Interesting. LA had a tremendous year. So much so that it's tough to poke holes in any part of his game, but if there is one thing he can stand to improve on it's his 62% FT shooting in the clutch. He misses a lot of foul shots late in games.
http://www.82games.com/1011/CSORT4.HTM - same list, sorted for +/- per 48. Dallas's playoff "closing 5" owns places 2-6. Talk about hindsight being 20/20.
Things nobody would've guessed: Bosh is the highest for the Heat, and Rudy is in the top 12 (11 if you count Mo Williams only once - Mo is pretty amazing given that he's getting these numbers on such crappy teams!). Minnesota is the anti-Dallas. Looks like Scottie was right about Kurt Thomas.
http://www.82games.com/1011/CSORT5.HTM Of the players who took the most "clutch time" shots, look who put up the best percentages--Monta Ellis: .484 overall, .435 from 3. Most of it 1-on-1, and low turnovers too.
I'd say Batum is our most clutch player (highest POR player in total +/-, 2nd in +/- per 48, 2nd in FG%, 2nd in 3%, 2nd in FT%, 3rd in Rebs)... Aldridge comes in 2nd.
Fernandez's +/- appears to be so good because he's surprisingly good at defense in the clutch: 4th in the league in steals in the clutch at 3.6 per 48. Miller is 6th at 3.5 Miller is also 9th in assists.
Of course, the mythology of Kobe being superclutch has been forever, bullshit. We have all heard game announcers and commentators throughout the years tout his clutchness. It has never been true. Ever. Kobe has never been "clutch" for any reasonable stretch of time. Fer christ sakes, Kobe started his career in the playoffs by waving off Shaq and (at the time) better guards in Nick the Quick and Eddie Jones and chucking up a series of airballs to shoot them out of the series against Utah. But, you know, you wouldn't want any other player over Kobe taking the last shot, or so say TV geniuses. Pure comedy gold.
Although, I usually consider the analytic approach to most things basketball, there is no one else on this team I'd rather have with the ball in his hands, and game on the line, than Roy.
Definitely. He's not as consistent anymore in his ability to make an explosive move off the dribble and he's playing further from the rim. Those nagging injuries are starting to catch up with him and it sounds like his knees are close to being shot.
I think some of his "clutch" labeling comes with his willingness to take those shots and his ability to score from anywhere on the court.
Agreed. I don't think there's a "clutch" quality. IMO, clutch in reality maps with ability level. The best players remain the best players late in the game (though being a ball-handler helps a lot in a "last possession, little time left on the clock" situation). Kobe was one of the best players, so he was also great at the ends of games. Now that he's not so great, he's not as great late in the game. Clutch in perception maps with memorable game-winners, whether or not that player regularly "comes through in the clutch."
FTFY. I think with an actual C and a backup PF, LMA won't be so tired at the end of games and get back to his normal self of being a clutch FT shooter.
Yep. Brass balls to be sure. You can make a great video montage of all the great shots he has made. Just edit out all the misses.
In +/- per 48, 5 of the top 6 players are Mavericks. But what does it mean? That a team falls into a hole often and has to climb out at the end? A great team with a lot of blowouts doesn't have to have good clutch stats.
