Hands of Kleiza
11.17.04
Because my readership currently is at the same levels as last February and March, I feel compelled to post more often, and not just wait until something interesting pops into my head. I'm going to remove some of the filtering that occurs between my head and cyberspace. Since people are taking the time to stop here on a regular basis, I should post more than the usual once or twice a week. Warning: This will often result in some stupid things in this spot, but I will really try to refrain from the cliches.
There's a lot of stuff that floats around in my head, and some of it even relates to college hoops. But most of it turns out to be unworthy of posting. And I'm not going to simply recap the big game. I'd like to keep things here unique. For instance, there was the time I thought that teams that turn the ball over more end up shooting better. Because some turnovers are the result of getting a better shot, and the teams that are most persistent at getting a better shot will make a higher percentage but in the process will commit more turnovers. It turned out I was right, but the trend wasn't impressive enough for me to make a whole post on. Although I suppose I have pretty much done that here.
My real topic for today is this question: How can Missouri's Linas Kleiza not lead the Big XII in rebounding this season? He's a great rebounder to begin with - and he's a great offensive rebounder on a poor shooting team. With Arthur Johnson's departure, he's by far the best rebounder on his team. Kleiza has 23 boards in the Mizzou's first two games. The only guy who can catch him, assuming Kleiza stays healthy, is probably Kansas' Wayne Simien who is the conference's leading rebounder that returns this season. He averaged 9.3 boards per game last year. Kleiza won't keep up an 11.5 rpg pace - the national leader last season had 12.3 - but Kleiza could very well stay above double digits by season's end.
Take your pick
10.22.04
Who would you rather have as your point guard...
TO% A% Pts/40 FTA/FGA Player A 4.5 9.9 11.3 .292 Player B 3.6 9.3 16.7 .388
TO% = percentage of possessions a turnover is committed
A% = percentage of possessions the player gets an assist
Pts/40 = Points scored per 40 minutes of playing time
FTA/FGA = Free throws attempted per field goals attempted
As I will always preach, context is important. Both of these players played on teams that weren't very deep, but had one future NBA starter in the front court, and had a very accurate and productive perimeter shooter along side them. So the context is similar.
Naturally I am trying to get you to say "Player B." Mr. B scored about 50% more than player A, assisted about the same (6% less), and turned the ball over 20% less. Player B shot more free throws, so it could be reasonably assumed that his points came more in the slashing/take-it-to-the-hole variety than the spot-up jump shot variety as compared to Mr. A. Thus B was risking turnovers more often, but he still managed to take care of the ball better. (In fairness, Player A played tougher competition.)
Player A is 2004 Chris Duhon. Player B is 2004 Billy Edelin.
It's hard to convince me that Syracuse could be a top 5 team this season without Player B in the lineup for 30+ minutes a game.
Jason Conley, Where Art Thou?
01.08.04
I don't know what Mizzou fans expected from Conley, but I know I was expecting more than this in his first 6 games...
Points by game: 19, 0, 2, 1, 5, 0
Minutes by game: 21, 23, 21, 19, 14, 9
Looks like Conley is heading further down Quin Snyder's bench with each performance.