I see that often here, too, but I’m the wrong guy to comment as my NBA minutes are limited to a few highlights. I’ll pay some attention next time I watch one of these.

The foul statistics between NBA and Euroleague are probably not what some people are expecting:

LG    F/POS*    F/40M
EL    0.30    20.9
NBA    0.23    16.4

Pos = FGA + 0.47*FTA – OR + TO

(That’s not proof for a tighter leash of EL refs though. Maybe EL players are only called for one fourth of the fouls they commit.)

Each of the four options is well thought, but I don’t feel confident making a statement about that, except for the fourth. I don’t think decision makers in European basketball (whether it’s owners, GMs or coaches) think that taking a lunge at the ball is the better play than taking a sober defensive stance. It’s the same as in the NBA: The competent guys have their own effective methods of player recruiting, whether those involve extensive use of advanced stats or not, whereas the incompetent half will make decisions based on the wrong use of traditional stats.

Barca and Montepaschi are in close proximity though, and Panathinaikos has that 13-4 record in Euroleague April/May games (from ’05 onwards) on their side. I usually don’t put much stock in historical stats, but they’ve been perfectly prepared in knockout games and playoff series.

As things stand,

QF1: CSKA – Bilbao/RMA
QF2: Montepaschi – Oly/GS
QF3: Unics/Panathinaikos – MTA/Cantu
QF4: Barca – Unics/Panathinaikos

with

SF1: QF1 – QF3
SF2: QF2 – QF4

Bismack Byombo of all people had a not-completely-horrible game for the Bobcats tonight. His length is an asset for guarding the hoop, and he looks coachable, if still very raw. On one post play on defense, Noah had inside position, and Byombo went up into what I would consider a classic solid post-defensive stance (both hands straight up, holding position close to the offensive player). Byombo, being inexperienced, instinctually dropped his hands, fouling Naoh for the and one.

My question is this: I’ve noticed that European bigs in defensive post situations rarely use, what for the NBA, would be considered a good defensive stance. This seems to be true in both help and iso situations. I see a lot more attempts at shot blocks in European ball in lieu of going straight up and altering shots, which seems like a much more effective method for forcing misses and avoiding fouls. I hope I’m describing this well enough so you guys understand what I mean.

Why is this? The theories that I’ve come up with so far, in decreasing order of likelihood:

– European referees are more likely to whistle a defender if there is contact, even if the defender goes straight up and the offensive player initiates contact.

– I’ve seen many European bigs make lay ups with a very low release point where they guard against a shot blocker with their body. This seems to be part of the bag for many European bigs, and I rarely see it from American bigs in the NBA. A more traditional defensive stance may not work as well in Euroleague play because of these body-shield-low-release layups from Euro bigs.

– My instincts are wrong and bigs are more disruptive when they go for shot blocks; and since there is less of a concern about foul trouble in Euroleague play, given the longer rotations and shorter games, trying to swat shots in the better play.

– European general managers are more reliant on traditional defensive stats, such as blocks and steals, when they are making player evaluations, so shot alterations don’t translate into player contracts like shot alterations.