|
Maybe Next Year....
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Age: 25
Posts: 9,499
|
Rosen strikes again
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3455812
Quote:
LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade are justifiably deemed to have been the cream of last season's rookie crop. But as the current season rushes to judgment, does one stand significantly above the others?
When I last investigated James (LeBron, Cavs Still Feeling Growing Pains — 3/3/05), I found that his shooting had greatly improved over his rookie campaign, that he was still a pass-first player, but that he continued to commit too many turnovers, and that his off-the-ball skills remained woefully inadequate. A new factor, however, is that LeBron has developed a haughty attitude when faced with admiring civilians.
I officially inspected Anthony's game at the beginning of the season (Ugly Nuggets Nearly Unwatchable — 11/15/04) and observed that he was super-quick to the hole and able to find the slightest crack in a defense. On the downside, his jumper was erratic, he had sticky fingers, he didn't make accurate passes on the move, and his lower body was weak. Since then, nothing much has changed—but he's become more pouty and narcissistic than ever. It's clear that Anthony is the worst of the former gold-dust rookies.
That leaves Wade.
James and Wade have remarkably similar stats — both shoot 48.3 percent from the field, average an equable number of assists (7.6 for LeBron, 7.3 for Dwayne), and their respective points per game are likewise close (James' 25.5 to Wade's 23.9). It should be noted that many of Wade's assists accrue from passes into Shaq. Also, that LeBron's point total is higher because he is Cleveland's primary offensive option (he's taken 1,121 shots) while Wade (982 shots) necessarily plays second fiddle to Shaq. That Wade scores more on forays to the hoop is demonstrated by his advantage in total free throws — 570 to 417.
James does have a marked edge in 3-point shooting (36.1 percent to 25 percent), but Wade has only attempted twenty triples. LeBron's superiority on the boards (7.0 to 5.3) is easily attributed to his being four inches taller and thirty pounds heavier. While both players are turnover-prone, LeBron's total of 3.21 per game is somewhat better than Dwayne's 4.24 (third worst behind only Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant).
The fact that the Heat are having a more productive season than the Cavs is primarily due to the many differences between Shaq and Ziggy Ilgauskas. But take a look at last year's results when both Wade and James were still wet behind the ears: With a roster than was palpably inferior to Cleveland's, the Heat managed seven more wins in the regular season and battled their way past New Orleans into the Eastern Conference semifinals. And most significantly, Wade continues to be, by all reports, modest, unselfish and deferential to all comers.
So then, who IS better: James or Wade?
A close scrutiny of Miami's matchup with Minnesota on Thursday may clinch the argument one way or the other.
MIN FG FT 3FG REB A ST BS TO PTS
40 6-17 8-10 0-0 7 3 2 3 4 20
Don't be deceived by Wade's respectable stat line. He certainly did exhibit several admirable feats of athleticism: Scoring on a twisting drive that featured two unimaginable changes of direction in heavy traffic. With the clock winding down at the half and the Heat searching for one last shot, acrobatically spinning into the teeth of a triple-team and somehow locating, and passing to, a wide open Christian Laettner (who missed). Nabbing a high-flying rebound in a forest of big men. Cutting, catching and throwing down a powerhouse dunk over Kevin Garnett. Showing some hot-handed quickness in stripping Wally Szczerbiak (and drawing a foul). Getting badly beaten on a baseline drive by Trent Hassell, but catching up in two super-quick steps and leaping to block the resulting shot.
But Wade's scoring total was absolutely misleading. Five of Wade's points were recorded in the game's last 90 seconds, when the Heat's 107-90 victory had long been decided.
And the truth was that 6-foot-5, 200-pound Trent Hassell gave Wade all the defense the youngster could handle. Giving him room to shoot jumpers. Pushing, shoving, getting into Wade's legs and not letting Wade bully him on his ventures into the paint. Using his long arms to hassle every shot.
Not that Wade's offense demonstrated much variety. Discounting fouls, passes and turnovers, Wade drove to the rim 21 times (scoring four buckets in so doing). He made only one of five jumpers from 10 feet and beyond. Missed a jump hook (against 6-foot-1, 190-pound Anthony Carter) the only time he assumed his position in the low post. And put back one offensive rebound.
Clearly, Wade's offense is based on his outstanding ability to wend his way to the basket. This, of course, is no secret. At the same time, Shaq's immense and immobile presence in the pivot severely hinders Wade's natural game plan. It is only when Shaq sits that the middle is opened, the floor is spread and Wade can do his best work. Also, when Wade misses his jumpers, the ball usually bounces off one side of the rim or the other. When good shooters miss, their shots mostly catch the front of the rim. Even so, either Damon Jones or Keyon Dooling was charged with carrying the ball into the attack zone, and Wade played the shooting guard position.
How, then, does Wade score so many points?
Thrusting into the paint in fast-break situations. Changing his release point to draw fouls. Driving the baseline opposite to where Shaq is planted. Finding seams in tightly packed defenses and hitting a high percentage of floaters and flippers. And bagging an occasional pull-up jumper.
But Hassell stymied him that in the third quarter. When Wade drove the baseline, missed a complicated layup and was amazed not to hear a friendly toot, he yapped at the nearest ref and drew a technical. (Star-quality players are routinely paid dividends for every T they get — on the very next play, Wade was allowed to blatantly smack John Thomas as the big men went up for a layup.)
Wade likewise had his problems at the other end. Hassell mostly hung out in the right corner while the Wolves ran a four-man offense. This relative inactivity lulled Wade into a stupor and he was immensely surprised on three separate occasions when the ball was whipped to Hassell — who easily beat him on straight-line baseline drives.
Later, Fred Hoiberg ran a snake route through a series of baseline screens and left Wade guarding nobody — but Hoiberg then missed the open jumper. When Hoiberg repeated the maneuver, Wade only got close enough to commit a foul.
Wade plays defense with much more intensity than James, but second-year players traditionally struggle on the uphill end of the court. It's Wade, though, who enjoys the advantage here.
Okay, so the kid had a bum game. It's a long season, right? And nobody's perfect. But what was most disturbing is that, except for his aforementioned instances of sheer athleticism, Wade had no real presence. He was invisible, a kinetic force that was rarely activated.
But that's what sometimes happens when the Big Diesel is fired up enough to score 33 big points. The game simply belonged to Shaq — he even connected on 13-of-18 free throws!
Which brings us back to the original question: Who's better, James or Wade? Let's put it this way. Wade has no jumper. James has no defense. Which flaw is more catastrophic? I'd say the latter, only because Wade finds other ways to score. Sooner rather than later, Wade will learn to shoot and James to defend. They're both wonderful athletes who yearn to improve their games.
Right now, however, the nod goes to Wade by the slightest of margins
|
Another "great"  article from Rosen, this time claiming that Wade > LBJ. What's up with the "LeBron has developed a haughty attitude when faced with admiring civilians" comment?
__________________
--------------------------------------------
Futuristxen:
"This season has been one giant pile of suck. It's been just good enough to keep paying attention. But horrible enough that you were better off if you didn't."
Last edited by Benedict_Boozer : 03-12-2005 at 09:50 AM.
|