Sunday, September 25, 2022

NBA GREATEST SCORERS QUIZ

 
The following 10 questions are about great NBA scorers and their feats. In addition, aside from the 'true or false' questions, a player in the picture is the answer to every question. Let me know your answers in the comments, and I will let you know your score.

PLEASE NOTE: 9 or more correct = A; 8 correct = B; 7 correct = C; 6 correct = D; 5 or less correct = WTF

1) Michael Jordan took the playoff single game record from this legend.
2) This player became the first NBA player to score 15,000 points, which made him its first All-time leading scorer.
3) Lebron James passed this player for second place on the All-time list.
4) Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan are the only players to average 30.0 or more points per game for their careers.
5) Elgin Baylor averaged more points per game than Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Lebron James. True or False?

                        Pit Bull Defense

6) This player was the first NBA MVP, and he was the NBA All-time leading scorer for only one season.
7) Wilt Chamberlain became the NBA All-time leading scorer during his eighth (8th) NBA season. True or False?
8) Michael Jordan is third on the All-time scoring list. True or False?
9) Wilt Chamberlain has more 50 point games than all of the other players in the picture COMBINED. True or False?
10) Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and Lebron James have all scored over 70 points in a single game. True or False?

I tried not to make the NBA GREATEST SCORERS QUIZ too easy. Unfortunately, to many this will be a piece of cake. To others it will not be at all. Therefore, let me thank all participants in advance for your time and say -  Good Luck!!!

* The Top 30 players of each position (150 total) have been uncovered with the use of the Player Valuation Numeric (PVN). The PVN is objective and extremely accurate. Have you ever wondered if the NBA got the Top 75 correct? If so, then click the link below for more detailed information.

                       Basketball G.O.A.T

Friday, September 23, 2022

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO WINNING - 30 PPG OR 20 RPG


Although casual fans give most of the credit for team success to the highest scorers, I came across an anomoly that clearly shows otherwise. Bill Russell (R.I.P) is the greatest winner in basketball and sports in general. His teams won 11 championships in 13 years!!! Ironically, he only averaged 15 ppg. In addition, he was selected as the league MVP in the year that the Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double, Elgin Baylor averaged 38.4 ppg, and Wilt Chamberlain averaged a whopping 50.4 ppg. Russell did average a tremendous 23.4 rpg, along with the championship victory. Were ball possessions more important than scoring for winning? Was STRONG rebounding more valuable to winning.

I decided to do the research and find out. There are only two players in NBA history to average over 30 ppg, as well as 20 rpg. The two players that averaged over 30 ppg both have multiple NBA Championships. Unfortunately, the combined total of the championships (8) by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain does not equal Bill Russell's (11) solo count. 

Furthermore, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain are also the only two players to average over 20 rpg. Therefore, the rebound/championship count advantage is 13 to 8. Also, this inadvertently shows something very telling. For 13 straight years in the NBA the only teams that won a championship were teams with a player averaging 20 rpg on them. That speaks volumes!!!

In all of NBA history only 31 players have  averaged 30 ppg on a total of 71 occasions. Sixteen (16) of these players never won a NBA championship. In addition, 9 of the 15 players that did win championships, DID NOT win them when they averaged 30 or more points. For example, Lebron James averaged 30.2 ppg last season, but his team did not even make the playoffs, despite winning it all just two seasons ago.

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On the other hand, there have been only 13 seasons that players averaged 20 or more rebounds per game, and EVERY winning team had one. In fact, during the majority of those years it was both of the 20 rpg players battling one another in the NBA finals after winning their respective conference championships.

Today's fans cannot relate because a 20 rebound game is as rare as a 50 point game, or even more so. Be advised, domibant rebounding requires heart, desire, and technique. Today's bigmen rarely demonstrate these qualities. Modern centers prefer to shoot three pointers, and there is very little battling for rebounds. 

Not too long ago players like Moses Malone, Dennis Rodman, and Charles Barkley were patroling the offensive and defensive 'paint' areas. All were tremendous rebounders although undersized in their positions. They were also fearless, and they competed in the post season, and NBAFinals. Ironically, none of them averaged anything close to 20 rpg.

Therefore, I must conclude that teams that value winning championships would be best serviced with a STRONG rebounder (20 rpg)  than a 30 ppg scorer. Casual fans will argue that teams must score to win. Wiser fans will interject that they cannot score without the ball. Finally, the most wise fans will mention that you only have to win by one point, and teams can easily do this if they can take a whole lot more shots thanks to a STRONG rebounder. 

                          High IQ Hoops

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

WHICH ERA OF BIGMAN IS THE 'SOFTEST'?


When big men (centers & power forwards) of different eras are compared by casual fans one can be certain that they will give the most "props" to the players they grew up watching. Facts, official statistics, or the "eye test" have very little to do with their decisions. Truthfully speaking that is to be expected. They only know what they know, nothing more, and that is what makes them casual fans. 

Fortunately all fans are not casual. The older coaches and fans bring up the dominance of Wilt Chamberlain or the defensives skills and unparallelled winning of Bill Russell. The middle aged fans and coaches say that Shaquille O'Neal and his peers were the most "dominant". Finally, the young players and fans counter with complete & irrelevant nonsense like "Wilt played against little white guys." Or my favorite, "Today's big men have more skills and jump higher." 

For the record, I have seen Chamberlain and Russell at the ends of their careers as well as in countless highlights. All of the rest I have seen in college, and some as far back as high school. Instead of giving another opinion, I decided to rely on the facts. Here is what I found.

First of all, in order to claim big men of an era are more "soft" the players would have to be less durable, play less minutes per game, and/or use "load management", a clear sign of poor conditioning. In addition, all eras had Top 75 quality big men, so talent is not an issue.

Furthermore, it is useless to claim that superior rebounders are not "tougher". Rebounding prowess occurs because of heart and desire not height. The 6'4" Charles Barkley's career dominance on NBA backboards clearly proves my point.

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With this being said the big men of Shaquille O'Neal's era were easily more physical and much more aggressive than today's  big men. In addition, they were warriors who would look down on load management. Furthermore, a top bigman of today such as Joel Embiid would be considered lazy in the other eras. Over his eight year career Embiid averages only 41 games per year played, and 31.2 minutes per game. Compared to the 80.3 games per year played over 13 seasons, and 45.8 minutes played per game of Wilt Chamberlain, and Embiid looks like a total underachiever.

Furthermore, the bigmen of Shaq's era also look like underachievers in comparison to their predecessors. The primary reason is their lack of rebounding prowess. Both Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell averaged TWICE as many rebounds as any two big men of the other eras. That is correct. The COMBINED rebound per game totals of Shaguille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul Jabbar are less than both Chamberlain's and Russell's. In addition, there were several big men in that era who would easily lead the current NBA in rebounding (Nate Thurmond, Bob Pettit, Jerry Lucas, Walt Bellamy, etc.).

In conclusion, the younger the era, the "softer" the big man. Granted, big men like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have the skill, durability, and "heart" to play in any era.  Unfortunately, many of their big man peers in the NBA cannot realistically make the same claim.

* Would you like to know who the Top 30 centers are of all-time? How about the Top 30 power forwards, along with how all were decided? For more detailed information about the Top 30 players if each position (150 total), click the link below.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

Monday, September 19, 2022

LEBRON JAMES WILL RETIRE AS THE "GREATEST" IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES


Some love Lebron James, and some hate him. Let me stop, thousands of trolls hate him and they are so trifling that they even came up with the term "Bronsexual" to keep the hate flowing. 

I neither love nor hate "King" James, but I do respect rhe hell out if him as a man and as an athlete. He stays in shape. He works out in the summers to continue improving. His home life is stable with no glaring "hidden secrets" to destroy his brand. Lebron James is the real deal.

For the record, last season Lebron James passed Karl Malone and moved into second place on the All-time scoring list. What no one seems to want to mention is that he also passed Karl Malone in turnovers, and missed shots. Naive basketball fans will say so what, but the 'ballers' (former & present) know what is up. 

                       Intangible Traits

Meaning this, when Lebron James passed Karl Malone's turnover total, he then became the NBA All-time leader. In addition, every time that Lebron turns the ball over it just adds to this crummy 'record'. Lebron James averages 3.5 turnovers per game for his career, so he may be setting a truly unbreakable record!!!

Also, when Lebron James passed Karl Malone on the missed shots list, he moved into 4th place. Lebron is now less than 1000 missed shots away from passing Kobe Bryant for the All-time lead. If Lebron James scores over 2000 points again this season, then he will pass Kobe. Think about it, Lebron is a career 50% shooter, and he misses 1000 shots every time he scores 2000 points. Ironically, he will still be shy of Kareem's scoring mark. You can check and/or redo the math. 

These facts make all of the presumptions that "Lebron James will be the G.O.A.T if he passes Kareem Abdul Jabbar in scoring" seem ridiculous. First of all, if you do not consider Kareem to be the greatest now, then how can ANYONE be the greatest if they pass him? Second, all real ball players (former & present) know that the player who misses the most, and turns the ball over the most, is not called the greatest, even if he scores the most points. We just called them "gunners". 

                           Bad B.I.T.C.H

Thursday, September 15, 2022

THESE THREE PLAYERS ARE TOP 75 - PERIOD


When the NBA Top 75 was decided I checked out the names on the list immediately. I had already written a book (Basketball G.O.A.T) that gave a detailed breakdown of the Top 30 players of every position, so I wanted to see if we were in agreement. For the record, EVERY player on the NBA Top 75 list is in Basketball G.O.A.T , so I initially remained silent and validated. 

As time went on I began to see the names of players that had been ommitted. These discrepancies were found primarily in online comments from irate fans who's favorite players were left off the list. Soon three names began to surface over and over (Klay Thompson - Dwight Howard - Tracy McGrady) which made me pause. I had each highly ranked in their position, and their ommissions seemed more like a blatant injustice, so I rechecked.

When creating Basketball G.O.A.T I used the Player Valuation Numeric because it was both accurate and objective. Meaning this, it utilized only the actual player production, and specific accomplishments like championships, and areas of excellence to calculate each individual player's score. Awards and selections like MVP, All-star, and/or "All-whatever" are not used because they are "subjective", or decided by group votes. These votes are no more than opinions, and basically USELESS when making an unbiased  decision.

Therefore, using the Player Valuation Numeric for this "recheck" was a no- brainer. I will give a brief breakdown of each player, along with their PVN score, and hopefully you will see, as clearly as I do, that these three have been publically disrespected.

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1) Klay Thompson
When the Top 75 list was decided Klay Thompson was in the middle of a two year rehab. The numbers in Basketball G.O.A.T were apropo because they were the same. On the merit, Klay Thompson is the number eight (8) shooting guard of All-time with a Player Valuation Numeric score of 32.0. For those that do not have the book, this put Klay Thompson behind George "Iceman" Gervin, and ahead of "Pistol Pete" Maravich. Both are on the Top 75 list.

Furthermore, Klay Thompson has since come back from his two year hiatus, and his scoring, rebounding, and assist were all greater than his career numbers. On top of that his team won another NBA championship which means that Thompson's PVN score goes up another point, but not past the Iceman.

2) Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard was a dominant force in the NBA for several years. Howard is a 5-time rebound champion, 2-time shot block leader, a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he shoots an incredible percentage from the field for his career (58.7%) which is 6th All-time. Granted, the DPOY award is subjective, but in that three year span there was no other true competitor for the award, so this accollade deserved mentioning.

When the NBA became three point crazy the powers that be devalued Howard's skill set. Over the last few years he has been moving around the league but he still produces, the teams have made the playoffs, and he even won his first NBA championship.

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Dwight Howard's Player Valuation Numeric score of of 32.4 makes him the number 23 center of All-time. In fact, this PVN score could also rise because of the championship. Be advised, Howard's numbers would adjust slightly because of his decreased production. Only slightly though, because he has been playing 17 years, and a couple years of limited playing time will not change his stats too much.

3) Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady was the reason that this post actually came to life. I was watching highlights of the game that McGrady dropped 62 points on Washington while with the Orlando Magic. Someone mentioned that T-Mac did not make the Top 75 cut which had me baffled. Yracu McGrady is a Hall of Famer,  7-time All-star, and he led the league in scoring two times. I had to check out why he was left off.

For the record, I have McGrady as the number 11 shooting guard with a solid PVN score of 29.3. Ironically, this places T-Mac behind Ray Allen, but directly in front of James Harden. Both made the Top 75 team.

In conclusion, Klay Thompson, Dwight Howard, and Tracy McGrady should have RIGHTFULLY been named to the NBA Top 75 team - PERIOD.  From a strictly objective point of view they clearly earned the honor. Unfortunately, "expert" voters are biased. Thankfully numbers and common sense do not lie. Thousands of fans are starting to realize this, and agree.

* The Top 30 players of each position are contained within the pages of Basketball G.O.A.T. In addition, the Player Valuation Numeric formula and explanation are available for everyone to review. Click the link below for more information.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

ATTENTION BASKETBALL DEBATERS - THE PLAYER VALUATION NUMERIC IS HERE


The Player Valuation Numeric (PVN) first appeared in the 2020 publication Basketball G.O.A.T.  The PVN accurately calculates player value unlike any other basketball formula ever created. Most importantly, it only uses "objective" integers derived from actual on court production. All "subjective" awards or accollades are ommitted on purpose.

For the record, countles player debates immediately shift to how many MVP awards, All-star appearances, or "All-whatever" awards one player may have in comparison to another. These awards are all decided by voting or human opinions. This makes all of them "subjective", and therefore USELESS when judging players on their individual merits.

For example, Bill Russell (R.I.P) won the NBA MVP award at the end of the 1961-62 season after leading the Boston Celtics to consecutive championships. Russell averaged a career high 18.9 ppg as well as an incredible 23.6 rpg that season. His PVN score was an awesome  48.0. On the other hand, this was also the same season that Oscar "Big O" Robertson averaged a triple double for the entire season and his PVN score was 54.7. No one matched the Big O's feat for 55 years!!! Hold on, it gets worse.

In the 1961-62 season Elgin Baylor averaged a husky 38.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg, and 4.6 assists for a tremendous PVN score of 62.0.  If that was not enough, in this same season Wilt Chamberlain averaged a NBA record of 50.4 ppg, 25.7 rpg, while shooting over 50% from the field. Chamberlain had a record PVN score of 79.5 for the season even though both steals and blocked shots were not recorded at the time. Yes, Wilt Chambetlain's PVN score would have been MUCH HIGHER!!!

                     Basketball G.O.A.T

Bill Russell clearly won the MVP award that year because of the championship victory. The NBA MVP voters basically gave Bill Russell too much credit for his team's victory. The fact that Russell was playing with 8 other HOFs had more to do with the Celtic success than the MVP voters wanted to admit. For the record, PVN scores 1.0 or less apart are debatable, not those 6.0 (Robertson), 14.0 (Baylor), or 31.5 (Chamberlain) greater. Bill Russell should not have finished in the Top 3 for the MVP award that season, and a  blind man can now see it.

Be advised, the Player Valuation Numeric only utilizes five integers, addition, and subtraction so it is simple to use. Once you understand each concept of the formula then the hardest part is to find the input for each player. The first integer is the Base Numeric, or the sum of each player's per game averages for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots.

The Base Numeric is next added with the Excellece Points. There are six Excellence Points that can increase a player's value.
1) Field Goal Percentage - over 50%
2) Three Point Percentage - over 40%
3) Foul Shooting Percentage - over 90%
4) Blocked Shots per game - 3.0 or greater
5) Steals per game - 2.0 or greater
6) Turnovers per game - 2.0 or less
At this point value differences between players begin to stand out.

Next, Premium Points are added to the growing sum. Premium Points are earned with an All-time accomplishment. For example, Michael Jordan received a Premium Point because he owns the record for career points per game scoring. In addition, premium points are awarded for each championship won, and a half point for making it to the NBA Finals if a team loses. The "losers" are conference champions and that has value. In total there are 47 possible categories of Premium Points, and they only go to the elite and/or winners. 

                         High IQ Hoops

Finally, Weak Points are subtracted from the PVN sum that has been calculated. Weak Points are self explanatory. They are "nonachievements" that players would sooner forget. For example Lebron James earned a Weak Point when he passed Karl Malone for the NBA All-time turnover lead. Also, Kobe Bryant earned a Weak Point for missing the most shots in NBA history. There are 16 Weak Points and most fans would be shocked that HOFs and legends primarily have them.

PLEASE NOTE: Karl Malone's PVN score would go up a point because he would no longer have the Weak Point subtracted from his total.

In conclusion, the Player Valuation Numeric is accurate, objective, and the legitimate answer for solving the myriad of "Who is best" and "Who is the G.O.A.T"  debates that go on daily. Before I even presented the formula to the public I had several former high level players and coaches check it. No flaws found. I also left the PVN in the hands of two sports minded math teachers of "gifted" HS students, as well as a legitimate genius (perfect SAT MATH score). No flaws found. This speaks volumes because the gifted young genius' hobby was correcting teachers, and he was very good at it!!! Those that do not accept the Player Valuation Numeric as the real deal are simply in denial because they will not and cannot find any flaws either. 

                 Player Valuation Numeric

Monday, September 12, 2022

THE TRUTH ABOUT NBA PLAYER HEIGHT

 
I often post about Wilt Chamberlain being the basketball G.O.A.T, and I routinely get detractors. Instead of taking the time to check their information, I get some of the most ridiculous responses. I can immediately tell who the "bottom feeders" are because they will say something outlandish like "he was bigger than everyone". I immediately clown them by mentioning that Wilt still has 72 NBA records, but the people's G.O.A.T  (Michael Jordan) only has 3. Even 1st graders know that 72 > 3, so the rational non-believers yield.

The irrational fana continue on with even more nonsense. In fact, the most ridiculous reply was that Wilt only played against 6'5" centers. Aside from the fact that most high schools have taller centers, these comments are devoid of fact as well. I then mention Bill Russell, Elvin Hayes, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, Bob Pettit, etc., and the fact that each was 6'9" or taller (literally GIANTS), and that every team had multiple GIANTS. Most of these haters then let their weak argument about height go.

Unfortunately, there are countless haters that are not adult enough to admit when they are wrong. This should help. I did the research and the average height of NBA players in 1960 was 6'6". That is also the same average height of NBA players today. That's correct, although there may have been variants over the years, the average height of NBA players over the past 62 years is the same - 6'6". The sound that the ramaining haters now hear is the 🎤 dropping
 WATCH OUT!!!

* Is Kobe Bryant more valuable than Lebron James? Is Michael Jordan really the greatest of all time? Who is the best point guard of all-time? These and many more questions have been answered in Basketball G.O.A.T. For more detailed information click the link below.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

Thursday, September 8, 2022

DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT (PART 2)?


This is the second part of a two part post. In order to better understand the content in this article it would be best to read "DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT (PART 1)?" first. This article is available on the Coach Ice's Corner blog as well.

                    NBA ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM

Chris Paul

Paul played in 65 games. He averaged 14.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 10.8 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game. Also, Chris Paul shot 49.3% from the field, 31.7% from three-point range, and 83.7% from the foul line, along with only 2.4 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 30.7

Trae Young

Young played in 76 games. He averaged 28.4 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 9.7 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.1 blocks per game. Young shot 46.0% from the field, 38.2% from three-point range, and 90.4% from the free-throw line, along with 4.0 turnovers per game. 

PVN = 40.8
 
Lebron James

James played in 56 games. He averaged 30.3 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 6.2 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. Lebron James shot 52.4% from the field, 35.9% from three-point range, and 75.6% from the free-throw line, along with 3.5 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 44.6

Pascal Siakam

Siakam played in 68 games. He averaged 22.8 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game, 5.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks each contest. Siakam shot 49.4% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range, and 74.9% from the free-throw line, along with 2.7 turnovers each game. 

Karl Anthony Towns

Towns played in 74 games. He averaged 24.6 points per game, 9.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. Towns shot 52.9% from the field, 41.0% from the three-point range, and 82.2% from the free-throw line, along with 3.1 turnovers each contest.  

PVN = 39.0

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              ALL - PRO “TEST SUBJECTS”

Jimmy Butler

Butler played in 57 games. He averaged 21.4 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 5.5 assists per game, 1.6 steals per game, and 0.5 blocks per game. In addition, Butler shot 48.0% from the field, 23.3% from three-point range, and 87.0% from the free-throw line, along with 2.1 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 32.8

Dejounte Murray

Murray played in 68 games. He averaged 21.1 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 9.2 assists per game, 2.0 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game. Murray shot 46.2% from the field, 32.7% from three-point range, and 79.4% from the free-throw line, along with 2.6 turnovers each game.

PVN = 39.3

If the Play Valuation Numeric scores are taken into account, as well as each player's actual position on the court, then we have new NBA All-Pro first, second, and third teams. Here are the revised team set-ups according to how much actual "value" each player produced this season.

                    ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM

Center:  Nikola Jokic - 49.4

Power Forward:  Giannis Antetokounmpo - 47.0

Small Forward:  LeBron James - 44.6

Shooting Guard:  Dejonte Murray - 39.3

Point Guard:  Trae Young - 40.8


                     ALL-PRO 2ND TEAM

Center: Joel Embiid - 46.0

Power Forward: Kevin Durant - 44.0

Small Forward: Luka Doncic - 44.5

Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozen - 37.8

Point Guard: Stephen Curry - 38.0


                         High IQ Hoops

                   
                     ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM

Center: Karl Anthony Towns - 39.0

Power Forward: Pascal Siakam - 35.8

Small Forward: Jayson Tatum - 38.5

Shooting Guard: Devin Booker - 35.5

Point Guard: Chris Paul - 30.7

I also took the liberty of arranging these players according to their Player Valuation Numeric scores, as opposed to their positions. By classifying them in this manner everyone can see which players were actually provided the most “value” devoid of their position on the basketball court. In fact, the PVN could be a useful tool to definitively decide which player is the true MVP each season. Unlike in many seasons of the past the NBA got it right. Here are the results.
 
                 ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM (PVN)

Nikola Jokic - 49.4

Giannis Antetokounmpo - 47.0

Joel Embiid - 46.0

LeBron James - 44.6

Luka Doncic - 44.5

                  ALL-PRO 2ND TEAM (PVN)

Trae Young - 40.8

Dejounte Murray -39.3

Karl Anthony Towns - 39.0

Jayson Tatum - 38.5

Stephen Curry - 38.0

                  ALL-PRO 3RD TEAM (PVN)

Ja Morant - 38.0

DeMar DeRozan - 37.8

Pascal Siakam - 35.8

Devin Booker - 35.5

Jimmy Butler - 32.8

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As stated earlier, the explanation of the Player Valuation Numeric is only a brief summary. It can be used, along with the above information, to check each All-Pro players PVN score. For the record, the Player Valuation Numeric first appeared in Basketball G.O.A.T, and later with more detail in Player Valuation Numeric - The Formula. Those with even more questions may purchase either or both books from Amazon, the world’s largest book seller, and become one of the “OBJECTIVE”.

Please Note: Stephen Curry, and Ja Morant both have the same PVN scores (38.0). They were ranked according to amount of games played. Also, Jason Tatum, and Stephen Curry still have a chance of earning another ½ PVN point since they will be competing against one another in the NBA Finals.

In addition, Lebron James and Luka Doncic are classified as small forwards. They both bring the ball up the court, but they are no more point guards than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who brings the ball up for the Milwaukee Bucks regularly. Their unnecessarily high turnover rates are proof of this reality as well.

In conclusion, the Player Valuation Numeric is normally calculated at the end of the season. Players on teams that win a conference championship, but not the NBA championship, receive an additional 0.5 of a point to their PVN scores. Each player on a team that wins the NBA championship receives an additional point (1.0). By doing this, no player receives "too much credit" for winning a championship, or having an outstanding regular season, especially if they do not win even one of multiple “championships” awarded. 

* Basketball G.O.A.T contains the Top 30 players of each position (150 total). Would you like to know if the NBA got their Top 75 correct?  If so, then click the link below the picture for more information.

                        Basketball G.O.A.T

DID THE NBA GET IT RIGHT? (PART 1)

The 2021-22 NBA All-Pro teams have officially been selected and announced. As usual, there are detractors but a majority of the online sports bloggers and basketball analysts seem to believe that the voters got it right. Since voting is extremely "subjective" I decided to investigate the All-Pro team selections from an "objective" point of view.

I used the Player Valuation Numeric formula on all of the All-Pro team members. It is accurate, detailed, completely objective, and only uses actual player production in its calculations. In addition, the PVN recognizes no awards of any because they are subjectively decided.

I also evaluated two other All-Stars to see if they may have been unjustifiably omitted from an All-Pro team. Jimmy Butler and Dejounte Murray both had excellent seasons as well, but they did not make any of the three All-Pro teams.

* This article will contain each player's key statistics as well as their calculated Player Valuation Numeric (PVN) score. 

                        Pit Bull Defense
.               
                
                  NBA ALL-PRO 1ST TEAM

Nikola Jokic

Jokic played in 74 games. He averaged 27.1 points per game, 13.8 rebounds per game, 7.9 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and 0.9 blocks per game. Jokic also shot 58.3% from the field, 38.7% from three-point range, 81.0% from the free throw line, along with 3.8 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 49.4

Luka Doncic

Doncic played in 65 games, He averaged 28.4 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game, 8.7 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks per game. Doncic also shot 52.8% from the field, 35.3% from three-point range, and 74.4% from the free-throw line, along with 4.5 turnovers each outing.

PVN = 44.5

Jason Tatum

Tatum played in 76 games. He averaged 26.9 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 1.0 steals per game, and 0.6 blocks per game. Tatum also shot 45.3% from the field, 35.3% from three-point range, and 85.3% from the free-throw line, along with 2.9 turnovers per game. 

PVN = 38.5

Devin Booker

Booker played in 68 games. He averaged 26.8 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 4.8 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Booker shot 45.6% from the field, 38.3% from three-point range, and 86.8% from the free-throw line, along with 2.6 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 35.5

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo played in 67 games. He and averaged 29.9 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, 5.8 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. Giannis shot 55.3% from the field, 29.3% from three-point range, and 72.2% from the free-throw line, along with 3.3 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 47.0


                 WORD ART - Coloring Book
                
                
                    NBA AII-PRO 2ND TEAM

Stephen Curry

Curry played in 64 games and averaged 25.5 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 6.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Curry also averaged 43.7% from the field, 38.0% from three-point range, and 92.3% from the free-throw line, along with 3.2 turnovers each game.

PVN = 38.0

Ja Morant

Morant played in 57 games and averaged 27.4 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 6.7 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game. Morant shot 49.3% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range, 76.1% from the free-throw line, along with 3.4 turnovers each outing. 

Demar DeRozen

DeRozen played in 76 games. He averaged 27.9 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 4.9 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.3 blocks per game.  In addition, DeRozen shot 50.4% from the field, 35.2% from three-point range, 87.7% from the free-throw line, along with 2.4 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 37.8

Kevin Durant

Durant played in 55 games. He averaged 29.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 6.4 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 0.9 blocks per game. Durant averaged 51.8% from the field, 38.3% from three-point range, 91.0% from the free-throw line, along with 3.5 turnovers each game. 

PVN = 44.0

Joel Embiid

Embiid played in 68 games. He averaged 30.6 points per game, 11.7 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 1.5 blocks per game. In addition, Embiid shot 49.9% from the field, 37.1% from three-point range, and 81.4% from the free-throw line, along with 3.1 turnovers each contest. 

PVN = 46.0

                 Player Valuation Numeric

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

COACH ICE OFF-SEASON WORKOUT 2


When practicing, Stephen Curry must swish 5 out of 10 free throws before leaving. Ray Allen was the first to the arena. He then went through a form shooting routine and progressed to 3-point shooting. Great shooters have routines.

The following shooting routine will help players develop into great shooters or at least much better shooters for the following reasons.

·         It develops sound shooting technique.

·         Develops consistency in form.

·         Improves confidence

For youth, high school or post high school players looking to improve their shooting form, can use tbese progressions in a shooting workout. For advanced players, this is a great way to refine their shooting technique. That is why professionals like Stephen Curry and Ray Allen do "boring" form shooting drills every day.

One Hand Form Shooting Drill

Most players have seen the one hand shooting form drill. Even though it is nothing new, do not dismiss the importance of this foundational drill. It reinforces good technique at the "release" portion of the shot.

For this progression, focus on getting the feet about shoulder width apart or slightly narrower while standing in a strong, balanced position. Make sure to check both feet and develop consistency on every shot. One may also stagger both feet or slightly turn them. Each player needs to find what works for them.

                           How To Leap

Next, make an L with your shooting arm. Focus on pushing the ball up and out. The shooting elbow should finish above the eyes. Focus on pushing the ball through your fingers. Typically, the shot should either finish with the index finger pointing at the hoop or with the index/middle finger pointing at the hoop. Find what works best. When the player shoots "up and out" and "pushes through with the fingers", then he/she will get the proper backspin on the ball. I even recommend shooting at a wall to focus on proper mechanics.

Points of Emphasis

·         Feet - shoulder width apart.

·         Feet - slightly staggered and/or turned.

·         Strong and stable position.

·         L with arm - starting position.

·         Push up, out, and through with fingers.

Shooting Workout / 10 wall shots and 50 basket shots

1.   The One Hand Form Shooting Drill - 10 wall shots with good technique

Do not progress until you have shot 9 out of the last 10 wall shots with sound shooting technique. It is okay if this takes some time. The key is sound shooting technique.

2.   The One Hand Form Shooting Drill - 50 shots at basket

Take 10 shots from 5 spots on the court around the basket. Distance is 3 to 5 feet from the basket. Make 8 out of 10 shots from each spot. If good technique is not used on a shot, then the shot does not count.

                 WORD ART - Coloring Book


                     ***VERY IMPORTANT***

Anyone can use poor shooting technique and make shots close to the basket. As a player moves further from the basket, the poor shooting technique will be exposed, and they will miss even more shots. Therefore, it does not matter if 10 out of 10 shots are made with poor technique. Technique is the most important thing here. Once good technique is developed then worry about making baskets.

One Hand Form Shooting Drill - With Guide Hand
Athletes have a tendency to use their guide hand too much. Therefore do not allow the guide hand to touch the basketball in this progression. This is very important because players that overuse the guide hand will often miss to the right and/or the left. If a player can eliminate shooting to the right or left, he/she will automatically make more shots.

Emphasis Points

·         Guide hand near the side of the ball. Do not place guide hand in front or behind basketball.

·         Fingers on guide hand pointing upwards.

·         Keep guide hand still.

·         Do not touch the ball with the guide hand.

Shooting Workout

1.   One Hand Form Shooting Drill - 30 shots

Shoot 10 shots from 3 spots. The player should be 3 to 5 feet from the basket. Make 8 out of 10 from each spot before progressing to next exercise.

2.   One Hand Form Shooting With Guide Hand - 50 Shots

Shoot 10 shots from 5 spots. The player should be 3 to 5 feet from the basket. Make 8 out of 10 from each spot before progressing to the next progression.

JOHN LUCAS DRILL

I learned this drill as a youth at the now defunct Mr. Basketball Camp. They had a guess professional come by the name of John Lucas, and he completely blew my mind. Lucas started directly under the basket and shot until he swished two shots, then took a step back. John Lucas talked and demonstrated without missing a single shot. He was soon at half court, and then made two in a row clean through. John Lucas then walked to the foul line like that type of thing happens every day.

After Lucas’ demonstration, he proceeded to play a full court pick-up game with some of the top campers, college players (counselors), and the camp’s resident  pro (played in France). The 6’3” John Lucas, who was closer to 6 foot, proceeded to dominate the competition as if they were middle schoolers. It was amazing. I had no idea just how much better an elite NBA player would be compared to college student athletes, or even overseas professional players. John Lucas was the number one overall pick in the 1976 NBA draft for a reason.

* You  can learn to score against anyone at anytime you desire. It is just like riding a bike if you know what to do. For more detailed information click the link below.

                     How To Get Buckets

WHO WAS GREATER - KAREEM ABDUL JABBAR OR MICHAEL JORDAN?


When asked who is the basketball G.O.A.T  most fans will say Michael Jordan without a second thought. Even those that have never seen him play, and far too many that were not even born when he played. Social media often clowds people's minds when blatant untruths are posted by famous but often naive "experts" and accepted as reality. This is the world we live in.

Common sense still stands out even though ignorance has run rampant. Common sense is still able to win in the end simply because of a small thing called FACTS. For example, a Los Angeles Laker owner (Buss Group) publically stated that Kobe Bryant was the greatest Laker ever.  Out of respect for the Bryant family and the deceased former star, no one debated this. With former Lakers like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Magic Jognson, and Kareem Abdul Javbar all having MUCH HIGHER Player Valuation Numeric scores her comment was wrong, disingenuous, and basically disrespectful because she made her statements to shake up her customer base, and make more money.

With this being said Kareem Abdul Jabbar has quietly listened to all of this nonsense and said nothing to push himself into the forefront for recognition. Kareem is clearly one of the Top 5 players in NBA history, but too many people do not realize that Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul Jabbar is one of the Top 3 players in basketball history when high school and college accomplishments are included, if not the best.

Since Michael Jordan was a high school "phenom", a college standout, and professuonal legend, comparing his basketball career with Kareem's seemed apropo. Here are the results that stand out:

                         Intangible Traits

1) Lew Alcindor was a three time high school All-American, and three time national player of the year. Just before the dominant 7'2" Alcindor entered college the NCAA made dunking illegal. That is when he developed the "sky hook" and literally dominated the game even more.

Michael Jordan was the top player coming out of high school his senior year. He was also a late bloomer that did not play varsity until the 11th grade when he unexpectedly grew 9 inches taller than his older brother Larry, the 5'7" varsity star. Therefore, Lew Alcindor was far greater as a high school player.

2) Despite the "no dunking" rule Lew Alcindor and the UCLA Bruins thrived. While in college Lew Alcindor won three (3) NCAA Championships as well as three (3) more National Player of the Years awards. It would have undoubtedly been four successes in both categories except for the fact that freshmen were not allowed to compete.

Michael Jordan on the other hand, won a national championship with the North Carolina Tar Heels as a freshman. In fact, he hit the game winning shot. Jordan went on to become the National Player of the Year in the following season, but he did not win another NCAA championship before turning professional. Therefore, it is a decisive victory for Lew Alcindor over Michael Jordan with respect to college  greatness.

                 Player Valuation Numeric

3) Both players went to the NBA and performed in a legendary manner Their accomplishment are comparable and would fill an entire post if listed. For example, Michael Jordan is the all-time points per game leader, while Kareem Abdul Jabbar (name changed after graduating college) is the all-time total points leader. Both have six (6) NBA championships, and Jordan has five (5) MVPs, and Kareem has six (6) MVPs including one in which he became the only player to win the award despite his team not making the playyoffs.

In order to "objectively" determine who was greater as a professional I had to disregard "subjective" awards like MVP and "All-Whatever", go back to the basics, and keep it simple. I used the Player Valuation Numeric to calculate the real value each legend brought to the court during their careers. As I expected it was close, VERY close. Michael "Air" Jordan earned a "next level" PVN score of 50.0. Only four (4) players in NBA history have ever earned scores of 50.0 or higher.

Ironically, Kareem Abdul Jabbar is one of those elite four players to exceed the incredible 50.0 mark. Kareem earned an amazing PVN score of 51.1 for his career. For the record, scores 1.0 or less apart may be debated, but those over 1.0 show a clearly superiority. Therefore, it can be rightfully stated and backed up by facts that Kareem Abdul Jabbar was a greater basketball player than Michael Jordan on every level.

* There are two other NBA legends that have surpassed the 50.0 mark and several that came close. If you would like to know who all of these legendary players are and also get the complete breakdown of the Player Valuation Numeric, then click the link below.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

Sunday, September 4, 2022

A HEAD SHOULD ROLL - CHICAGO'S GM


Last season DeMar Derozan put the Chicago Bulls on his shoulders and carried them into the playoffs with the help of Zach Lavine. In the playoffs he continued his stellar play, but the absence of key players, and the disappearance of Lavine in the playoffs forced the Bulls into an early playoff exit.

Demar Derozan was properly compensated ($27.4M) for his efforts, and his status as "the man" of the organization. He was selected as an All-star, 2nd team All-Pro, and he proved to be one of the most clutch players in the league by making multiple game winning shots during the season.

With this being said, Derozan will return next season, and he will be the second highest player on the team. His "sidekick", Zach Lavine, was just resigned to a $214M contract. Not only will Lavine make more money than Derozan next season, he will make over $12M more!!!

I cannot say that Demar Derozan is or should be jealous, but human nature is what it is. How can he feel "good" about an inferior player being paid MUCH more money for the same job? Derozan has one more year on his contract. If Demar Derozan performs just as well as last season, then he will rightfully expect to be paid more than Lavine. This will mean that the Bulls will have two $40M+ salaries without getting any better. This is a recipe for eminent failure, just look at the Los Angeles Laker dilemna.

Be advised, I am happy for Zach Lavine's financial windfall. On the other hand, I am sure that he has been grossly overpaid. A wise GM would let Lavine test the market since they have the option to match any offers. The Phoenix Suns used this strategy with DeAndre Ayton, a more valued player than Lavine, and signed him for $76M less than the Bulls signed Lavine. Enough said.

Unfortinately, the Bulls GM, Marc Eversley, is not a "wise GM". He is a former Nike executive that Lavine's agents bamboozeled into grabbing his ankle and letting them have rheir way. They Bulls may make the playoffs, but that is it. If Derozan does not resign after next season, then they will once again fade into obscurity. What could Zach Lavine do to change this inevitabity? Nothing, because he is not a bonafide $40M/year talent.

PLEASE NOTE: Zach Lavine is a two time All-star. The picture contains a mistake. His first selection was in 2020, and he  was a replacement last season.

                 Player Valuation Numeric

Saturday, September 3, 2022

TRIPLE DOUBLE WITHOUT POINTS


Last season Draymond Green made the All-star team without averaging double figures in any category. Casual fans were beside themselves if their favorite player(s), who may have averaged double figures, did not make the team. Draymond Green heard the talk, and his reply was, "I don't need to score to affect the game." Also, this season the Golden State Warriors proceeded to go on and win the NBA Championship for the fourth time in 8 years, and Green's non-scoring output was key to their success.

On February 10, 2017 Draymond Green recorded rhe only occurrence in NBA history of a triple double without points. Meaning this, Draymond Green earned double figures in three categories, but he did not score in double figures or at least 10 points. Green had 12 rebounds, 12 assists, and 10 steals (Golden State Warrior single game record). Draymond Green only had four (4) points in the game, but he did manage to collect an outstanding five (5) blocks to go along with the triple double stats.  

* Draymond Green is a winner, and the reason he is able to affect basketball games without scoring a lot of points is because he is High IQ player. Most "star" players are not winners because they do not really know the game.

Fortunately, players can develop their basketball IQs quicker than their shooting touch or jumping abilty. For more detailed information about how to upgrade immediately click the link below.

                           High IQ Hoops