From: markham@brtph597.bnr.ca (Andrew Markham P205)
Subject: Re: Pippen Overrated? (was Suns Report: Phoenix dominates Jazz)
Organization: BNR Inc. RTP, NC
Distribution: world,local
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 14:21:11 GMT

u_nique@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Jerray Wei) writes:
>markham@brtph597.bnr.ca (Andrew Markham P205) writes:
>>
>>Not that they necessarily prove anything, but FYI here are Pippen's first 
>>week stats (along with the players mentioned above and a few other relevant 
>>ones)...
>>
>>Player    G  Min  Fg-Fga  Fg% Ft-Fta  Ft% Orb Trb Ast Stl Blk  Pts  PPG
>>------    -  ---  ------ ---- ------ ---- --- --- --- --- ---  --- ----
>> [ ... ]
>>
>>IMHO, Pippen is the premier SF in the East with LJ a close second.  I 
>>wouldn't let Rodman carry his jock.  Rodman can rebound better, defend a 
>>little better, and the buck stops there.  
>
>You're right about one thing, those stats don't prove anything at all.
>Rodman is depressed, Barkley has played an awful lot less minutes than Pippen
>and all of them have played a few less games than Pippen.  One good way to
>make stats look good is to have your guy play double the minutes.  That way
>it looks like Pippen grabbed more rebounds than everyone.

First off, I expect everyone on the net to be able to read stats.  Anyone
who only looks down the rebound line, without considering the number of games
and minutes played, is an idiot.  The number of games played and minutes
were supplied because they are relevant, not so I could skirt around them
in my discussion.

But just to address your point, let's look at it on a per-minute basis 
(plus I'll add Wilkins for good measure):

Player    G  Min  Fg-Fga  Fg%  Reb/Min  Ast/Min  Pts  PPG
------    -  ---  ------ ----  -------  -------  --- ----
Pippen    6  233  53-113 .469      .28      .18  122 20.3
Barkley   4  169  36- 69 .522      .37      .14  103 25.8
Majerle   4  152  15- 51 .294      .15      .09   47 11.8
Rodman    4  109   6- 17 .353      .33      .05   12  3.0
L.Johnson 6  237  43- 93 .462      .30      .09  108 18.0
Mullin    6  262  62-118 .525      .08      .06  152 25.3
Wilkins   5  185  47-113 .416      .22      .08  146 29.2

Looks like they still give the same message.

>Rodman can rebound better?  Make that a lot better, nearly 19 rebounds a
>game, something that hasn't been done in over a decade.  I think this season
>he's just waiting to be traded.  

And what did those 19 rebounds a game get the Pistons?  9th best record in
the league just two years after they won it all.  Pretty impressive.  I
think Rodman is worth more when he is playing solid defense all along and
concentrating less on getting every loose board so that he can be #1 in
a category (with the help of his teammates also).  Other than rebounding 
and defense, what does Rodman offer?  Pippen gets you rebounds, defense,
scoring, and passing.  Rodman still can't hold Pippen's jock.

>As for premier SF in the East, ever hear of Dominique Wilkins?  Last I 
>heard, 'Nique was averaging over 30 ppg and shooting better than 50%.  
>Not as well rounded as Pippen, but a good notch or two ahead of him in 
>scoring and a slightly better rebounder.

You mean Dominique 'the black hole' Wilkins?  He is averaging over 30ppg
and has led his team off to a BLAZING 2-5 start.  You may have heard he 
shot better than 50% in a GAME, but he is starting this season at a .416 
clip which is worse than any season ever.  I watched them play the other 
night, and he is still the same gun he always was.  Personally I would
rather have Pippen scoring 20ppg at 47% and dishing out some assists than
shooting everything he gets his hands on at 42%.  Oh yeah, and 'Nique 
couldn't guard a tree if he had to.

-- 
Andrew W. Markham (markham@bnr.ca)
Bell Northern Research, Inc.