12.10.2008

ESPN Needs a New Fact Checker

It might not seem like it, but I've dialed back the intensity a bit this year. The amount of time I devoted to the Green last season simply wasn't healthy (or sustainable). So it didn't come as a big surprise when ESPN's broadcast team rattled off a bunch of Celtics-related stats that were unbeknownst to me.

Rajon Rondo was third in the NBA in assists per game.

Kendrick Perkins was third in the NBA in blocks per game.

Wrong, and wrong again.

Rondo is seventh in the league in assists.

Kendrick Perkins is tenth in the league in blocks.

Interestingly, Rajon Rondo is fifth in the league in assists per 48 minutes, second in total assists, and fourth in the league in steals per game.

My favorite uninformed opinion masquerading as fact was this statement:

The last player in the NBA to wear #88 before Nicolas Batum of Portland was Antoine Walker with Memphis.

Ah, no.

That would be Antoine Walker of the Boston Celtics.

Six-figure salaries and this is the best they can do?

5 comments:

Lex said...

Now you might say, he probably meant Antoine Walker who is now with memphis.

But the conversation went something like this.

Who was the last guy to wear that number?

Antoine Walker

With who?

Memphis.

So it I don't think that's what was intended.

Anonymous said...

You think ESPN is bad? You should check out the Payton/Webber duo on NBA TV. I'm convinced David Stern hasn't stumbled upon their show yet.

Lex said...

That bad, huh?

I heard about Payton dissing rondo.

What does Webber have to offer for his half?

Anonymous said...

Webber is actually not bad but its hard to take him seriously as an analyst when he's with Payton because they can be so outrageous. The Glove tried to backtrack on his Rondo diss though after Webber said Rondo was for his player of the week. Actually he howled out Rondooooo for more than a minute twice!

Lex said...

Rondo and Perk are really making a difference this year. This might be the best starting 5 in some time, and not just for the Cs.