Owen:
Millsap doesn’t look so average defensively by one measure. Although, yeah, rapm isn’t my thing.

He has always looked like a great defender to me….

PAUL MILLSAP, JAZZ POWER FORWARD, +221.00: He is an underrated rebounder, offensive performer and most definitely an unsung defensive star, posting a +3.0 defensive RAPM, like he seemingly does every season. His nimbleness could be used to even greater effect as a small forward in Utah’s potential go-big lineups.

Whoever wrote that obviously hasn’t watched him, like you, Owen.

He has always looked like a great defender to me….

PAUL MILLSAP, JAZZ POWER FORWARD, +221.00: He is an underrated rebounder, offensive performer and most definitely an unsung defensive star, posting a +3.0 defensive RAPM, like he seemingly does every season. His nimbleness could be used to even greater effect as a small forward in Utah’s potential go-big lineups.

ruruland:
It’s interesting how a player always looks better on defense to fans who never watch him play. Milsap is average defensively. Excellent rebounder and crafty scorer, good lefties always have an advantage. Obviously you have to make that trade.

ruruland: Why did Battier and Miller become so much better by WS/WP later on, in your estimation?

http://www.thenbageek.com/players/358-shane-battier

Battier posted the best WP48 of his career while on those Memphis teams.

Wrong.

http://www.thenbageek.com/players/165-mike-miller

Mike Miller would go on to post his best WP48 on the Wizards in ’09-’10, but I know you’re quick to attribute his .118 WP48 in ’07 to Gasol, even though it was bookended by .190 and .186 seasons.

What, dude? What?

Battier was pretty consistent in his time in Memphis….

The Honorable Cock Jowles: And Kobe has never won a playoff series without having a top-flight center to back him up. So his TEAM won a four games in two playoff series (and failed to make the playoffs in ’05). Am I supposed to think that Gasol was responsible for Mike Miller and Shane Battier’s shitty play?

Look, I’m not denying that Kobe had some amazing playoff runs. ’09 was an incredible postseason (the low TOV% is exceptional even at his usage), but Pau Gasol was an All-NBA player whether his team won in the postseason or not. Miller and Battier were AWFUL (negative WS/48) in one of those years. Even LeBron would have trouble winning with his teammates playing that badly.

Why did Battier and Miller become so much better by WS/WP later on, in your estimation?

flossy: He had literally never won a game in the playoffs, period.That’s a far cry from putting a talent-deficient Cavs team on your back and dragging it to the finals.People give Melo shit for not having gone farther in the playoffs, but Gasol had never won a single postseason game before becoming Kobe’s wingman.

And Kobe has never won a playoff series without having a top-flight center to back him up. So his TEAM won a four games in two playoff series (and failed to make the playoffs in ’05). Am I supposed to think that Gasol was responsible for Mike Miller and Shane Battier’s shitty play?

Look, I’m not denying that Kobe had some amazing playoff runs. ’09 was an incredible postseason (the low TOV% is exceptional even at his usage), but Pau Gasol was an All-NBA player whether his team won in the postseason or not. Miller and Battier were AWFUL (negative WS/48) in one of those years. Even LeBron would have trouble winning with his teammates playing that badly.

ruruland:
It’s interesting how a player always looks better on defense to fans who never watch him play. Milsap is average defensively. Excellent rebounder and crafty scorer, good lefties always have an advantage. Obviously you have to make that trade.

Do you think it’s even remotely within the realm of possibility?