Analysis shows Barkley has it wrong
Charles Barkley seems to think there’s some sort of war going on. He fights it alone, well on his way to becoming chairman of the “I don’t get analytics” committee.
Here’s what the TNT analyst should have said last week: “I don’t care how much statistical information you get, championship teams are built on talent and character, things that are best evaluated in person.”
Instead, Barkley called Houston general manager Daryl Morey an “idiot.” He ridiculed analytics as “crap,” apparently not realizing he was also denouncing rebound totals and points per game. As far as his dismissing stat wizards as “people who never played the game,” there’s some truth to that. But if Barkley wants to believe that such NBA icons as Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley don’t conduct extensive studies of advanced metrics, he’s wildly misguided.
The statistical revolution hasn’t taken over the major sports, it merely enhances player evaluation at every level. Every smart executive crafts a harmonious relationship between long-trusted scouts (as in “trust your eyes”) and the volumes of advanced metrics that prove invaluable in analyzing matchups, tendencies and percentages.
Tim Flannery, the recently retired Giants coach, referred to the Brian Sabean-Bobby Evans-Dick Tidrow-John Barr braintrust as “the last of an old-school breed,” and that’s true to an extent, but the Giants haven’t fought the revolution. They’re smarter than ever, thanks to their willingness to accept and rely upon some fascinating information.
Barkley should have left the state of affairs to more responsible NBA types, such as:
Warriors GM Bob Myers, to FM 95.7: “When we make decisions, analytics are never more than 50 percent of the process.”
Dallas coach Rick Carlisle: “There’s a lot of information available, but ‘selectively’ is the word. There are tools there that are extremely useful. You just have to make sure you don’t overdo it.”
Houston coach Kevin McHale: “It’s just another tool in the toolbox, and very useful. But the toughest thing in this business is how much does a guy love to play? How much does he love to compete? How tough is he? How is he going to play when someone kicks his ass? What’s he going to do the next day?”
This is a war that doesn’t exist. Only a fool dares to belittle either side.
Around the NBA
In honor of the All-Star Game on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, here’s an all-New York team for the history books: Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), whose unstoppable skyhook altered the landscape and has never been duplicated. Bob Cousy, the first true master of the fastbreak. Chris Mullin, greatest lefty shooter of them all. Julius Erving, whose power and elegance transcended the sport. And Bernard King, perhaps the most lethal midrange scorer of all time. Toughest to leave out: Connie Hawkins, the epitome of a playground legend.
Should be interesting to see if Warriors head coach Steve Kerr leaves Stephen Curry on the sideline for selected games down the stretch. This rest-the-stars trend is catching on, but Kerr has to weigh (a) whether Curry really wants to sit out; (b) the notion of disappointing fans who came to see him play; and (c) the standings. It’s not imperative that the Warriors have the Western Conference’s best record; finishing in the top four secures home-court advantage for at least the first round.
Interesting sidelight to the Goran Dragic trade rumors (the deadline is Thursday): If the Suns trade him to the Rockets, Lakers or another interested team, that’s a huge plus for an Oklahoma City team trying to move past Phoenix into the No. 8 playoff spot. Should that happen, finishing at No. 1 doesn’t sound like such a great idea.
Loud and clear from Jerry West, on FM 95.7: “If you’ve watched us of late, we’ve been unbelievably lackadaisical against teams, where we squander big leads. It has to do with concentration and, more important, intelligent play. Sometimes we take a lot of quick, long shots that don’t allow you to get back defensively. That’s when other teams are going to have success.”
Dead-on All-Star assessment from Carlisle, to ESPN: “Let’s be honest, Monta Ellis should be at the All-Star game and Dirk ( Nowitzki) should be home. Dirk is very deserving, don’t get me wrong, but Monta’s leading the team in minutes played and points and he’s made more big shots down the stretch than anyone. If this continues, he may be known as the best player never to make an All-Star Game.”
Is anyone else tired of the Ray Allen rumors? Isn’t he being just a bit too coy about whether he wants to come back or stay in retirement? Along those lines, the Warriors should have no interest in Amar’e Stoudemire. A big man just doesn’t fit if he can’t help out defensively.
The Clippers are making a strong case for DeAndre Jordan, left off the Western Conference All-Star team despite his sensational rebounding and shot-blocking performances, but this isn’t the type of player fans want to see. All-Star Games are all about offensive entertainment, at least until the fourth quarter. Dennis Rodman led the NBA in rebounding for seven straight seasons, but made the All-Star team in only one of them (1991-92, with Detroit).
Will DeMarcus Cousins get along with new head coach George Karl in Sacramento? Probably. That could be a sweet, productive marriage. But the Kings are stumbling along through ludicrous executive/ownership decisions, and Cousins can’t afford to be known as a constant complainer. If he comes to believe that Karl is the wrong choice and speaks out, the whole mess goes up in flames.
Whatever happened to Jason Richardson? The ex-Warrior, 34, has been sidelined a full two years in his rehab from knee and foot injuries, but he plans to return to the 76ers after the break, then retire after leaving a final imprint. “I’m not going to be the same 27-year-old Jason Richardson,” he told Philly.com. “My athleticism may be gone, but I still have skill sets that I can contribute to this team.”