he goes against some of the better defensive C's. Though he uses quickness to get some extra easy buckets in those match ups.

If Boozer was a defensive liability at center, none of the stats show it.  He's been an average defender at both power forward and center.  I know that goes against conventional wisdom, but Boozer isn't a sieve on defense.  He makes people work for their points.  Also, he outrebounds both center and power-forwards.

Using one very tall player as an example, Boozer has outrebounded, out-passed and out-shot Yao Ming head to head, and their scoring averages are very similar.

If Boozer consistently struggled against taller players, he wouldn't be able to put up the numbers that he does (again, 1st among forwards in FG%) while playing roughly 45% of his minutes at center.

[Roy H.]

(Also, I'm not basing this all on stats.  The two guys I've watched the most out of non-Celtics are probably D. Wade and Boozer, due to them being on fantasy teams and because they both play the game the "right" way.  Boozer is a ton of fun to watch on the blocks.)

[Fafnir]

I mean, forgive me for posting this in the Pacific Division thread, but look at DeJuan Blair on your own roster.  He's 6'7", but he's your backup center.  Plausible?  Of course it is:  he played 25% of the Spurs total minutes at the position last year.  The same is true of Boozer, but for whatever reason, people seem to think he's solely a PF.

Boozer can play center, but he's a defensive liability at that position against many players.

His ability to finish at the rim is also hindered when he goes against some of the better defensive C's. Though he uses quickness to get some extra easy buckets in those match ups.

If Boozer was a defensive liability at center, none of the stats show it.  He's been an average defender at both power forward and center.  I know that goes against conventional wisdom, but Boozer isn't a sieve on defense.  He makes people work for their points.  Also, he outrebounds both center and power-forwards.

Using one very tall player as an example, Boozer has outrebounded, out-passed and out-shot Yao Ming head to head, and their scoring averages are very similar.

If Boozer consistently struggled against taller players, he wouldn't be able to put up the numbers that he does (again, 1st among forwards in FG%) while playing roughly 45% of his minutes at center.

From what I've seen he is a defensive liability in help situations as well as he's not a threat to block shots and also has to work very hard against bigger players.

[Who]

Carlos Boozer is a defensive liability in man-to-man situations + help defense at both big man positions. He is less of a liability in man-to-man situations at center than at power forward.

However, playing alongside a player like Zach Randolph, Boozer's defensive weaknesses (as well as Randolph's) will be even easier to exploit. Both are weak defensive players who lack quickness / mobility / height / length. They'll be the comparable to (defensively) the Kevin Love + Al Jefferson combination on the Timberwolves.

Boozer at center alongside a player like Lamar Odom or Kevin Garnett wouldn't be an issue.

[Roy H.]

Carlos Boozer is a defensive liability in man-to-man situations + help defense at both big man positions. He is less of a liability in man-to-man situations at center than at power forward.

However, playing alongside a player like Zach Randolph, Boozer's defensive weaknesses (as well as Randolph's) will be even easier to exploit. Both are weak defensive players who lack quickness / mobility / height / length. They'll be the comparable to (defensively) the Kevin Love + Al Jefferson combination on the Timberwolves.

Boozer at center alongside a player like Lamar Odom or Kevin Garnett wouldn't be an issue.

One thing people are overlooking is that Dampier is the starter.  When Boozer and Randolph are in the game together, it's either going to be against teams with weak frontlines, or against teams' bench players.  

The question to be determined during the season is which big gets minutes with Randolph if both Dampier and Boozer are out of the game.  Right now, the plan is to go with Drew Gooden for 8 minutes or so per game, thinking that what he lacks in defense, he'll make up in offense and rebounding (again, especially again second string players).  

However, the more I think about it, the more I like Petro as the team's backup center, in front of Gooden.  Petro is actually a better defensive rebounder, and is a better defender.  His size would probably be a better fit next to Randolph.

That's the one position battle heading into pre-season that this team would look to work out.  The good thing is, Sacramento has five quality NBA big men -- all of whom are top-level rebounders -- plus Rashard Lewis.

EDIT:  Also, people use words like "liability" too freely, I think.  To me, "liability" suggests that a player is a turnstyle on defense.  Mike Bibby is a liability.  Jose Calderon is a liability.  Carlos Boozer is a guy who doesn't shut anybody down, but who makes opponents work hard and who holds guys to about their scoring average (and who dominates almost all opponents on the boards).

[Who]

Carlos Boozer is a defensive liability in man-to-man situations + help defense at both big man positions. He is less of a liability in man-to-man situations at center than at power forward.

However, playing alongside a player like Zach Randolph, Boozer's defensive weaknesses (as well as Randolph's) will be even easier to exploit. Both are weak defensive players who lack quickness / mobility / height / length. They'll be the comparable to (defensively) the Kevin Love + Al Jefferson combination on the Timberwolves.

Boozer at center alongside a player like Lamar Odom or Kevin Garnett wouldn't be an issue.

One thing people are overlooking is that Dampier is the starter.  When Boozer and Randolph are in the game together, it's either going to be against teams with weak frontlines, or against teams' bench players. 

The question to be determined during the season is which big gets minutes with Randolph if both Dampier and Boozer are out of the game.  Right now, the plan is to go with Drew Gooden for 8 minutes or so per game, thinking that what he lacks in defense, he'll make up in offense and rebounding (again, especially again second string players). 

However, the more I think about it, the more I like Petro as the team's backup center, in front of Gooden.  Petro is actually a better defensive rebounder, and is a better defender.  His size would probably be a better fit next to Randolph.

That's the one position battle heading into pre-season that this team would look to work out.  The good thing is, Sacramento has five quality NBA big men -- all of whom are top-level rebounders -- plus Rashard Lewis.

EDIT:  Also, people use words like "liability" too freely, I think.  To me, "liability" suggests that a player is a turnstyle on defense.  Mike Bibby is a liability.  Jose Calderon is a liability.  Carlos Boozer is a guy who doesn't shut anybody down, but who makes opponents work hard and who holds guys to about their scoring average (and who dominates almost all opponents on the boards).

Eric Dampier + Boozer or Randolph is a poor pick and roll defensive combination who will be vulnerable against any high quality pick and roll centric offenses.

Drew Gooden is a very poor defender + Johan Petro is a poor to very poor defender.

Eric Dampier is the only big man in the rotation who is average or better defensively and he is only slightly above average. He also lacks mobility like your two main big men which is why he does not complement them well enough (defensively).

This team is going to struggle mightily against any pick and roll centric offense.

------------------------------------------------

Think Chris Paul vs Dallas Mavericks (Damp and Dirk good point of comparison for your four main big men) in the first round of the 2008 playoffs (only without Brandon Bass who could defend the PnR). Or Tony Parker in 2009 Playoffs versus the Mavs.

That is the Kings versus every high level offensive player on the perimeter who can run the pick and roll.

[Roy H.]

Agree or disagree, Who:  Eric Dampier is a better defender than Mehmet Okur?  If that's the case, why would a Dampier / Boozer front court get any more abused than a Okur / Boozer one?  The Jazz were a top ten defensive team last year, despite having the Okur / Boozer front court. 

Also, I'll just say that I find it unlikely that every decent point guard in the NBA will look like Chris Paul in his prime against Sacramento. 

You're definitely exaggerating the defensive problems of the Kings.  If you look at defensive metrics, Boozer and Randolph were about average last year in terms of defense (with Randolph surprisingly above-average, actually), and Rose was well above-average, which will help regarding the pick-and-roll.

The Kings are going to be an elite offensive unit (no lower than 5th, and probably top-two), and somewhere in the #10 - #18 range defensively.  The Kings have an extremely strong defensive backcourt, an average front court, and a shut down defender to bring off the bench in Jeffries.

[Who]

Agree or disagree, Who:  Eric Dampier is a better defender than Mehmet Okur?  If that's the case, why would a Dampier / Boozer front court get any more abused than a Okur / Boozer one?  The Jazz were a top ten defensive team last year, despite having the Okur / Boozer front court. 

Agreed -- Damp > Okur

If your team was competing in the league I would expect them to finish in the 10-15th range in defensive efficiency (maybe a bit higher but due to rebounding rather than defensive eFG% or turnovers forced) + struggle in any matchups in the playoffs against any team with a highly talented offensive player who runs the pick and roll at a high level. I would also expect them to struggle in defending big two guards (like Kobe Bryant) and in transition defense.

Quite similar to the Utah Jazz or some of those Dallas Mavericks teams of recent seasons. Especially with their defensive struggles in the playoffs against penetrating perimeter players.

a shut down defender to bring off the bench in Jeffries.

Not a fan of Jared Jeffries. I think he is an over-rated defender. Slightly above average but not a stopper. A lot like Dahntay Jones or Antoine Wright.

If you look at defensive metrics, Boozer and Randolph were about average last year in terms of defense (with Randolph surprisingly above-average, actually)

Carlos Boozer -- opposing PER of 18.6 at PF and 16.9 at C + DMult scores of 1.04 over the past two seasons. On/off numbers say the Jazz were 5.6 points better off defensively while Boozer sat. His defensive numbers were even worse the year as he had the worst defensive season of his career (injuries played a role).

Zach Randolph = Opposing PER 16.9 and over 20 in a small amount of time at center. On/off, 2 points worse on the court. Excellent DMult score of .92 and it was average the year before that. The Grizzlies finished around 20th in league defensive efficiency in large part because their bigs where incapable of defending the pick and roll + OJ Mayo's weak defensive play at SG.

With the exception of one defensive statistic for Zach Randolph (DMult), they statistics clearly point to both players being negative influences defensively.

and Rose was well above-average, which will help regarding the pick-and-roll.

Agreed -- Rose + Lee will help to defend the pick and roll. Both are plus defensive players at their positions.