Well, if you look at 82games.com, Lopez had a PER of 20.1 and an opponent PER of 17.7 for a net individual production of +2.4. So, in this case, yes it's good. Compare it to J.J. Hickson, who had a PER = 21.0 and an opponent PER of 20.3 for a net of +0.7. But, that is comparing individual production. To compare how a player impacts his team, you need to look at On Court/Off court stats. Robin Lopez Net On Court/Off Court = +1.4 J.J. Hickson Net On Cout/Off Court = -5.7 This stat accurately reflects how Hickson's lack of interior defense allowed the Blazers opponents to get to the rim at will. Lopez does a much better job controlling the paint. Which was a huge weakness for the Blazers last season due to playing a power forward out of position at center. BNM
What was Hickson's PER-against? How did their teammates' defense compare? Was Lopez continually helping cover other teammates while his player scored or was Lopez getting outplayed straight up?
I had never thought of things this way. Ideally, every player we have would come off the bench because we have somebody better ahead of them. Why doesn't Olshey just go get those players so we can move our current players to the bench?
Ideally, Lillard would be the back-up to Chris Paul, and LMA would be the back-up to ... Tim Duncan, I suppose?
Haha! Repped. The logical pretzels on this board that some posters put themselves in are low-hanging snacks to consume.
Ideally, Nic Batum would be the back-up to LeBron James, and Brooke Lopez would be the back-up to Dwight Howard.
I don't think it takes an all star center to have Robin come off the bench. Heck this writer thinks Leonard has a chance to start . . . and I don't think Leonard makes the all star team. Funny, a writer says LA 2nd best PF and most treat that as a fact. This writer says Lopez probably better suited as a back up and most jump on the writer.
i just dont remember them having anything horrible happen besides the nugs and mavs its the worst grade in the conference, i mean im not the biggest kevin martin fan but just wondering if i missed something
Link? Plus, Meyers just may have a better reputation among national NBA writers than he does on this very narrow-minded and binary board. It seems at times here that if a player isn't an all-around expert at everything, then he's a bum and a bust.
Really, all he said was that Lopez would "battle" Leonard for the starting spot, and I found that comical, because it seems obvious that Lopez is the clear-cut starter.
However highly thought of the national writers think of Leonard, it scary they think he will compete with Lopez for the starting job. At the very least your examples of Lillard backing up Paul, Batum backing up Lebron, Aldridge backing up Duncan are terrible examples of the situation here. We are talking a national writer thinks Lopez may potentially back up Leonard. I don't think any national writer puts Leonard in the same category as Duncan, Paul and Lebron.
While Lopez is probably better suited coming off the bench, he had a very strong 2012-13 in which he posted an impressive 18.9 PER. He should battle second-year big man Meyers Leonard for the starting center position. I'm not saying Leonard should start over Lopez, but that first part of the sentence seems to suggest that Lopez in more of a back up . . . but he acknowledges that Lopez had a good year last year which seems to suggest he might be elevating to a starting NBA center??? (i know he started last year but many players started last year that probably shouldn't be starters)
