Rajon Rondo breaks down what should factor into DPOY Award
Yesterday at 02:42 PM
Rajon Rondo appeared on the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis and shared thoughts on a range of NBA topics. Stories from his championship runs with the Celtics and Lakers were prominent. And memories from playing with Kevin Garnett and LeBron James throughout his career were plentiful.
But the perspective Rondo shared on how the league should determine its Defensive Player of the Year was especially interesting. Former players across sports have spoken about how analytics are ruining their sport. But Rondo’s take on the matter blends both the traditional and “modern” methodologies.
“I'm starting to like analytics, but I'm a game watcher as well, I'm a field guy,” said the 16-year NBA veteran. “A lot of things come into play, obviously statistical categories, Plus/Minus on the floor, being able to switch 1 – 5, how you affect the ball, maybe not even [by] being around the ball but you're still affecting it, communication.”
Rondo made four All-Defensive teams in his career. And was constantly praised for his effort and leadership. His title runs with the NBA’s two most-storied franchises give him plenty of experience to work with in regards to what works in the postseason. And he used that perspective to praise players like himself and the Warriors’ Draymond Green.
“You've got to be able to play in the playoffs, he's got to be able to have an impact on the game without even scoring,” the two-time champion said. “That's why I think a guy like myself, what a guy like Draymond does, puts you up there for Defensive Player of the Year.”
Rajon Rondo says Defensive Player of the Year process should be analytics-free
Advanced analytics are a response to the market’s demand across professional sports for objectivity and foresight. The best front offices are consistently ‘ahead of the curve.’ But analytics are only as useful as the analyst utilizing them knows they can be. And Rondo says they certainly do not replace watching film.
“I mean there are so many different ways – and it's not just steals, because how many times are you giving up points when you're gambling?” asked Rondo on The Draymond Green Show. “So steals can be – you can be on the worst team in the league, lead the league in steals, and you make All-First Team Defense. But you probably lead the league in back-doors or you gamble, and [lead the league in] points scored off of gambles.”
Someone like the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels is making history with his defense. But not all excellent defensive performances will be captured by the postgame box score. If Daniels’ steal numbers tank for the rest of the season, it would cause betting markets to abandon him as a candidate for the award. But what if the decrease in steals came as a result of teams avoiding him entirely when on offense? Darrelle Revis couldn’t intercept quarterbacks who refused to throw to his side of the field.
Analytics are important but, as Rondo argued, are not everything when determining impact.
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