Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 24, 2009 12:22:54 GMT -5
The All-Underrated Team
PER Diem: Nov. 24, 2009
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Hollinger By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
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Marc GasolAP Photo/David ZalubowskiCenter of attention: Marc Gasol is averaging 15.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks for the Grizz.
For fans who have spent the past year-and-a-half lamenting the Lakers' trade for Pau Gasol, I've got a news flash for you: Either way, L.A. was going to end up with a robust frontcourt.
That's because one of the players they included in that deal was Pau's little brother, Marc. And while he seemed like a rather poor and noticeably chunkier facsimile of his older sibling at the time, he's evolved into a star performer.
Granted, he takes a bit of getting used to. Watching his free throw routine, in which he stares at the floor while dribbling as if he just learned how a few minutes ago, you'd think there's no way he can possibly be any good. The stunning resemblance to Mike Gminski doesn't do him any favors either.
It turns out, however, that Pau's kid brother is good. Really good. Among Western Conference centers who play at least 30 minutes a game, only Tim Duncan and Andrew Bynum can top Gasol's 21.81 PER, making him a fringe All-Star candidate. Over his past five games he has converted 35-of-42 from the field (a ridiculous 83.3 percent), as Memphis has won four out of five in its post-Iverson mini-resurgence.
He's been so effective that even his shot-happy teammates have taken notice. Yes, that was Rudy Gay twice threading passes to Gasol rolling to the basket for easy buckets in Monday night's win over Sacramento, doubling Gay's usual assist total before the end of the first quarter.
Amazingly, for such a productive player on a poor team, he's still underutilized. Despite his undeniable potency as a low-post weapon and his steady midrange shot, Gasol averages only 8.8 shot attempts per game -- barely half that of O.J. Mayo, Gay or Zach Randolph. The fact Gasol averages about as many assists as those other three players suggests they might end up with better shots if they'd play through him more often. Like his older brother, this Gasol is a deft passer who can carve up double-teams.
And while he may not match his big brother in athleticism, his slimmed-down look this season has allowed him to stay on the court for 35.4 minutes a game and register nearly two blocks a contest. And get this: He's even second on the team in steals. He's also seventh in the NBA in rebounding (10.7) and second in shooting percentage (62.6 percent).
Which takes us to today's theme. Because of his outstanding play and his total lack of national exposure, Gasol is the center and captain of my All-Underrated Team. These are players who have demonstrated, both this season and last, that they are high-caliber performers, but have received scant coverage of their exploits. Let's take a look at some of the league's other unheralded talents:
Landry
Landry
PF: Carl Landry, Houston
Landry is playing only 24.9 minutes per game off the bench for Houston, but he's a dark-horse candidate for the sixth man award and his play suggests he should start ahead of Chuck Hayes or Luis Scola. The third-year forward is shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and hasn't been shy about putting it up.
In fact, his average of 24.3 points per 40 minutes is one of the big reasons Houston has been much more potent offensively than many expected. His performance comes on the heels of two very strong seasons off the Rockets' bench, so it's high time Landry's skills moved into the limelight.
Dudleyl
Dudley
SF: Jared Dudley, Phoenix
Dudley is one of the smartest players in the league, and now that he's on a winning team in Phoenix, he's starting to garner attention for it. Although he has some physical limitations thanks to a somewhat chunky build, he's a good outside shooter (37.8 percent on 3-pointers for his career) and an excellent rebounder for his size.
What's given him an additional boost this season, however, is his newfound defensive nastiness. He's harassing 3s and smaller 4s with his physicality and willingness to take charges, making him an important cog in Phoenix's surprising early success.
Bynum
Bynum
PG: Will Bynum, Detroit
Fans in Detroit already are wondering why Bynum isn't starting, which is pretty amazing considering he began the season as the fourth guard in a three-guard rotation. Believe it or not, the 6-foot powder keg led the Pistons in PER last season, and early this season he's shown that it was no fluke.
Bynum is averaging a point every two minutes and shooting 50 percent from the floor, and while his instincts are as a scorer, he's found the open man enough to keep defenses honest. Another big surprise is all the time he's spent at the free throw line this season, which is an added source of easy points that has helped raise his PER considerably.
Hill
Hill
SG: George Hill, San Antonio
Hill plays the point in San Antonio, but his best long-term position might be shooting guard. Although he's only 6-3, he has very long arms and can capably defend wing players as well as point guards. Additionally, he is getting more confident as a spot-up shooter and should prove to be a quality long-range weapon.
He's something less than natural as a point guard -- yet another reason I've put him at the 2 on my team. But he can get to the rim and score, which is why he'll make a perfect wingman on this squad.
Haywood
Haywood
Backup C: Brendan Haywood, Washington
Haywood is the type of no-frills player who's easy to overlook, especially on a Wizards team with so many scorers. However, he's been a quietly productive center for several years now and it's no accident that the Wiz slid down the tubes last season when he missed nearly the entire season with a wrist injury.
Haywood has limited range but scores surprisingly often (15.2 points per 40 minutes in 2007-08), using the occasional dribble drive. Meanwhile, his size makes him a force at the defensive end despite a lack of highlight-reel blocked shots.
Ilyasova
Ilyasova
Backup PF: Ersan Ilyasova, Milwaukee
League Pass junkies tuning in to catch Brandon Jennings' exploits have noticed that he's not the Bucks' only high-quality European import. The dude in the "Friday the 13th" mask has given the Bucks' second unit a major shot in the arm with his rebounding and long-range shooting, and his translated numbers from Europe suggest that it isn't a fluke.
Ilyasova's frame has really filled out since his first tour of duty in Milwaukee and it's made him a quality big man rather than an iffy tweener -- one who is shooting 39 percent on 3s while averaging 12.9 boards per 40 minutes.
Mbah a Moute
Mbah a Moute
Backup SF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee
Mbah a Moute's PER is an ugly 7.05 so far this season, but you'll note that he's still playing 29 minutes a game. There's a reason for that, and it's his suffocating defense. Mbah a Moute doesn't need to contribute much at the offensive end because he can guard any position on the floor and guard it extremely well. He didn't get much credit for it last season, but he's an All-Defense-caliber stopper with long arms, outstanding quickness and great tenacity.
Since several of my other All-Underrated players are fairly limited in this respect, I'm going to need his D to round out my roster.
Douglas-Roberts
Douglas-Roberts
Backup SG: Chris Douglas-Roberts, New Jersey
It's tough to find underrated players at the shooting guard spot since so many of them receive heavy ink for their offense. So let's at least go with a player whose steady play has been lost in his team's struggles. Sure, the Nets are winless, and critics will say it's easy to get points on a bad team. But it's not easy to shoot accurately while getting those points, and that's what Douglas-Roberts has done so far.
He's averaging a point every two minutes while hitting 47.5 percent from the field and a stellar 88.2 percent from the stripe. Based on his rookie and college numbers, his strong start seems likely to last.
Lowry
Lowry
Backup PG: Kyle Lowry, Houston
Aaron Brooks gets all the pub, but Lowry is no slouch, either, and at times finishes games in Brooks' place. While Lowry brings one glaring weakness to the table -- he's a poor outside shooter -- he's so good in other areas that he's still a valuable performer. Foremost is the fact that few guards defend with his tenacity, so despite standing just 6-0, he can lock down opposing point guards and occasionally check 2s.
PER Diem: Nov. 24, 2009
Comment Email Print Share
Insider
Hollinger By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
Archive
Marc GasolAP Photo/David ZalubowskiCenter of attention: Marc Gasol is averaging 15.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks for the Grizz.
For fans who have spent the past year-and-a-half lamenting the Lakers' trade for Pau Gasol, I've got a news flash for you: Either way, L.A. was going to end up with a robust frontcourt.
That's because one of the players they included in that deal was Pau's little brother, Marc. And while he seemed like a rather poor and noticeably chunkier facsimile of his older sibling at the time, he's evolved into a star performer.
Granted, he takes a bit of getting used to. Watching his free throw routine, in which he stares at the floor while dribbling as if he just learned how a few minutes ago, you'd think there's no way he can possibly be any good. The stunning resemblance to Mike Gminski doesn't do him any favors either.
It turns out, however, that Pau's kid brother is good. Really good. Among Western Conference centers who play at least 30 minutes a game, only Tim Duncan and Andrew Bynum can top Gasol's 21.81 PER, making him a fringe All-Star candidate. Over his past five games he has converted 35-of-42 from the field (a ridiculous 83.3 percent), as Memphis has won four out of five in its post-Iverson mini-resurgence.
He's been so effective that even his shot-happy teammates have taken notice. Yes, that was Rudy Gay twice threading passes to Gasol rolling to the basket for easy buckets in Monday night's win over Sacramento, doubling Gay's usual assist total before the end of the first quarter.
Amazingly, for such a productive player on a poor team, he's still underutilized. Despite his undeniable potency as a low-post weapon and his steady midrange shot, Gasol averages only 8.8 shot attempts per game -- barely half that of O.J. Mayo, Gay or Zach Randolph. The fact Gasol averages about as many assists as those other three players suggests they might end up with better shots if they'd play through him more often. Like his older brother, this Gasol is a deft passer who can carve up double-teams.
And while he may not match his big brother in athleticism, his slimmed-down look this season has allowed him to stay on the court for 35.4 minutes a game and register nearly two blocks a contest. And get this: He's even second on the team in steals. He's also seventh in the NBA in rebounding (10.7) and second in shooting percentage (62.6 percent).
Which takes us to today's theme. Because of his outstanding play and his total lack of national exposure, Gasol is the center and captain of my All-Underrated Team. These are players who have demonstrated, both this season and last, that they are high-caliber performers, but have received scant coverage of their exploits. Let's take a look at some of the league's other unheralded talents:
Landry
Landry
PF: Carl Landry, Houston
Landry is playing only 24.9 minutes per game off the bench for Houston, but he's a dark-horse candidate for the sixth man award and his play suggests he should start ahead of Chuck Hayes or Luis Scola. The third-year forward is shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and hasn't been shy about putting it up.
In fact, his average of 24.3 points per 40 minutes is one of the big reasons Houston has been much more potent offensively than many expected. His performance comes on the heels of two very strong seasons off the Rockets' bench, so it's high time Landry's skills moved into the limelight.
Dudleyl
Dudley
SF: Jared Dudley, Phoenix
Dudley is one of the smartest players in the league, and now that he's on a winning team in Phoenix, he's starting to garner attention for it. Although he has some physical limitations thanks to a somewhat chunky build, he's a good outside shooter (37.8 percent on 3-pointers for his career) and an excellent rebounder for his size.
What's given him an additional boost this season, however, is his newfound defensive nastiness. He's harassing 3s and smaller 4s with his physicality and willingness to take charges, making him an important cog in Phoenix's surprising early success.
Bynum
Bynum
PG: Will Bynum, Detroit
Fans in Detroit already are wondering why Bynum isn't starting, which is pretty amazing considering he began the season as the fourth guard in a three-guard rotation. Believe it or not, the 6-foot powder keg led the Pistons in PER last season, and early this season he's shown that it was no fluke.
Bynum is averaging a point every two minutes and shooting 50 percent from the floor, and while his instincts are as a scorer, he's found the open man enough to keep defenses honest. Another big surprise is all the time he's spent at the free throw line this season, which is an added source of easy points that has helped raise his PER considerably.
Hill
Hill
SG: George Hill, San Antonio
Hill plays the point in San Antonio, but his best long-term position might be shooting guard. Although he's only 6-3, he has very long arms and can capably defend wing players as well as point guards. Additionally, he is getting more confident as a spot-up shooter and should prove to be a quality long-range weapon.
He's something less than natural as a point guard -- yet another reason I've put him at the 2 on my team. But he can get to the rim and score, which is why he'll make a perfect wingman on this squad.
Haywood
Haywood
Backup C: Brendan Haywood, Washington
Haywood is the type of no-frills player who's easy to overlook, especially on a Wizards team with so many scorers. However, he's been a quietly productive center for several years now and it's no accident that the Wiz slid down the tubes last season when he missed nearly the entire season with a wrist injury.
Haywood has limited range but scores surprisingly often (15.2 points per 40 minutes in 2007-08), using the occasional dribble drive. Meanwhile, his size makes him a force at the defensive end despite a lack of highlight-reel blocked shots.
Ilyasova
Ilyasova
Backup PF: Ersan Ilyasova, Milwaukee
League Pass junkies tuning in to catch Brandon Jennings' exploits have noticed that he's not the Bucks' only high-quality European import. The dude in the "Friday the 13th" mask has given the Bucks' second unit a major shot in the arm with his rebounding and long-range shooting, and his translated numbers from Europe suggest that it isn't a fluke.
Ilyasova's frame has really filled out since his first tour of duty in Milwaukee and it's made him a quality big man rather than an iffy tweener -- one who is shooting 39 percent on 3s while averaging 12.9 boards per 40 minutes.
Mbah a Moute
Mbah a Moute
Backup SF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee
Mbah a Moute's PER is an ugly 7.05 so far this season, but you'll note that he's still playing 29 minutes a game. There's a reason for that, and it's his suffocating defense. Mbah a Moute doesn't need to contribute much at the offensive end because he can guard any position on the floor and guard it extremely well. He didn't get much credit for it last season, but he's an All-Defense-caliber stopper with long arms, outstanding quickness and great tenacity.
Since several of my other All-Underrated players are fairly limited in this respect, I'm going to need his D to round out my roster.
Douglas-Roberts
Douglas-Roberts
Backup SG: Chris Douglas-Roberts, New Jersey
It's tough to find underrated players at the shooting guard spot since so many of them receive heavy ink for their offense. So let's at least go with a player whose steady play has been lost in his team's struggles. Sure, the Nets are winless, and critics will say it's easy to get points on a bad team. But it's not easy to shoot accurately while getting those points, and that's what Douglas-Roberts has done so far.
He's averaging a point every two minutes while hitting 47.5 percent from the field and a stellar 88.2 percent from the stripe. Based on his rookie and college numbers, his strong start seems likely to last.
Lowry
Lowry
Backup PG: Kyle Lowry, Houston
Aaron Brooks gets all the pub, but Lowry is no slouch, either, and at times finishes games in Brooks' place. While Lowry brings one glaring weakness to the table -- he's a poor outside shooter -- he's so good in other areas that he's still a valuable performer. Foremost is the fact that few guards defend with his tenacity, so despite standing just 6-0, he can lock down opposing point guards and occasionally check 2s.
