32 wrote:On a related note, another monster is quickly coming up. I see Al Jefferson having a quietly dominant year this year... and than exploding next season. He's like Dwight Howard, only behind a year.

Jefferson is averaging career-highs in PPG (20.1), free throw percentage (70.4%), SPG (0.9), APG (1.3), offensive rebounds per game (3.7), defensive rebounds per game (7., RPG (11.5), and minutes (36.5), to go along with his usual 1.3 BPG. Its also worth mentioning that Jefferson is keeping out of foul trouble: averaging 2.7 FPG (which he hasn't done since he was a rookie). What's truly scary is that Jefferson is dominating while his FG% has been slightly below-average, by his standards, this year. 48% is a career-low for him. Imagine next season, if she shoots 53 or 54%.

I predict Jefferson will have an extreme breakout season next year. While It won't be the absolute rampage that Dwight Howard is going on, it'll be something special. Jefferson's a better inside scorer than Howard and should be in the upwards of 25, 26 PPG by next year, provided the Timberwolves keep going to him and don't crowd the offense by giving Randy Foye too many shots.

Yeah, he's definitely having a strong year. He should break out pretty soon.

This is a good time to bring up a point that I never understand which is why in the NBA the definition of dominance is often "being a great big-man" rather than being a dominant player? For instance, if you asked somebody who is more dominant, Al Jefferson or Deron Williams, a lot of people would say Al Jefferson, but I don't really think Al Jefferson "dominates" more.

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:This is a good time to bring up a point that I never understand which is why in the NBA the definition of dominance is often "being a great big-man" rather than being a dominant player? For instance, if you asked somebody who is more dominant, Al Jefferson or Deron Williams, a lot of people would say Al Jefferson, but I don't really think Al Jefferson "dominates" more.

Good point, although I think most people acknowledges the importance of a good pg. I don't think many people would choose Al Jefferson over Deron Williams.

But what happens if the question involves Al Jefferson and Brandon Roy instead?. That's where I think most people would lean towards the big man.

I've been saying Al Jefferson will be a monster since his rookie season. This season he at allstar level, being the best player on a bad team and being the focus of opposition defenses. Noone else seemed to realise how valuable he was in our fantasy league drafts

TMC wrote:

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:This is a good time to bring up a point that I never understand which is why in the NBA the definition of dominance is often "being a great big-man" rather than being a dominant player? For instance, if you asked somebody who is more dominant, Al Jefferson or Deron Williams, a lot of people would say Al Jefferson, but I don't really think Al Jefferson "dominates" more.

Good point, although I think most people acknowledges the importance of a good pg. I don't think many people would choose Al Jefferson over Deron Williams.

But what happens if the question involves Al Jefferson and Brandon Roy instead?. That's where I think most people would lean towards the big man.

Agreed. If you compared Deron Williams to a big man of his caliber, the bigger position wins.

Here's an interesting question: Deron Williams or Carlos Boozer... who dominates more there? Obviously, most people would claim that without Williams, the Jazz wouldn't win nearly as much... but I'd disagree. I'd say that if the Jazz had Williams, and not Boozer, we'd have a better shot at beating them than vice verca. I think most teams would agree.

migya wrote:I've been saying Al Jefferson will be a monster since his rookie season. This season he at allstar level, being the best player on a bad team and being the focus of opposition defenses. Noone else seemed to realise how valuable he was in our fantasy league drafts

Nobody questioned IF the kid would blow up; most fans simply wondered WHEN. Taking Jefferson in a fantasy league before last season would be a mistake. Last year, his big contributions came in the form of rebounding. This year, he looks like a stud... but its the first season he's had where he looks like a franchise player.

32 wrote:Here's an interesting question: Deron Williams or Carlos Boozer... who dominates more there? Obviously, most people would claim that without Williams, the Jazz wouldn't win nearly as much... but I'd disagree. I'd say that if the Jazz had Williams, and not Boozer, we'd have a better shot at beating them than vice verca. I think most teams would agree.

That's a good one. I love Deron but I think I'd go with Boozer. I just can't imagine the Jazz winning (or making the playoffs, for that matter) without him, while it's not that hard to see them fiding a replacement for Deron. At least, one more adequate than the one they could find for Boozer.

While I admit that Deron is far more talented, steady's the team, and is an integral part of the Jazz' succss, I'd have to agree with you. A monster game from Boozer is worth more than a monster game from Deron Williams. Although they can both be double-double machines, rebounds (aka, possessions) are more valuable than assists, so its a no-brainer.

32 wrote:

migya wrote:I've been saying Al Jefferson will be a monster since his rookie season. This season he at allstar level, being the best player on a bad team and being the focus of opposition defenses. Noone else seemed to realise how valuable he was in our fantasy league drafts

Nobody questioned IF the kid would blow up; most fans simply wondered WHEN. Taking Jefferson in a fantasy league before last season would be a mistake. Last year, his big contributions came in the form of rebounding. This year, he looks like a stud... but its the first season he's had where he looks like a franchise player.

Al Jefferson started playing great after the first two months last season and already looked like a star player. This season he has stepped it up a bit but done it right from the start

migya wrote:Al Jefferson started playing great after the first two months last season and already looked like a star player. This season he has stepped it up a bit but done it right from the start

Just that both teams share one trait: They were/are the worst team of the league in each season and Al was/is their go-to guy. His stats wouldn't look the same anywhere else.

He's getting great, big numbers... but I'm not all that impressed. He'll have to do something else to avoid being another Shareef Abdur-Rahim (btw, I don't think that will be the case... just that he's not exactly the next best thing yet. Just the best player on a 3-17, soon 3-18, team).

TMC wrote:

32 wrote:Here's an interesting question: Deron Williams or Carlos Boozer... who dominates more there? Obviously, most people would claim that without Williams, the Jazz wouldn't win nearly as much... but I'd disagree. I'd say that if the Jazz had Williams, and not Boozer, we'd have a better shot at beating them than vice verca. I think most teams would agree.

That's a good one. I love Deron but I think I'd go with Boozer. I just can't imagine the Jazz winning (or making the playoffs, for that matter) without him, while it's not that hard to see them fiding a replacement for Deron. At least, one more adequate than the one they could find for Boozer.

Deron is great but Boozer is one of the best in the nba right now. He is so dominant that he is getting to the point of unstoppable

TMC wrote:

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:This is a good time to bring up a point that I never understand which is why in the NBA the definition of dominance is often "being a great big-man" rather than being a dominant player? For instance, if you asked somebody who is more dominant, Al Jefferson or Deron Williams, a lot of people would say Al Jefferson, but I don't really think Al Jefferson "dominates" more.

Good point, although I think most people acknowledges the importance of a good pg. I don't think many people would choose Al Jefferson over Deron Williams.

But what happens if the question involves Al Jefferson and Brandon Roy instead?. That's where I think most people would lean towards the big man.

I don't think you understand my point, is that most people would choose Deron williams but most people would say Al Jefferson is more dominant because the term dominant has come to mean "very good big man," rather than one who dominates.

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:

TMC wrote:

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:This is a good time to bring up a point that I never understand which is why in the NBA the definition of dominance is often "being a great big-man" rather than being a dominant player? For instance, if you asked somebody who is more dominant, Al Jefferson or Deron Williams, a lot of people would say Al Jefferson, but I don't really think Al Jefferson "dominates" more.

Good point, although I think most people acknowledges the importance of a good pg. I don't think many people would choose Al Jefferson over Deron Williams.

But what happens if the question involves Al Jefferson and Brandon Roy instead?. That's where I think most people would lean towards the big man.

I don't think you understand my point, is that most people would choose Deron williams but most people would say Al Jefferson is more dominant because the term dominant has come to mean "very good big man," rather than one who dominates.

I think its an inherant part of their basketball style. For example, Allen Iverson scores 30 points every night... but he has to work for those points, getting to the line, hitting outside jumpers, always running, freeing himself up, trying to get enough room to create... he definitely succeeds, but the word DOMINATE implies a sort of ease that one has while performing above the competition. "Domination" is like beating up on the opposition to the point where it doesn't even look like a challenge anymore. Allen Iverson, and certainly Deron Williams, do not fall under that category.

Meanwhile, Dwight Howard only nets 24 point a night (6 less than Iverson)... but those 24 come in absolutely unstoppable manner. You need only feed him the ball 5 feet from the basket and you can pretty much close your eyes and know that its cash. Howard gets 25 points shooting in the upper 50 percentile. Deron Williams will get his 20... but he'll shoot a poorer percentage to get them. Ergo, the only reason he's getting as many points is by taking more shots. Big men have a tendency to be effective the very first time you get them the ball, hence the term "dominate". Because they are very hard to stop.

Now, thats not to say that a non-big player can't dominate. Certainly, basketball fans would confirm that LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird have DOMINATED games. But big men dominate at a consistent pace, whereas little players (save for, as I just stated, the legendary superstars of all-time) have a harder time dominating the competition successfully. "Dominate" does not always mean "score on". Its the fashion in which you are being scored upon.

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:I don't think you understand my point, is that most people would choose Deron williams but most people would say Al Jefferson is more dominant because the term dominant has come to mean "very good big man," rather than one who dominates.

That's a problem of semantics, then. Technically, nobody can "dominate" a game more than a PG. They're the ones running their teams, not their Centers or PFs.

Instead, big men usually have better stats because they contribute on easier categories. It's harder for a PG to grab boards, it's harder to score and the assists category depends on the other players hitting their shots. A big men gets his points and his boards and blocks and may look like he dominated the game in the stat sheet... but that's not always the case.

There are lots of examples of dominating big men that do not dominate anything but the boxscore. Al Jefferson or Yao come to mind... Those guys that usually end up as fantasy league legends instead of bball legends.

If that's your point, we agree wholeheartedly.

TMC wrote:

tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:I don't think you understand my point, is that most people would choose Deron williams but most people would say Al Jefferson is more dominant because the term dominant has come to mean "very good big man," rather than one who dominates.

That's a problem of semantics, then. Technically, nobody can "dominate" a game more than a PG. They're the ones running their teams, not their Centers or PFs.

Instead, big men usually have better stats because they contribute on easier categories. It's harder for a PG to grab boards, it's harder to score and the assists category depends on the other players hitting their shots. A big men gets his points and his boards and blocks and may look like he dominated the game in the stat sheet... but that's not always the case.

There are lots of examples of dominating big men that do not dominate anything but the boxscore. Al Jefferson or Yao come to mind... Those guys that usually end up as fantasy league legends instead of bball legends.

If that's your point, we agree wholeheartedly.

You said it well. The smaller players tend to dictate things more but do not get the recognition of doing so as much as big players. John Stockton was always incredibly valuable to the Jazz and without him, they would not have had a single year as good as their worst one with him

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:Al Jefferson started playing great after the first two months last season and already looked like a star player. This season he has stepped it up a bit but done it right from the start

Just that both teams share one trait: They were/are the worst team of the league in each season and Al was/is their go-to guy. His stats wouldn't look the same anywhere else.

He's getting great, big numbers... but I'm not all that impressed. He'll have to do something else to avoid being another Shareef Abdur-Rahim (btw, I don't think that will be the case... just that he's not exactly the next best thing yet. Just the best player on a 3-17, soon 3-18, team).

And that will be a knock on any good player on any bad team. Jefferson has not made his team win and that is not a good characteristic but he is able to do what he wants against his opponent often. In all fairness, Jefferson's teams just have't had it togehter with personnel especially, as they have been very young and inexperienced teams, so he hasn't had a good chance of being a winner. If the TWolves are kept relatively intact, only getting rid of the unneeded player ofcourse (like Ratliff, Walker and either Telfair or Jaric) and building properly, then it will be seen what Jefferson can really do in regards to being a winner

migya wrote:If the TWolves are kept relatively intact, only getting rid of the unneeded player ofcourse (like Ratliff, Walker and either Telfair or Jaric) and building properly, then it will be seen what Jefferson can really do in regards to being a winner

I like their core. Brewer at SF and Jefferson at PF is a great couple to build around, and McCants is playing well at SG. They need a center and I have my doubts about Foye at PG, but they have a nice core of young players to build around.

Although, with McHale around, you never know...