In the New York Times article from November 19th, the author Jonathan Abrams analyzes some data from Synergy and extrapolates interesting facts about the usage and value of the old-school “pick and roll” offensive strategy.

Yes, the old-fashioned pick-and-roll is becoming more and more popular offensive strategy to win games. As is well known to anybody who ever played a serious basketball game, it involves two players, with one player dribbling the ball and another screening his defender (setting the pick). The player with the ball then has an option to attack the hoop, shoot, pass to the rolling or “popping” teammate, or to pass to a third teammate, typically waiting behind the three-point line. This play, although very simple, in the hands of great players becomes an almost indefensible offensive set.

Here are excerpts from the NYT article:

Use of the pick-and-roll rose to 18.6 percent of the league’s total plays last season from 15.6 percent in 2004-5, when Synergy began tracking it.

But over all, the Synergy numbers confirm what many in the N.B.A. have witnessed. Offenses now spread defenses thin with mobile big men, quick point guards and long-distance shooters. The pick-and-roll is the orchestrator of all that.

The defender guarding the ball handler can squeeze past the player setting the pick to stay with the ball handler (known as going over the pick). He can also try to avoid the pick by running behind the pick and then resume guarding the ball handler once he moves past the screen (known as going under the pick).

The two defenders can also switch whom they are guarding, with the taller defender momentarily defending the smaller ball handler and trying to hinder his vision before hurrying back to the player who set the pick. Or the defender guarding the ball handler can try to direct him away from the pick before it can take place.

The Synergy analysis showed that defenses were most effective when the on-ball defender went under the pick, temporarily abandoning the ball handler and then picking him up again.

With effective teams, the defensive strategies are limited. There are just too many options with the pick-and-roll, too many height and quickness mismatches for the offense to take advantage of. The defensive thought process turns simple, if futile. Sometimes, it just hopes that the team running the pick-and-roll misses whatever shot it chooses to take.

Shane Batier

Michael Lewis published an article in the New York Times (February 13th, 2009) in which he wrote extensively (8 web pages) about the new trend in basketball statistical analysis: the power of intangibles. The article is focused on Shane Batier, the player who personifies the intangibles in basketball: his stats don’t show up on the box score, but he makes his team better and the opponent worse, often much worse…

Every story has a counter story. In his article Lies, Damned Lies, and Obama, an unnamed author analyzes the text, breaks it down to pieces, and concludes that it makes no sense at all. Whether you agree or not, this piece is well-written and worth your attention.

Chris Paul already ruined my favourite and most-proclaimed statistic last season – the last player to average 20 points and 10 assists through a season.

But it doesn’t end there. For a long time the benchmark for little people in the NBA has been Isiah Thomas. Throughout the eighties Isiah put up some pretty crazy numbers. The peak of his offensive prowess coincided with the peak of his passing prowess, resulting in four-straight 20-10 seasons, two of which included 4+ rebounds and 2+ steals.

After averaging 21.1 points, 11.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals last season Chris Paul put himself into that most elite of categories. And then he thought he’d go one better. Currently averaging 21.2 points, 11.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals, Chris Paul’s stats are now so ridiculous that John Hollinger’s computer explodes every time he tries to calculate his PER.

And then we come to even more rarified territory – the 25-15-10-7 game. Before today, no one had registered 25 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and 7 steals in a game in the last 22 years. To use a HP phrase, it’s serious nova territory – supernova territory.

Paul has triple-double, Stojakovic hits six 3-pointers in Hornets’ victory, Associated Press, ESPN

Paul had 27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and seven steals for his league-leading fifth triple-double of the season, and the New Orleans Hornets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 101-86 on Monday night.

It was the second time this season Paul came within a few steals of a quadruple double, but when asked about that, he could only critique the few times he mishandled the ball or unloaded an errant pass.