Omer Asik Fills Surprising Pels Needs

[jonathanlambert33]

Anthony Davis was the 2013-14 NBA leader in blocked shots per game at 2.8 per contest. Going simply by the box score, this would suggest he is one of the best rim defenders in the league. However, Pelicans opponents have shot 62.9% at the rim this season with him on the court1, as compared to 59% with Davis on the bench or injured, fractionally below the league average2. While that extremely high percentage allowed cannot be totally attributed to Davis, one would expect an elite rim protector to have more of an effect in that area.

This difference between box score accomplishments and a more exact measure of actual impact demonstrates how imperfect a proxy blocked shots can be for the vital defensive skill of rim protection. Last week, I looked at how SportVU allows more insight into interior defense.

In Davis case its not that hes bad at challenging shots at the rim. Opponents shoot 48.9% on inside shots taken with Davis in the vicinity3. So when hes around to contest the shot, he does just fine. The problem for New Orleans and Davis is he simply wasnt near the rim enough. Whereas the average NBA big man is positioned to contest on average just over 38% of all opponents shots within 5 feet of the rim while he is on the floor, Davis is only in such position 29.9% of the time. All told, Davis grades out as about 3/4 of a point worse than an NBA average big man in terms of his ability to protect the paint.

On its own this data doesnt say much as to how much of Davis low relative ranking in this area represents poor recognition and rotation by Davis himself versus how much results from the (perhaps unwise) defensive schemes employed by New Orleans. Nor does it take into account Davis ability to block shots all over the floor (though it stands to reason that a blocked mid-range jumper is not as valuable as a blocked layup, surprise factor aside).

Requiring Davis to stick to the basket would prevent him from creating some of the all-court defensive havoc of which he is capable such as this:

or this

http://nyloncalculus.com/2014/07/30/omer-asik-fills-pelicans-surprising-needs/

 

[Mexi]

Now he likes omer

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Who?

 

[bosoxlover12]

You

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I've always loved Omer.

 

[Mexi]

Mmhmm

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I argued for him over Dwight last season.