Knicks beat Boston by 2: Melo 17 in 4th qtr

[Knicks411]

I think some folks are arguing another point when talking about a scorer, ie: "Durant scores more , thereby he's the better scorer".
But the distinction is not HIGHEST scorer, its BETTER scorer. If Durant's jumper is off, he's gonna have fewer options to turn to than Melo. Thats the biggest distinction.

It just doesn't seem to be much of a distinction, because over the course of the season, Durant scores both more often and more efficiently. So what does it matter that Melo is the better scorer, if it doesn't manifest itself into either greater volume or efficiency? (Btw, Durant's offensive rebounding is shockingly low for a guy his size)

It's possible Melo having so many ways to score hurts him. Maybe he should focus more on his most efficient ways of scoring. It seems odd to me to say that a guy is a better scorer; what does he do better? Does he score more points? Does he shoot a higher percentage? What does it matter then?

Maybe Durant has a higher standard deviation in his scoring? IE, because he's say, more reliant on his jumper, that he is more likely to have a bad game? Not sure how true that is.

 

[AZOrange]

Knicks finally broke through after losing 8 in a row to Boston...Melo scores 35 with 17 in the 4th qtr...he is so good!

Durant is the better shooter, Melo is the harder guy to stop. Both great scorers.

 

[AZOrange]

Dude, Melo has more ways to score than Durant? Is that a joke? Durant's game beyond the arc is measurably better than Melo's, and so is his free throw shooting (80% to 88%). What are all these ways that Melo can score that Durant can't? Because I'm pretty sure the two time scoring champion knows a variety of ways to score.

I thought Melo outshot Durant from 3 last year? Granted Durant is usually the better shooter...but not always.

 

[Knicks411]

This is a pretty simple test of that theory I just mentioned. What I did was take every game both guys played just for last year. I took the true shooting percentage for each game, and then multiplied it by the number of shots they took. It's a crude attempt at combining efficiency and volume. A true shooting % of 56 is better if you take 20 shots than 10. Just trying to look at the standard deviation in their scoring outputs. First, just the standard deviations of their actual point totals:

Durant: 6.5
Melo: 8.6

Then, just their true shooting percentage
Durant: 11.5
Melo: 13.1

Then, in true shooting * shots
Durant: 342
Melo: 431

 

[Knicks411]

I thought Melo outshot Durant from 3 last year? Granted Durant is usually the better shooter...but not always.

Melo outshot Durant last year from 3. For career, Durant is better.

If Melo really did become a much better 3 point shooter after coming to the Knicks, this is a totally different argument. We need more time to see if that is the case, or it's just a fluke. He has been so much better since becoming a Knick it is worth considering though.

 

[AZOrange]

This is a pretty simple test of that theory I just mentioned. What I did was take every game both guys played just for last year. I took the true shooting percentage for each game, and then multiplied it by the number of shots they took. It's a crude attempt at combining efficiency and volume. A true shooting % of 56 is better if you take 20 shots than 10. Just trying to look at the standard deviation in their scoring outputs. First, just the standard deviations of their actual point totals:

Durant: 6.5
Melo: 8.6

Then, just their true shooting percentage
Durant: 11.5
Melo: 13.1

Then, in true shooting * shots
Durant: 342
Melo: 431

sorry i am confused...what does this mean? melo is better?

 

[AZOrange]

Melo outshot Durant last year from 3. For career, Durant is better.

If Melo really did become a much better 3 point shooter after coming to the Knicks, this is a totally different argument. We need more time to see if that is the case, or it's just a fluke. He has been so much better since becoming a Knick it is worth considering though.

I blame the lights in Denver.

 

[Knicks411]

sorry i am confused...what does this mean? melo is better?

Don't worry, I am just as confused as you are...

I was trying to test the theory that since Melo has more ways to score, there would be less variation to his scoring. The idea being if Durant's jumper is off, he;s screwed, whereas Melo has so many options so if one of them isn't falling, he can get his. All of those numbers were standard deviations, and Melo's were all higher, meaning there is more deviation in his scoring. Which is the opposite of what you would expect of a guy with more ways to score. (I think, this could be a terrible way of measuring it).

 

[DoctorBombay]

Hey look - someone else who has never actually watched Durant play a game but knows exactly how he scores points. I don't necessarily think that Durant is the better "scorer" then Melo but to say that Durant can't/doesn't score with the same skill set as Melo is very silly and also wrong.

Geez, did someone put coal in your stocking? Lighten up, Francis!
Fact is, I and many others who make the argument for Melo have watched both players...plenty of times. Indeed, I believe it was the guys on TNT, especially Sir Charles, Kenny, & Magic, who explained why they think Melo is the best scorer in the NBA. But what do they know, right?
The immediate knee-jerk reaction is to look at averages & say its bunk. But the argument is a valid one- Melo simply has MORE ways to score than does Durant, or Kobe, or LeBron.
Notice that no one is saying he's the better PLAYER, but the issue is how many ways he can score.
Durant's postgame is nowhere near as good as Melo's, just like Melo's shooting is not as good as Durants. But Melo can drive to the hoop better, absorb contact, and is the better rebounder...IMHO. Moreover, its not a question of Durant "can't/doesn't score with the same skill-set", but rather...who does what more often & in how many ways, better. Call it the Swiss army knife approach to scoring.

 

[qdawgg]

Geez, did someone put coal in your stocking? Lighten up, Francis!
Fact is, I and many others who make the argument for Melo have watched both players...plenty of times. Indeed, I believe it was the guys on TNT, especially Sir Charles, Kenny, & Magic, who explained why they think Melo is the best scorer in the NBA. But what do they know, right?
The immediate knee-jerk reaction is to look at averages & say its bunk. But the argument is a valid one- Melo simply has MORE ways to score than does Durant, or Kobe, or LeBron.
Notice that no one is saying he's the better PLAYER, but the issue is how many ways he can score.
Durant's postgame is nowhere near as good as Melo's, just like Melo's shooting is not as good as Durants. But Melo can drive to the hoop better, absorb contact, and is the better rebounder...IMHO. Moreover, its not a question of Durant "can't/doesn't score with the same skill-set", but rather...who does what more often & in how many ways, better. Call it the Swiss army knife approach to scoring.

Other than my A-hole first sentence I was agreeing with what you said... except the part of Czar's post that you seemed to agree with:

Melo can score in ways skinnyboy Durant doesnt dream of