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Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Tony Romo

Ronnie Brewer was a key cog for the Chicago Bulls last season, and he was one of the reasons why the Bulls were the best defensive team in the league. However, Brewer is a poor offensive player which is why he will never become a starter in the league. He's still a decent player overall due to his defense, but Brewer just can't shoot or do much else besides defend.

Brewer racks up steals thanks to his long arms, and he has improved his on the ball defense. His quick reflexes and free safety-like feel on defense also help him generate steals. Brewer is tied for the 4th highest steal percentage in the NBA and averages 2.1 steals per 36 minutes.


On the offensive side, Brewer is coming off of his worst shooting season of his career. His True Shooting Percentage has declined every year since 2008. 2007 was the best year of his career in which he had a TS% of 61.2 with an 18.30 PER. On the bright side, he posted by far the highest rebounding rate of his career in 2010. Still, that doesn't offset his declining shooting and poor offensive output. Even though they say that defense wins championships, offense is the most important thing in basketball. Why else is Carmelo Anthony so much better than Corey Brewer?

If there was one relatively major concern about Brewer's D, it was the fact that he just wasn't such a good on-the-ball defender. He significantly improved in that department last season by putting up far and away the best defensive rating of his career (98.4). His total from the previous season was a mediocre 106, so this is a huge improvement. His defensive rating last year was good for 6th best in the NBA, and he earned a spot on my All-Defensive First Team thanks to his great on-the-ball defense and his ability to steal the basketball.


Brewer was horrible at jumpshots last season, and it's easy to see why he is known as a bad shooter when his effective field goal percentage on jumpers was a meager .346. Did you also know that his free throw percentage was 65.4? That's really, really bad especially for a swingman. He averaged only 2.7 free throw attempts per game, and that is also a career high. Brewer has always been good at limiting turnovers, but he posted his highest career turnover rate last year.

So you can easily tell that as Brewer gets better defensively, he gets worse on the offensive end. With that in mind, Brewer is going to end up being a key defensive stopper off the bench; but I doubt he'll be anything more than that. That's not to say that he isn't a pretty good player, it's just that he'll never be a starter when you look at how awful he is at shooting. Brewer does have a nice touch around the rim, but that's really it. By the way, he has a really weird and ugly shot. No wonder why he can't hit anything.

There is an interesting disparity between Brewer's play at the 2 and 3. When he's playing as a shooting guard, he is much better offensively. However, he is much better defensively when he plays at small forward according to the PER numbers on 82games.com. Brewer is slightly better as a small forward thanks to his incredible defense when he plays that position.
Ronnie Brewer
Great D, No Shot


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Analysis vs. Correctness

June 13th 2011 14:26
I was having an argument with one of my friends today that started after he was gloating about how he predicted the NBA Finals correctly. He was talking about how wrong John Hollinger, the Truehoop experts, my other friend, and I were. I then went on to explain that analysis is more important on correctly predicting an outcome.

Anybody can guess the outcome of a series or game just by randomly picking. What takes skill is being able to properly analyze two teams and giving legit reasons why you think this team will win and how you think the series will shape up. The experts over at ESPN use complex statistical analysis and look at team strategies when predicting what will happen.

People that picked the Heat in this series, like myself, could never have accounted for the fact that the best player in the NBA would be so poor in the fourth quarter of several very close games. LeBron didn't take charge of the game, and that in itself was a factor that screwed us over. Like, how are we supposed to know that a guy who came up so big against the Bulls in crunch time would suddenly turn into the NBA's version of Mr. Irrelevant when the game mattered the most.

I know one guy who picked the Mavericks for the sole reason that he hates LeBron and the Heat. He was also gloating over his prediction, but his reason had nothing to do with the game itself. A lot of people against my argument would point to the fact that LeBron is a "choker". I don't believe that a player with the second highest shooting percentage in crunch time during the playoffs (out of current players with at least four shots made) is a "choker". He had a bad series that we can chalk up to as simply baffling.

Being correct is good, but the key thing is being able to properly analyze. Anybody can say something and be right, but what is truly impressive is being able to talk about and see things that others miss. A lot of the guys that got the overall prediction wrong were able to get small predictions right such as Wade taking charge, Marion being immense, and the fact that Peja Stojakovic sucks and Corey Brewer needs playing time.
Dirk Nowitzki
Finals MVP
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2010 PSW NBA MVP

June 12th 2011 10:18
I told you that I would announce my MVP winner during the NBA Finals. Derrick Rose won the official award, but he was only fourth on my ballot. Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Chris Paul were my top three picks. For those of you who have been reading this blog, you can tell who my pick is going to be.

SF Miami Heat LeBron James

Derrick Rose and LeBron James were the two players who received the most recognition for this award, and I picked the guy who was the better player in the 2010-2011 season. This is no knock on Rose, he's a great player, but LeBron is the best in the NBA. He has been the best for the past couple of years, whether or not you want to openly admit that is your choice. The fact is, James turned in another great season. This time, in Miami.

I really don't want to tack about the background stuff with James, and "The Decision" isn't something I want to revisit any time soon. I do want to look into the advanced statistics and talk more about James's accomplishments this year. Even if the Heat lose to the Mavs, James was still the best player during the regular season.

PER is one of the main things I look at when conducting my MVP ballot. In years past, the MVP usually has a PER of 30. LeBron had the highest PER in the NBA at 27.37. There was a lot of parity on most people's MVP ballots because there wasn't much of a difference between the level of play among the top ten players in the NBA last year.

LeBron James had the highest Win Score in the NBA- a Basketball Reference stat- which further underlines his value to the Heat. When a team is as top-heavy as the Heat are, they desperately need a very good year from their major contributors (the Big Three) in order for them to get to the stage that they are now. The MVP is a combination of importance to your team as well as overall play.

I want to go on a minor tangent for a paragraph- or two- about how people misinterpret the meaning of "MVP". When we say "Game MVP" or something like that, we are talking about the best player on the court for that particular game. People have distorted the meaning of the phrase when it describes a season because of the word "value".

Most Valuable Player is simply referring to the player whose season-long performance provided the most value. Therefore, the MVP award should be given to the guy who was the best. We should boost players who have lesser teammates around them and are expected to carry much of the load, but the players who are perennially in the MVP discussion already do this.

Not only was LeBron scoring like crazy, he was also passing it around a lot as well further entrenching him as the most versatile player in the NBA. His insane athleticism has allowed him to become one of the best defensive players in the game. LeBron was always this good at D, even before his much-talked about performance against the NBA's MVP in the Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron James's Defensive Wins Score was the third best in the league behind only Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett. That's pretty good for a guy who also boasts the highest PER in the league. Picking LeBron as the 2010 PSW MVP wasn't a difficult choice for me. Although there were some good and intriguing candidates, James was the player who stood out the most in my eye. Disagreements? I bet there's a lot of them. Let's hear it in the comment section.
LeBron James
2010 PSW NBA MVP
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2010 NBA Finals Preview

May 31st 2011 15:15
This is a rematch that one man has relished more than anyone else. This is a shot at redemption, most likely the last one, for one of the NBA's biggest stars. This series dates back to 2006 when the Dallas Mavericks blew a 2-0 series lead against Dwayne Wade and Shaq in a series that featured an epic collapse from Dirk Nowitzki. The man who is perhaps the greatest player in Mavericks' history has took it upon himself to lead his team back to this moment. Will they get their vengeance. One thing's clear, they won't go down without a fight.

The 2006 Finals have haunted this team ever since, and the word "choker" has long been associated with the name Dirk Nowitzki. That is, until this season. The man largely blamed for what happened in 2006 and the loss to the eighth seeded Warriors in 2007. Nowitzki scored just eight points on a team that won 67 games and was considered to be one of the best teams in recent memory. That's all behind the man born in Wurzburg.

It's difficult to describe the drastic difference in Dirk's postseason play that happened this year. The shot were finally falling and the legendary work ethic was paying it's dividends on basketball's biggest stage. He and the Mavs didn't wilt when the Blazers tied the series 2-2 when the Mavs were up 2-0. It seemed like deja vu, but the Mavs showed they were a changed team and won the next two games.

The Lakers were supposed to be easily into the Finals after the Spurs were bounced out by the Grizzlies. The Lakers imploded, and the Mavs exploded on their way to a surprising sweep. The Mavs showed they were for real, and Dirk Nowitzki had the series of a lifetime. He obliterated the Thunder and had the highest true shooting percentage in a playoff game in NBA history. Dirk was brutally efficient, got to the line with ease, and turned in a performance that has skyrocketed his reputation.

The Heat's journey to this point has been well-documented, and LeBron James cemented himself as the NBA's best player after a playoff series against the Bulls that we can simply chalk up as being dominant. There really is no other word to use to describe the clutch shots, the efficiency, and the remarkable defense against the league's MVP who actually wasn't my MVP.

This is tantalizing matchup that we need to savor in. It's so captivating because of the storylines surrounding this game. It's the Big Three trying to prove the doubters and "haters"- one doubter being Mavs' owner Mark Cuban- that they are the best team in the league.

So far in the playoffs, Chris Bosh is easily the best player that Dirk Nowitzki will be guarded by. He's far more athletic than Gasol, Ibaka, and Aldridge as a defender. I think Nowitzki wins this battle though. Shawn Marion played superb defense against Durant, but LeBron isn't going to be pushed around as easily. Again, Marion is better at defending LeBron than the guys he has faced in the playoffs right now. Deng and Iguodala play good D, but they aren't as physical on the ball as Marion. But nobody can guard LeBron at this point.

The Mavs don't really have anyone to take on D-Wade either. Jason Kidd has turned into a good defensive player, but Wade is too fast and is incredible at attacking the rim. I don't see how Kidd can contain him, unless if Wade gets gassed out like he did against the Bulls. I doubt that's going to happen.

These are two unquestionably talented teams that fully deserve to be at this point. Sports are all about matchups and utilizing matchups. This series is definitely winnable for both teams, but I think the Heat have the better matchup against the Mavericks. It's going to be close considering the fact that the Mavs have the far better bench.

I've been very critical of the Heat over the season, but they really proved me wrong against the Bulls. I rarely ever pick series to go seven, but I do think these will be six hard-fought games. Want an MVP? I think Wade gets his second one against the Mavs in the Finals. He's going to rise up and show us he is the second best player in basketball behind LeBron. Yes, I just said that Wade is better than Kobe, but that's a debate for another day.
Dwayne Wade
Trying to Duplicate 2006
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What a postseason. Each year, the NBA Playoffs never disappoints. There's always action, storylines, suspense, upsets, and great games. This year is no different, and both series have interesting matchups. The West may be the most perplexing, because it all has to do with which team is streakier. The Heat and Bulls are the two best teams right now- I have the Bulls winning it all- but these two teams are either on or off. They're not sure things.

I haven't been impressed with the Thunder so far in the playoffs. They were terrible at times against the Grizzlies, and I don't think they are a good enough team on the road. Even if they beat the Mavs, I doubt they win the whole thing. Even against the Nuggets, the Thunder were poor at times. They got lucky in pretty much every fourth quarter of that series. Their execution in crunch time was extremely poor


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2010 PSW NBA and NHL All-Stars

April 21st 2011 15:17
I have assembled both of my All-Star teams for the NHL and NBA with both league's regular seasons having ended. There are three All-Star teams (or lines for hockey) and there is a goalie for each NHL line. This has nothing to do with team value, but rather how well the player played overall.

NHL


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2010 NBA Playoffs Preview Round One

April 15th 2011 13:53
East

1 Bulls vs 8 Pacers


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Take a look at your standings. A .415 team, whether it be the Pacers or Bobcats, could actually make the playoffs. Yes, a team with no defensive effort and a team in rebuilding mode might actually get there. The disparity between good and bad in the Eastern Conference is so great that the Bulls have already clinched their division- which has the Pacers in it. Three teams have clinched the playoffs in the East, compared to just one- San Antonio- in the West. The Memphis Grizzlies have the 8th seed in the West, and they are a pretty good basketball team. The East is definitely playing better basketball than it has in the past couple of years collectively, but I still think that they are far behind the West. Depth Matters.

I love how Matt Bonner has the highest 3 point percentage this season. Yes, a power forward is the best three point shooter in the NBA this year. Who knew? Well, Bonner is like Nowtizki in that he is great at spreading the floor- Channing Frye is another one of those guys. They are becoming a little more used in the NBA these days, and that's a good thing for offenses. Best free throw percentage? Yeah, that's Stephen Curry. He's going to be great one day. I love that guy. He should have been rookie of the year last year. All the box score idiots looked at the stats and didn't watch how great Curry was when he played. Curry is a natural shooter- his father is Del- and he plays D, passes, attacks the rim, and can lead already at this age


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3/3 NBA News: Corey Brewer to Sign

March 3rd 2011 15:26
It comes as no surprise that defensive specialist Corey Brewer will sign with the Dallas Mavericks. They had the most money of the three main suitors for Brewer, and they also had their mid-level exception left. It all equated to Brewer going to Dallas. He was traded to the Knicks in a Knicks-T'Wolves swap that was supposed to be a nice one for the Knicks. Instead, they bought out Brewer's contract in what was a pretty stupid move. Brewer is 25 and now has a multi-year contract with the Mavs. I see him being a really nice addition for this team. It was a great move, and he will be a quality contributer.

Utah Jazz head coach Ty Corbin received a two year deal with a team option for the third year. The front office was impressed with how Corbin led his team through the turbulent time in which their best player was traded, and their legendary coach was fired. The players have fed off from him, but Corbin still needs to bring home some tangible results. I don't need anything big from him, but I want to see Corbin actually win some games


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Let's open up March with a team scope. But unlike yesterday, this scope will be of an NBA team that is on pace for a record season. The Spurs have depth and star power along with coaching to become the best team in the league this season. First off, I would like to give a shoutout to Forest Bennett, a PSU fan just like me! How you doing man? Hope you enjoy this one Forest, and all you other great readers of this blog!

The Spurs just received that their star point guard is out for two to four weeks with a sore calf muscle. For most teams in the NBA, this would be crushing news. It is terrible news but having George Hill as your backup point guard softens the blow. Tony Parker is one of the three best point guards in the league at driving. He brings so much to the table for the Spurs, and his leadership is invaluable to the team. However, Hill is a good scorer in his own right that really stepped up last year when Parker was injured


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