http://www.82games.com/0405NYK.HTM

he's the only guy we are -win AND + wihout. Thats pretty bad, most of it is because his defense has been bad. He's just not comfortable there. You can see his scoring game coming along, but he's a deer in headlights on the D.

Its a little scary how BAD we are without Marbury on the floor. We have got to find some line up thats effective without him on the floor.

A few comments. First, it's hard to know what to make of the stat considering that his +/- numbers were very good last year and it's still early in this season. Second, even if you accept the stats for this year, when you have a young player with good potential, it's remarkedly short-sighted to bench him because of one stat. The correct answer IMO would be to play him at least one consistent stint in each half and work on whatever aspects of his game need improvement.

its not really stat per say. But the bottom line is we are bad when Sweetney's on the floor.

Another scary thing:
http://www.82games.com/0405NYK5.HTM

Briggs will eat this one up because opposing PFs are killing us.

No secret that we are getting nothing from the 3 on offense for the year

Posted by fishmike:

its not really stat per say. But the bottom line is we are bad when Sweetney's on the floor.

Another scary thing:
http://www.82games.com/0405NYK5.HTM

Briggs will eat this one up because opposing PFs are killing us.

No secret that we are getting nothing from the 3 on offense for the year

Fish, do you remember your reaction after the Spree/KVH trade, when I posted that Spree had bad +/- numbers? You basically said the stat was useless and then found other star players who had bad +/- #s as evidence (I think Shawn Marion was one of them that year). Did your view on the +/- #s change?

Over a good sample of games the +/- stat is a very effective gauge of a players worth on the court. The fact that Sweetney is a minus implies that something is wrong with his game.

I dont like +/- when comparing players, because if your team sucks so will your +/-.
I'm also not saying that Sweetney's +/- is why his minutes have been cut, rather its an observation.

All the +/- numbers show in Spree vs. KVH is that Phili was better.

Van Horn +3.1 +1.5 +1.6
Sprewell -1.6 -0.8 -0.8

I dont really see the impact

The problem with the 3 is simple, we not getting scorring, assists, nor rebounds. I think the best thing that we could do is to either utilize players that can be a defensive boddy out there a la Ariza or JYD OR an offensive minded player like TT or Penny. The problem is that TT hasn't been pulling his load on offense, and that fact exposed our deficiency on defense. Since the 4 and the 5 are not strong defensively, we have to have a position in our lineup that will produce just that. I would say this much, we all know that the three is a liability right now, I think that the time has come for a change to take place. Allow Penny, since he is a vet to get in there and show what he can do. If he fails to provide a spark after five games, use JYD as the next victim. We will need constant production out of that position. If it rebounds, let it be that. Defense, let it be just that. Points, let it be just that. However we will need an active boddy out there. My three choices are: TT (give him another 2 games to prove that he is still in a funk), JYD (we all know that he will hustle), Ariza (when he has it going, juice him. One thing is for sure, he will play defense and grab at least 6 boards).

Posted by Pike:

Posted by fishmike:

No secret that we are getting nothing from the 3 on offense for the year

p.s. thought Wilkens was wrong not to pull an ice cold Penny Hardaway in 4th quarter for Tim Thomas.

[Edited by - diderotn on 12/01/2004 15:28:35]

Sweetney is basically Muhammad at ATL. If Sweentey got 20mins a game consistanly he would easily average 10pts 5rebs 1blk. But he doesn't because J.Williams & KT are way better defenders than Sweentey. Yesterday playing against Walker & Harrington there 2 best player Wilkens will play J.Williams & KT over the young Sweetney.

Anyway the blowout vs Boston when Sweetney had 18pts 6rebs in 32mins probably accounts for most of the stat which isn't fair because Pierce and Davis killed us not there frontcourt

Posted by fishmike:

Bonn... by two points.

You're right; it's not a huge difference, but how many games are decided by two points?

Sweetney needs to play regular minutes and have a set role. Every game he is asked to do something different. One time we force fead him the ball in the post, next game he gets no touches, and the next game he hardly plays, then he is asked to all of a sudden go and score in the post again.

Its about time we had a set rotation with set roles for every player. Lenny needs to get cracking over there.

Posted by fishmike:

Pike... I think TT was out because he hurt his thigh or something. I could wrong, but I think thats why he didnt return.

... that would explain it.