OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY
Rockets 15th in offensive efficiency in the NBA, 108.4 points per 100 possessions.
Nuggets 11th in offensive efficiency in the NBA, 109.0 points per 100 possessions.
Rockets 5th in defensive efficiency in the NBA, 104.1 points allowed per 100 possessions.
Nuggets 11th defensive efficiency in the NBA, 106.5 points allowed per 100 possessions.
For the player ratings, first we will look at the ratings separately by team and then we will combine both teams to see how the players stack up even more clearly.
QUICK USER GUIDE NOTES THAT APPLY TO THIS COMPARISON OF TEAMS:
1. Players who have been traded away have been removed.
2. Players who have been lost for the season due to injury have been removed.
3. Players who were acquired by trade are included; their ratings are from playing on their previous teams.
COMPLETE USER GUIDE
For complete details about how and why the Ratings work, and for very detailed information about how Real Team Ratings were developed and are calculated, please consult the USER GUIDE
ROCKETS = NUGGETS MATCHUP WITH RATINGS SHOWN BY TEAM
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER RATINGS
Quality of Players
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
AS OF FEB. 20 2009
ROCKETS
Yao Ming 1.008
Ron Artest 0.765
Luis Scola 0.716
Carl Landry 0.695
Kyle Lowry 0.591
Aaron Brooks 0.582
Von Wafer 0.580
Shane Battier 0.524
Brent Barry 0.503
Chuck Hayes 0.429
NUGGETS
Nene Hilario 0.864
Carmelo Anthony 0.860
Chauncey Billups† 0.859
Chris Andersen 0.755
J.R. Smith 0.749
Kenyon Martin 0.724
Renaldo Balkman 0.716
Anthony Carter 0.652
Linas Kleiza 0.558
Dahntay Jones 0.424
SCALE FOR REAL PLAYER RATINGS
Perfect Player? Is there Such a Thing? 1.000 and more
Historic Super Star 0.950 and more
Super Star 0.850 0.949
A Star Player; An Extremely Good Starter 0.775 0.849
A Great Player; A Solid Starter 0.700 0.774
Major Role Player 0.650 0.699
Role Player 0.600 0.649
Minor Role Player 0.550 0.599
Very Minor Role Player 0.500 0.549
Poor Player at This Time 0.450 0.499
Very Poor Player at This Time 0.350 0.449
Extremely Poor Player at This Time / Disaster and less 0.349
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER PRODUCTION
Quantity of Players
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
AS OF FEB. 20 2009
ROCKETS
Yao Ming 1453.20
Luis Scola 1064.25
Ron Artest 890.00
Carl Landry 723.85
Aaron Brooks 621.70
Kyle Lowry 621.65
Shane Battier 464.65
Von Wafer 402.40
Brent Barry 273.15
Chuck Hayes 228.30
NUGGETS
Chauncey Billups† 1322.40
Nene Hilario 1303.00
Kenyon Martin 1050.05
Carmelo Anthony 1034.90
J.R. Smith 919.45
Anthony Carter 765.75
Linas Kleiza 668.90
Chris Andersen 584.40
Dahntay Jones 379.50
Renaldo Balkman 267.65
===========SUB RATINGS===============
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
DEFENDING SUB RATINGS
Tracked and Hidden Defending
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
AS OF FEB. 20 2009
ROCKETS
Yao Ming 0.564
Ron Artest 0.481
Chuck Hayes 0.355
Shane Battier 0.338
Brent Barry 0.304
Luis Scola 0.296
Carl Landry 0.252
Aaron Brooks 0.187
Kyle Lowry 0.177
Von Wafer 0.163
NUGGETS
Nene Hilario 0.493
Chris Andersen 0.431
Kenyon Martin 0.415
J.R. Smith 0.409
Renaldo Balkman 0.379
Carmelo Anthony 0.362
Anthony Carter 0.329
Chauncey Billups† 0.293
Linas Kleiza 0.201
Dahntay Jones 0.195
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
OFFENSE SUB RATINGS
Tracked and Hidden Defending
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
AS OF FEB. 20 2009
ROCKETS
Yao Ming 0.872
Luis Scola 0.683
Carl Landry 0.643
Ron Artest 0.632
Von Wafer 0.575
Aaron Brooks 0.526
Shane Battier 0.456
Kyle Lowry 0.424
Brent Barry 0.418
Chuck Hayes 0.374
NUGGETS
Chauncey Billups† 0.645
Carmelo Anthony 0.574
Nene Hilario 0.483
J.R. Smith 0.451
Renaldo Balkman 0.412
Anthony Carter 0.398
Linas Kleiza 0.383
Kenyon Martin 0.380
Chris Andersen 0.360
Dahntay Jones 0.282
================================================
ROCKETS = NUGGETS MATCHUP WITH COMBINED SORTS
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER RATINGS
Quality of Players
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
Through Feb. 20 2009
Yao Ming Houston 1.008
Nene Hilario Denver 0.864
Carmelo Anthony Denver 0.860
Chauncey Billups Denver 0.859
Ron Artest Houston 0.765
Chris Andersen Denver 0.755
J.R. Smith Denver 0.749
Kenyon Martin Denver 0.724
Renaldo Balkman Denver 0.716
Luis Scola Houston 0.716
Carl Landry Houston 0.695
Anthony Carter Denver 0.652
Kyle Lowry Houston 0.591
Aaron Brooks Houston 0.582
Von Wafer Houston 0.580
Linas Kleiza Denver 0.558
Shane Battier Houston 0.524
Brent Barry Houston 0.503
Chuck Hayes Houston 0.429
Dahntay Jones Denver 0.424
SCALE FOR REAL PLAYER RATINGS
Perfect Player? Is there Such a Thing? 1.000 and more
Historic Super Star 0.950 and more
Super Star 0.850 0.949
A Star Player; An Extremely Good Starter 0.775 0.849
A Great Player; A Solid Starter 0.700 0.774
Major Role Player 0.650 0.699
Role Player 0.600 0.649
Minor Role Player 0.550 0.599
Very Minor Role Player 0.500 0.549
Poor Player at This Time 0.450 0.499
Very Poor Player at This Time 0.350 0.449
Extremely Poor Player at This Time / Disaster and less 0.349
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER PRODUCTION
Quantity of Players
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
Through Feb. 20 2009
Yao Ming Houston 1453.20
Chauncey Billups Denver 1322.40
Nene Hilario Denver 1303.00
Luis Scola Houston 1064.25
Kenyon Martin Denver 1050.05
Carmelo Anthony Denver 1034.90
J.R. Smith Denver 919.45
Ron Artest Houston 890.00
Anthony Carter Denver 765.75
Carl Landry Houston 723.85
Linas Kleiza Denver 668.90
Aaron Brooks Houston 621.70
Kyle Lowry Houston 621.65
Chris Andersen Denver 584.40
Shane Battier Houston 464.65
Von Wafer Houston 402.40
Dahntay Jones Denver 379.50
Brent Barry Houston 273.15
Renaldo Balkman Denver 267.65
Chuck Hayes Houston 228.30
======================================
ROCKETS VS NUGGETS
SUMMARY IN TERMS OF REAL PLAYER RATING SCALE CATEGORIES
HISTORIC SUPERSTARS
Yao Ming, Rockets 1.008
SUPERSTARS
Nene Hilario Denver 0.864
Carmelo Anthony Denver 0.860
Chauncey Billups Denver 0.859
STARS
None on either team
OUTSTANDING / SOLID STARTERS
Ron Artest Houston 0.765
Chris Andersen Denver 0.755
J.R. Smith Denver 0.749
Kenyon Martin Denver 0.724
Renaldo Balkman Denver 0.716
Luis Scola Houston 0.716
MAJOR ROLE PLAYERS
Carl Landry Houston 0.695
Anthony Carter Denver 0.652
ROLE PLAYERS
None on either team
MINOR ROLE PLAYERS
Kyle Lowry Houston 0.591
Aaron Brooks Houston 0.582
Von Wafer Houston 0.580
Linas Kleiza Denver 0.558
VERY MINOR ROLE PLAYERS
Shane Battier Houston 0.524
Brent Barry Houston 0.503
POOR PLAYERS
Chuck Hayes Houston 0.429
Dahntay Jones Denver 0.424
QUEST NOTES ABOUT THE ROCKETS—NUGGETS MATCHUP
Carmelo Anthony is improved from a month ago, which slightly increases the Nuggets chance of winning a playoff series against anyone. On the other hand, Linas Kleiza is really starting to have a miserable year now, and J.R. Smith has become even more inconsistent than he was last year, something that would have been regarded as absurd if you did not see it with your own eyes.
The Houston Rockets are one of the more likely possible matchups for the Nuggets in the playoffs. Very significantly, if the Nuggets play the Rockets, they could possibly win it now, due to the Rockets loss of their second best player, Tracy McGrady, due to an injury. It's not out of the question anymore, but the odds remain against it.
Also, the Rockets are going with Aaron Brooks at PG now that Rafer Alston is traded to the Magic. Brooks has rated only as a minor role player so far. Although he will undoubtedly rise to at least role player, Alston was the better bet for the Rockets for the playoffs.
Despite the above, I am as of now still predicting a Rockets win over the Nuggets in the playoffs, should they meet. If forced to predict the result in games, I would say Rockets 4 Nuggets 2, but I would be just surprised somewhat and not shocked at Rockets 4 Nuggets 3.
Let's check how the Nuggets' ratings have changed in the last month:
DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER RATINGS
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
Through Jan. 15 2009
Chauncey Billups 0.909
Nene Hilario 0.845
Renaldo Balkman 0.830
Carmelo Anthony 0.821
J.R. Smith 0.787
Chris Andersen 0.763
Kenyon Martin 0.744
Anthony Carter 0.637
Linas Kleiza 0.552
Dahntay Jones 0.455
DENVER NUGGETS
REAL PLAYER RATINGS
2008-09 REGULAR SEASON
Through Feb. 20 2009
Nene Hilario 0.864
Carmelo Anthony 0.860
Chauncey Billups 0.859
Chris Andersen 0.755
J.R. Smith 0.749
Kenyon Martin 0.724
Renaldo Balkman 0.716
Anthony Carter 0.652
Linas Kleiza 0.558
Dahntay Jones 0.424
With Carmelo Anthony improved and with a truly startling number of quality players showing up in the Nuggets ratings, with eight players who are major role players or better, it may be time to start considering the Nuggets more seriously. Not me yet, but maybe you.
What I need to consider the Nuggets seriously for the playoffs is a change at 2-guard. Were J.R. Smith to start and were Dahntay Jones' minutes be reduced substantially, the Nuggets could possibly defeat the Rockets now that Tracy McGrady and Rafer Alston are gone. The Rockets advantage would be reduced to a very small amount, and who won would be mostly based on playoff experience and coaching. Whoever played better and smarter would win a probably close series. I would still say Rockets but would not be shocked if the Nuggets won in this matchup.
But with Dahntay Jones playing a lot of minutes, and J.R. Smith still relegated to a "black sheep type role", the Rockets remain favored, although not by anywhere near as much as they were when they had Rafer Alston and especially Tracy McGrady.
ADDED 1 HOUR AFTER ABOVE WAS POSTED
I just noticed that if you look closely, the Rockets' offensive sub ratings are better than the Nuggets' by more than the Nuggets' defending sub ratings are better than the Rockets.' This is another clue I think that the Nuggets can not in fact defeat the Rockets in the playoffs this year.
On the other hand, the Rockets are playing it risky with Aaron Brooks as PG and just Lowry as a backup. Although most likely no team in my life time will ever be as lost at PG as the Nuggets were last April, the Rockets can not exactly rest easy regarding their PG situation for the playoffs yet.
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