FanPost

Concerning Tyson Chandler: A Concerning Playoff History

A primer:

Talked about this with Chris Herring earlier today. Obviously the normal disclaimer: Love Chandler, think he’s an excellent player in a lot of ways and I understand he had flu last year and bulging disc could be problem.

But check out his playoff numbers in Knicks career.

Per 36: 5.9 points, 44 fg%, 60 ft %, .491 TS, 9.5 rbds, 1.3 blocks, 2.9 turnovers, 1.2 steals.

I don’t care how active Chandler is on defense (we know he hasn’t protected rim well, go back and watch him watch layup line in Miami series) or how much of a threat he is on dive (which it seems Martin and all high screeners in 4-out at least come close to replicating), or how well he sets screens, it’s virtually impossible to have a positive impact on the game with those numbers.

But how does that compare to his career playoff history?

It’s normal for most players to see precipitous declines in efficiency during post-season, but Chandler has had drops in two critical categories — rebounds % (18.4-16.6) block % (3.7-3.3)….

And he has a career 11.1 usage in the playoffs and has nearly half as many turnovers as field goals made.

And check this, since his first playoff year in Chicago where he actually tried a post move or two, has scored in single digits in 37 of 53 playoff games… I mean shit.

Since his first year in playoffs, he hasn’t scored more than 15 points in 53 playoff games.

Worse yet, he’s only had more than 15 rebounds twice in those 53 playoff games.

As a point of reference, in the same time frame and in 7 fewer playoff games, Carmelo Anthony has one.

Chandler has reached double digit rebounds in 16 of 53 playoff games since his first playoff series (30 percent of time).

As a point of reference, Anthony has reached double digit rebounds in 13 of 46 playoff games in that same stretch (28 % of time).

Melo’s rebound, steal and block percentage go up in the playoff. Way up if just compare the same time frames.

Chandler has played 30 or fewer minutes in 23 of 53 playoff games and has been an absolute foul machine, without the benefit of shots blocked.

Chandler averages 4.8 fouls per 36 minutes in the playoffs, getting just 1.7 blocks for the damage (his playoff blocks high per 36 was also set his first year)

As a point of reference, KMart, who does not have Chandler’s defensive reputation as a rim protector (which seems odd to me), averages 4.1 fouls per 36 minutes in his playoff career to go along with 1.3 blocks, just about the same ratio.

That’s why K-Mart is virtually the same defender Chandler is. Not as good of a rebounder, * can be* but great in help situations, versatile, better on guards and wings while Chandler is better against bigs in post.

But the Knicks need Chandler to be a lot more than KMArt (who everyone should respect and appreciate by now).

Is Chandler the best player in the Knicks? That’s for people like Owen to decide.

All I know is he needs to be a lot better. I mean, a lot better.

He can’t be the no-show guy he was a few years in New Orleans and the year the Bobcats made the playoffs.

Chandler’s atrocious play in 2009 was a big reason Denver won by an average of 25 points per game. That should not have been such a one-sided series (many picked the Hornets to win that series).

Chandle’s 6.7 points per 36 in playoffs last year was 39th lowest in NBA history of players who played at least 28 mpg and 4 playoff games in a playoff season.

He has three seasons in the lower 150.

There have been 2768 seasons that fit the criteria, putting all three of Chandler’s seasons in the fifth percentile or below.

WOW.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&type=per_minute&per_minute_base=36&lg_id=NBA&is_playoffs=Y&year_min=&year_max=&franch_id=&season_start=1&season_end=-1&age_min=0&age_max=99&height_min=0&height_max=99&birth_country_is=Y&birth_country=&is_active=&is_hof=&is_as=&as_comp=gt&as_val=&pos_is_g=Y&pos_is_gf=Y&pos_is_f=Y&pos_is_fg=Y&pos_is_fc=Y&pos_is_c=Y&pos_is_cf=Y&qual=&c1stat=mp_per_g&c1comp=gt&c1val=28&c2stat=g&c2comp=gt&c2val=4&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&c5stat=&c5comp=gt&c6mult=1.0&c6stat=&order_by=pts_per_g&order_by_asc=Y