David Lee named Western Conference Player of the Week (plus a note on Monta)

Bay Area Sports Guy December 17, 2012

From officialwarriors (Instagram)

The Golden State Warriors demolished the Hawks in Atlanta, capping a 6-1 road trip no one predicted. Now the Warriors’ winning ways have allowed everyone to start appreciating David Lee for the first time since he came to Oakland, as he was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

Back in the summer of 2010, the Warriors sent Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike and a 2012 second-rounder to New York for the right to sign Lee to a six-year, $80 million contract.

What the Warriors gave up wasn’t the problem — Turiaf is a journeyman bench cheerleader, Randolph is on his way out of the league, and Azubuike never played for the Knicks. The money was always the concern with Lee, along with his defensive shortcomings.

Now it appears the Warriors are getting what they are paying for.

Lee won his second Conference Player of the Week Award (the other came in 2009) after finishing Golden State’s eye-opening trip by averaging 22.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1 steal, while shooting 60.6% (40-66 FG) from the field and 11-for-11 from the line over the last four games. And as far as this season goes, Lee is finally proving to be the player the Warriors thought they were getting from the Knicks. Perhaps having actual NBA players as teammates and not having a tooth lodged in his arm helps.

Measuring defense in ways other than the dreaded “eye test” is exceedingly difficult in the NBA. John Hollinger’s PER only measures offensive efficiency, and Lee’s PER of 20.0 is the highest since coming to Golden State. However, it’s not like he was an offensive slouch last year, when his PER was 19.7. Both of those figures are pretty high for a player who attempts a three about once every two months.

I’m more interested in differentials. Point differential says more than simply being a high-scoring team; total rebounds often has more to do with pace than the ability to box out opponents a majority of the time. When Lee was a Knickerbocker, his Offensive Rating (an estimate of points produced per 100 possessions) far outpaced his Defensive Rating (an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions).

The Warriors weren’t expecting a defensive stalwart when they traded for Lee, but they probably figured his offense would more than make up for whatever he gave up defensively. But after an average ORtg-DRtg differential of 12.4 in his years with the Knicks, there was no differential at all in his first two years with the Warriors. Team defense may have a lot to do with Lee’s best DRtg of his career so far this season, but his offense hasn’t fallen off at all.

As a result of Lee’s excellent play and, above all else, the Warriors winning two-thirds of their games, Lee is getting love from places one never would’ve expected before this season. Warriorsworld is running a “David Lee Watch” where they’re spending “nearly two weeks examining the play of David Lee, easily the most polarizing player on the Warriors.” Tim Kawakami also gave Lee some credit almost a week before his “Player of the Week” nod:

I’ve been a Lee critic–I don’t give his defense a free pass and it shouldn’t get a free pass.

But when he shoots at this kind of clip (FG% is up from 49% to 51.4% over a handful of games) and feeds shooters and rebounds like a madman… Lee is a definite “plus” player and deserves praise.

The timing of the Monta Ellis trade

In reading the Warriors’ release on Lee’s award, I came across something that caught my eye:

It is the 29th time a Warriors player has been named Player of the Week since the NBA began giving out the award in 1979 and the first since Monta Ellis on March 12, 2012.

Wait, Ellis was still a Warrior(s) on March 12? Yes, but he was traded along with Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson on … March 13.

That’s not to say the Warriors will trade Lee tomorrow. However, one has to wonder just how much that award spurred the Milwaukee Bucks to pull the trigger on a deal the teams had likely been talking about for a decent period of time, considering the number of high-profile players involved.

About the Author

Otherwise known as Steve Berman (no, not the guy from the Eminem skits), BASG started Bay Area Sports Guy in January of 2008 with the help of his then-girlfriend (now wife). Since then he's covered college football for CSN Bay Area, gained media access to the Giants, Warriors and 49ers, and built Bay Area Sports Guy into the No. 1 independent Bay Area sports blog. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

21 comments

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Dart

Oakland is a basketball city whose native sons never ever want to play here: Kidd, Shaw, Davis, Payton, etc. Even native Oaklanders are looking for a way out, unless of course they are the white yuppies living in the hills!

Bauce

Otis is a liar. SF is not a basketball city at all. The people of SF are not obsessed with the game at all. They didnt even fight to keep the 49ers there but let them move over 40 miles away. 9 percent of the season ticket base for the niners are from SF county lol. Now you telling me it is gonna back the Warriors with strong support? You are lying as usual. Tell me where the basketball talent from SF is. Tell me where the best hoopers go to play? Funny Otis you gonna lie and tell me white yuppies with no basketball connection whatsoever in downtown SF are really about to get behind the Warriors like the East Bay has been for over 40 years. And hell no if I was the owner of Warriors I wouldn't want to go to SF. For what? I'm making a killing already financially with top notch support. The East Bay is basketball obsessed with some of the loudest crowds in the NBA. Sf will never produce that. SF really only cares about the Giants because its a white thing and they can identify with alot of their players

Beaver

I understand Bauce's frustration and I wish pro sports worked the way he wants it to, but the facts are the ticket money is in SF and teams are not made up of players from that city. I also remember hearing a few years ago that every single NBA team stays in SF and buses over to Oakland. I think if you asked the players, they would prefer to play in "The City." Oakland can keep Fitz though.

Otis Byrd III

Thank you!!!!..... This is what I was trying to tell Bauce. The Warriors moving to San Francisco has nothing to do with race. It's clearly and obviously a business decision. Plus, the Warriors already talked with the Oakland people about building a new arena there, and I guess they said no, and/or there isn't a possibility that they can, so they might as well look to San Francisco. San Jose probably would've been a 3rd option. I'm sure if the Warriors could've built a new arena in Oakland, they probably would've, and maybe they would've a long time ago. I agree that teams aren't made up of players from that city. I mean, how rare is it when a Bay Area guy actually plays with one of the Bay Area teams? It's only been like a select few of them in the recent past such as Bonds, Jason Hill, Kevin Frandsen, Tyson Ross, Jeremy Lin, and Tyler Walker. I agree that players would probably prefer to play in San Francisco than Oakland. Not to sound like a pompous San Francisco guy but, I mean, let's be honest, I'm sure all the Bay Area teams would rather play in San Francisco, if they had a chance to, or at least welcome the opportunity, mainly for the money and marketing reasons, and more local and possibly national exposure. Plus, it's San Francisco! Cal's football team played here in San Francisco last year when Memorial Stadium was being renovated. They could've played in Oakland at the Oakland Coliseum instead, and it probably would've made more sense for them to play their football games at the Oakland Coliseum last year simply because it's closer to Berkeley, but they decided to play at AT&T Park, which was kind of cool... I think Stanford's football team has their preseason football scrimmages at Kezar now, at least they have in the past couple of years. But yes, this is all about the Warriors getting a new arena, and business wise, it would be better for them to move to San Francisco. As I mentioned before, the Warriors original Bay Area home was San Francisco. It's not like they're moving to L.A. They'll still be a Bay Area team, and I don't think they plan on changing their name when they move to San Francisco. As far as Fitz goes, he's probably not going anywhere. He does a good job on the Warriors telecasts. Yeah, he's not as good on KNBR anymore, but he's still pretty good on the Warriors telecasts.

Otis Byrd III

Well, Brandon Crawford is on the Giants currently, but I think you see my point. Not too many Bay Area guys play on the Bay Area teams.

Otis Byrd III

I forgot to include Brandon Crawford and Pat Burrell as well.

Slam

The Warriors playing in Oakland while selling / wearing gear that says "The City" is so fucking rude. Go to the Cow Palace ( where the Warriors used to play and by the way ISN'T in San Francisco ) while the Warriors and Giants fight over where the shiny new arena will be built. Which should take about 10 years to sort out.

GooseLosGatos

I remember the 'outrage' when we traded Monte. Even if Bogut never plays a game for the Warriors, it's still addition by subtraction with regards to Monte.

Bauce

Otis you sound like a typical SF pansy who got beat up for most of his life. Oakland is a basketball city and SF is not.

Otis Byrd III

I'm not an SF pansy and I didn't get beat up. Stop with this silly San Francisco is not a basketball city and Oakland is. Yes, Oakland is a basketball city. We know that. We get it. The Bay Area in general, is a basketball area. You're just jealous and bitter that the Warriors are going to be moving to San Francisco. You better hope that the Raiders or A's stay in Oakland. What do you have to say about the Raiders or A's possibly leaving?

Slam

The Warriors new ownership group thinks they're so much better than Oakland. Screw those carpetbagging LA assholes.

Otis Byrd III

Not really. How do they think that? The Warriors ownership acknowledged the Warriors history in Oakland, and appreciate the fans they have in the East Bay. They know they have a great fanbase there. The Warriors are a Bay Area team, not exclusively an Oakland team, and it really is in their best interests to move to San Francisco. I'm sorry to tell you this but, I'm sure every other team in the Bay Area would do the same thing, if they had the chance to move to San Francisco. If you were the Warriors ownership, wouldn't you look to move to San Francisco too, if the opportunity presented itself? Nothing against Oakland at all, and in a way, objectively speaking, I don't blame the Oakland natives and fans for getting bitter about the Warriors wanting to move to San Francisco (I'm not totally happy about the 49ers moving to Santa Clara, but it's going to happen, so I have to deal with it), but as I was telling Bauce, business wise, it makes sense for the Warriors to move to San Francisco.

Otis Byrd III

Congratulations to David Lee on being the Western Conference player of the week!.... What a week he's had, and what a contribution he has made to the Warriors 6-1 road trip! But yes, congratulations David Lee!