2 replies to this topic

[Mason Khamvilay]

 

Omri Casspi 

The resurrection of the pioneering NBA Israeli's game has been told as one of stroking 3s and attacking the rim. 

 

But something is certainly happening on defense, too, which may overshadow all of that. 

 

With Casspi on the floor, the Rockets have given up 94.8 points per 100 possessions, which is almost as good as the league-leading Pacers. When he's on the bench, the team has given up 104.1 points per 100 possessions, which is pedestrian. 

 

The defensive bottom line is that the Rockets have gotten 9.3 points worse on D when Casspi checks out. The number could be thick with early-season noise, but it's eye-opening nonetheless. 

 

Looking at two-man combinations, you can see that almost any Rocket with Casspi is effective. With Terrence Jones and Casspi in, the Rockets only give up 85.8 points per 100 possessions. With Patrick Beverley: a stingy 90.6. Seven of the top 12 Rockets defensive combinations feature Casspi. Dwight Howard appears in that list only once ... with Casspi. Meanwhile, there aren't many Rocket lineups that perform well on D without Casspi. 

 

It's possible his defensive qualities are overstated by these stats. But I don't think it's possible he's bad on defense. 

 

I'd also suggest it's a long shot the plus/minus obsessed Rockets are eager to sit him. Casspi is also helping the team on offense. Terrence Jones and Chandler Parsons have been similarly effective. Which makes you wonder, as Omer Asik trade rumors heat up ... does it really make sense to trade for a shooting forward such as Ryan Anderson? Maybe so, but if playing Anderson means limiting minutes for Casspi, Jones or Parsons, it's tough to imagine the Rockets getting more effective in the process. 

http://espn.go.com/b...ctive-defenders

 

Pretty interesting read. Read the rest of the article for the non-Rockets players. 

Edited by 2016Champions, 17 December 2013 - 11:05 AM.

[Alituro]

Nice find, OK, so the stats are there for Casspi, but, obviously other than straight up hustle, what does he do on the defensive end that makes the huge difference?

[Mason Khamvilay]

Nice find, OK, so the stats are there for Casspi, but, obviously other than straight up hustle, what does he do on the defensive end that makes the huge difference?

He's not a defensive stopper, there's not that much to say outside of his hustle that makes him a good defender other than his length--his standing reach (8'10.5") is actually only half an inch shorter than Terrence Jones (8'11"). That length is good enough to bother opponents just enough to force tougher shots and passes, and he has tremendous defensive chemistry with Francisco Garcia too--together they do a fantastic job at trapping players. 

Edited by 2016Champions, 17 December 2013 - 02:30 PM.