Tweet
Last Thursday, Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng officially punched his ticket to Orlando as he was named a reserve for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.
This is Deng's first All-Star berth and while Bulls fans think it is well overdue, basketball journalists across the country were scratching their heads. The most notable of these doubters was ESPN's John Hollinger who took his gripe to Twitter:
Luol Deng ranks 53rd in PER and missed a quarter of his team's schedule. Let's put him in the All-Star Game.
It is hard to argue with Hollinger's point. Deng is 53rd in PER; he has missed a quarter of his team's schedule.
Statistically, it is extremely difficult to say Deng deserved the All-Star bid.
Ian Levy, of The Two-Man Game, had similar concerns on ESPN.com when he named Deng his biggest All-Star surprise:
It's great to see Deng's all-around game finally being recognized, but I'd be more comfortable if it was being noticed in a season where he hadn't missed a quarter of his team's games while shooting 30 points below his career average.
It is difficult to argue with Levy or Hollinger's point on a statistical level. Deng's 15.8 points per game ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference among small forwards while his rebounds per game (7.1) rank second.
The advanced stats are where Deng falls behind, Hollinger mentions Deng's overall ranking of 53rd in PER (16.3) which puts him in territory with Milwaukee Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison. Nobody is confusing either of those two as All Stars this season.
Deng's Win Shares of 7.71 are in equally bad company. The advanced metrics are not kind to Deng this year.
Even the defensive metrics like Hoopdata.com's DEF (Steals + Blocks + Charges) puts Deng (2.00) far below non-All Star colleagues like Josh Smith (3.81).
You cannot argue with these facts and despite being a follower of many of these stats, I still believe Deng deserves to be an All Star this season.
The metrics do not rate him out that well, but much of Deng's impact to the league-best Chicago Bulls does not show up in those particular stats.
His ability on defense does not show up in most defensive metrics but his help defense and ability to shut down wing players is unmatched.
Deng's +/- (net points for the team while the player was on the floor) is an almost inhuman +163, which tells the story that when Deng is on the floor, the Bulls are at another level.
Even Derrick Rose (+126) has less of an impact when he's on the floor than Deng this season.
The All-Star Game is also not only about statistics, of course, it is a fan driven game and made for fans, but it is also a reward to successful teams.
The most exciting head coaches in the league do not coach, the coaches of the best teams do. This should carry over to the teams as well.
Josh Smith would be a more exciting addition to the Eastern Conference team, but Deng and the Chicago Bulls should be rewarded for an outstanding season.
The Chicago Bulls are the best team in the NBA right now and deserve to have two representatives, even if Deng is not a mega star.
Despite some sound statistical arguments, I believe Luol Deng deserves to be an All Star this season.
Now I just hope Eastern Conference and Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn't play him for 40 minutes.
This is Deng's first All-Star berth and while Bulls fans think it is well overdue, basketball journalists across the country were scratching their heads. The most notable of these doubters was ESPN's John Hollinger who took his gripe to Twitter:
Luol Deng ranks 53rd in PER and missed a quarter of his team's schedule. Let's put him in the All-Star Game.
It is hard to argue with Hollinger's point. Deng is 53rd in PER; he has missed a quarter of his team's schedule.
Statistically, it is extremely difficult to say Deng deserved the All-Star bid.
Ian Levy, of The Two-Man Game, had similar concerns on ESPN.com when he named Deng his biggest All-Star surprise:
It's great to see Deng's all-around game finally being recognized, but I'd be more comfortable if it was being noticed in a season where he hadn't missed a quarter of his team's games while shooting 30 points below his career average.
It is difficult to argue with Levy or Hollinger's point on a statistical level. Deng's 15.8 points per game ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference among small forwards while his rebounds per game (7.1) rank second.
The advanced stats are where Deng falls behind, Hollinger mentions Deng's overall ranking of 53rd in PER (16.3) which puts him in territory with Milwaukee Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison. Nobody is confusing either of those two as All Stars this season.
Deng's Win Shares of 7.71 are in equally bad company. The advanced metrics are not kind to Deng this year.
Even the defensive metrics like Hoopdata.com's DEF (Steals + Blocks + Charges) puts Deng (2.00) far below non-All Star colleagues like Josh Smith (3.81).
You cannot argue with these facts and despite being a follower of many of these stats, I still believe Deng deserves to be an All Star this season.
The metrics do not rate him out that well, but much of Deng's impact to the league-best Chicago Bulls does not show up in those particular stats.
His ability on defense does not show up in most defensive metrics but his help defense and ability to shut down wing players is unmatched.
Deng's +/- (net points for the team while the player was on the floor) is an almost inhuman +163, which tells the story that when Deng is on the floor, the Bulls are at another level.
Even Derrick Rose (+126) has less of an impact when he's on the floor than Deng this season.
The All-Star Game is also not only about statistics, of course, it is a fan driven game and made for fans, but it is also a reward to successful teams.
The most exciting head coaches in the league do not coach, the coaches of the best teams do. This should carry over to the teams as well.
Josh Smith would be a more exciting addition to the Eastern Conference team, but Deng and the Chicago Bulls should be rewarded for an outstanding season.
The Chicago Bulls are the best team in the NBA right now and deserve to have two representatives, even if Deng is not a mega star.
Despite some sound statistical arguments, I believe Luol Deng deserves to be an All Star this season.
Now I just hope Eastern Conference and Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn't play him for 40 minutes.
Comment