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October 16, 2014This may be a biased account of Anderson Varejao’s game, for it is difficult to be unbiased when exploring the ways of the Wild Thing.
He is, or at least was, among the most reviled players in the league. Google “Varejao hate” and you’ll find plenty of results. Magazines, Celtics message boards, Yahoo! Answers, and even Yelp have had bad things to say about Cleveland’s favorite Brazilian. Some of that hatred has been collecting dust since the Cavs have been a joke for the past few years, but I’m confident it will return in full force. Hate, like manners and proverbs, is timeless.
There’s also this Varejao lowlight video with “Yakety Sax” as the soundtrack. Never change, Internet.
I, for one, adore Anderson Varejao. What drives this wonderful man to play the game the way he does, I don’t know. But I’ll be damned if it isn’t beautiful, even if he has a weird jumper and rarely scores more than 18 and always lays it in instead of dunking. This Game Illustrated series ostensibly uses stats to analyze players, but the best part of Andy’s game is not quantifiable.
The best part of the Anderson Varejao Experience is the ineffable boost that he provides, to teammates and fans alike. His energy and effort are so genuine, so authentic, so relentless, that it’s impossible not to get caught up in it. To hear the combination of excitement and appreciation that a Varejao Play elicits from a Quicken Loans Arena crowd is to hear the very best that sports have to offer the world: A team and a player, joined at the soul.
Aw, look at me. I’m rambling again. Let’s go:
The Kingsman
Hate, like manners and proverbs, is timeless.
Varejao is a heady offensive player, and he has done especially well when sharing the floor with LeBron. In 2009-10, Varejao shot 59.4% from the field when partnered with LeBron, including a terrific 67.5% at the rim. Andy’s shooting percentage dropped over each of the next three post-Decision/apocalypse seasons. from 52.8% in 2010-11, to 51.4% in 2011-12, to 47.8% in 2012-13. Last season he bumped it back up to 49.5%, but that’s still not great for a center.
Obviously, having LeBron James on the court makes things easier for his teammates, despite some rumblings to the contrary. But those teammates still need to make plays, and Andy reacts to LeBron as well as anybody. He’s a whiz at finding soft areas on the court when LeBron draws traffic, and he has sticky hands to catch all those bullet passes. There is no shortage of LeBron-to-Andy highlights:
From way back in 2005:
To the regular season in 2009…
To crunch time in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals (with excellent commentary, by the way)…
To preseason in Rio…
These guys get along wonderfully, on and off the court. It’s a victory for friendship and basketball that they get to play together again.
Evolução (That’s Evolution in Portuguese)
It may be instructive to look at how Andy played with LeBron in the past, but he is not the same player he was five years ago. A quick look at his shot charts over the years will show what’s changed (tip of the cap to WFNY’s Jacob Rosen and the whole gang over at Nylon Calculus):
2009-10: This is the last season with LeBron. Andy lived in the paint, and it was a good living—he shot 57.2% for the year. Lots of quality shots around the bucket as the Cavs won 61 games.
2010-11: LeBron leaves, and everything goes blue. Andy still stayed around the hoop, but didn’t convert nearly as effectively. The Cavs won 19 games under Byron Scott.
2011-12: Some improvement near the rim, but nothing to write home about. Antawn Jamison was the second-leading scorer on this team, and Samardo Samuels played in 54 of 66 games in a lockout-shortened season.
2012-13: Ooh, this is different! We see Colatina’s finest stepping out and trying his hand in the midrange, and having some success. Hmmm…
2013-14: Andy was one of the league’s best big men from midrange last season. He shot 48.8% between 10 and 16 feet from the hoop, which is exactly the same percentage that Dirk Nowitzki shot from those distances. From 16 feet to the three-point line, Andy shot 49.4%, one measly percentage point behind Dirk. This is rarefied air to share, as Dirk is one of the best shooters in the whole darn league.
Before you throw a brick through your computer, I know: this is comparing German apples to Brazilian oranges. Andy’s jumpers are wide-open catch-and-shoots, while Dirks are double-teamed one-legged fadeaways. Dirk took five times as many midrange shots as Andy. Dirk is option number one, Andy is closer to option number ten. Your headline today: Anderson Varejao is not Dirk Nowitzki.
But still! There’s going to be a lot of space for the Cavs inside the arc this year as defenses run out at shooters and double-team penetrators. Having a big man who can knock down some shots is a good thing, even though midrange J’s are as fashionable as Andrew Wiggins’ draft night ensemble.
Passable Passer
Andy will be able to do damage as a passer in the midrange, too. The Cavs won’t want him handling the ball too often, but he can be an effective facilitator from the high post. Remember all those LeBron-to-Andy highlights from earlier? They go both ways:
Andy averaged 2.2 assists per game last year, fifth among centers. He tied Marc Gasol for second in assist-to-turnover ratio among pivot men, and he ranked third in assist rate. His passing figures were even better in 2012-13, and it’s reasonable to expect him to fare better still with quality teammates.
If Tristan Thompson ends up being the starting center, Varejao’s passing skills will be a welcome addition to bench units. He isn’t in Joakim Noah’s class as a distributor—no current center is—but he can direct traffic well enough for the offense to string a few passes together, and help avoid too much stagnancy.
Deft Defender
The whole reason Andy found a spot in the NBA as a second-round pick is his maniacal defense. He’s slowed a little with age, but he still chases ball handlers like a beagle after a squirrel. He bumps cutters through the lane and nixes would-be post ups. He gets his hands on a lot of passes, knocking offenses out of rhythm or stealing the ball outright. He’s been among the five most thieving centers in each of the past three seasons.
He is not, however, a leaper in the class of DeAndre Jordan or Andre Drummond. Zach Randolph is closer to his neighborhood. Andy has averaged more than one block a game exactly once in his 10-year career. He blocked zero shots in 39 of his 65 games last year. He does, however, protect the rim in a different way. Take it away, Zach Lowe:
Varejao is one of the league’s all-time great charge-takers, and he argues that even just trying to take charges can be a more effective form of rim protection than chasing shot-blocks. Defenders who leap for rejections take themselves out of the play, and if they launch too early, ball handlers can read the play and dish a drop-off pass before the next defender is ready to rotate.
A charge-taker can stay on his feet if the ball handler passes early, and a charge attempt often stops the play — with a turnover, foul, or loose ball that flies out of bounds.
I am not at all worried about Andy on defense. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s still reasonably agile, and he rebounds the hell out of the ball.
La Fin.
I didn’t want to spend a whole section talking about injuries because that’s a bummer, but it needs to be addressed in Senhor Varejao’s case. He played a respectable 65 games last season, but he has missed scores of games over the years and is always one injury away from disaster. The crowd gasped when he knocked a knee in the preseason game against the Bucks. Fingers crossed, I suppose.
I hope he doesn’t get hurt, not only because he boosts the Cavs’ title hopes, but because he is one of my very favorite Cavaliers ever. He has taken the foreign-big-guy-as-ambassador torch from Zydrunas Ilgauskas and carried it proudly. I want Andy to stay healthy because he carries himself the right way, and he plays the game the right way.
Andy’s game is all extra passes and smart angles. It’s hedging screens and setting good ones himself. It’s positioning on the offensive glass. It’s being a pain in the ass to play against and a delight to play with.
There’s nothing better, in my opinion, than a genuine display of hustle on a basketball court. I don’t care if I sound like a more traditional Norman Dale—I’ll take a guy who will lay out for a loose ball every time the ball is rolled out. It’s unselfishness, and it’s desire, and it’s just love of the freaking game. One might dismiss these as plays that anyone could make because they don’t necessarily require talent or skill, but that notion is absolute woolspit. Hustle is a skill.
Basketball people have a funny relationship with their sport, one that engenders ideas of respect and tradition and playing the right way. They’re all clichés. There’s no way to measure any one of them. But if you want to understand what the hell that stuff actually means, watch Varejao. You’ll get it.
14 Comments
Very nice I’m excited, based on exhibition games thus far, to see what Varejao can do under Blatt IF he can stay healthy. I think Varejao has an opportunity to put up some very nice numbers in addition to just rebounds. Playing right in the middle of the lane or around the elbows facilitating offense to all areas of the court.
I like how Blatt has rotated at the center spot as well. We’ve seen Varejao, Thompson and Haywood all start. I liked Haywood starting last night against Hibbert. He held his own well. I know both Varejao and Thompson were less then 100% but I’m hoping we see more of a match-up at center depending on the opponent.
I also like what I’ve seen from Kirk. It hasn’t been a lot but he shows promise IMO. He reminds me of a very raw and diluted Chris Kaman.
“The best part of the Anderson Varejao Experience is the ineffable boost that he provides, to teammates and fans alike. His energy and effort are so genuine, so authentic, so relentless, that it’s impossible not to get caught up in it. To hear the combination of excitement and appreciation that a Varejao Play elicits from a Quicken Loans Arena crowd is to hear the very best that sports have to offer the world: A team and a player, joined at the soul.”
[applause]
I’m surprised you got through this without discussing his rebounding skills more extensively. Andy isn’t just a good rebounder, he’s one of the elite rebounders in the NBA. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if his rebounding turns into many Varejao-Love-LeBron fast break dunks. Just on rebounds alone, he’s actually one of the most effective centers out there.
And his charge-taking is a fantastic way to play defense. So good, in fact, that I’m surprised at how few other players try it. If you block a shot and send it flying into the seats, the other team gets the ball back and you have to defend against an inbound play. If you take a charge, you get the ball, their guy gets a foul, their team gets a foul which helps put you in the bonus, and if they’re already in the bonus you get some free throws out of it.
Defensive positioning that’s what Bill Russell always said was key so that goes way back. It’s what Dennis Rodman excelled at over his career. It’s also why I never believed in the “rim protector” mantra that is becoming basketball’s new favorite term.
“And his charge-taking is a fantastic way to play defense. So good, in fact, that I’m surprised at how few other players try it.”
When was the last time you saw a charge on ESPN’s top plays?
How bout that Brady Quinn sighting in the 2009 ECF clip!?!? Man, I forgot how we all thought Brady was the future…
Also, this line slayed me: “In lieu of an actual offense, a great many possessions revolved around James-Varejao pick-and-rolls at the top of the key while Mike Brown fished through his pockets for Mr. Chicken stamp cards.”
The opposite they helped lead the way in eliminating it with all of the anti-flopping. Varejao was the poster boy for it.
The more I watch this team under Blatt the more I realize just how bad Mike Brown was and how that one single thing probably cost this organization more then anything. It also reminds me of just how intelligent LeBron James was even then at a much younger and immature way. He knew it. It’s one of the reasons he left. But the fans were to busy to notice because they wanted to place all of the blame on LBJ because he couldn’t carry them further.
I also seem to recall one of the knocks against LeBron at the time was that he ignored Mike Brown’s play calls. Looking back, it appears LeBron was just ahead of the curve on realizing how worthless Brown was in regards to the offense.
Danny Ferry always will share part of the blame to me. Passing up DeAndre Jordan and George Hill for JJ Hickson? Christian Eyenga? My distinct impression was that he had no idea how to evaluate potential talent for the organization.
What also needed to be addressed was the common Cavaliers “play” of “LeBron holds the ball at the top of the key for 15 seconds, then shoots a contested 3 over whoever is guarding him”. I don’t know if Brown let him do that, or whether LeBron started doing that because he didn’t think his teammates could do anything, or what, but that was to me the clear sign that we weren’t going to make it.
I will give kudos to Mike Brown for one thing though: I’m quite certain that he was one of the reasons LeBron is now as committed and effective a defender as he is.
Very true I’ve heard how LBJ is supposed to have a photographic memory when it comes to plays. When he looked at Brown’s he probably tried to forget.
Although last night I saw LBJ dominating the ball. I’m hoping it was just last night. He scored 26 in 24 minutes but I think he looked better in the previous exhibition games when he didn’t score. If that makes sense.
Great points I always hated the Hickson selection if there was ever a guy who clearly needed to stay in school it was Hickson. Then for the Cavaliers to draft him. They made it worse when they wouldn’t trade him.
As far as LBJ goes I’m sure it was a combination of things one being not trusting teammates. To be fair I watched some old games on NBA Network with Hardwood Classics and to see the teams LBJ was saddled with made me cringe. It wasn’t until that last year or two where I would say he had much to play alongside. By then it was old, it had taken it’s toll.
I don’t know if I give Brown credit for LBJ’s defense I think it was more maturing then anything and will, desire. But Brown could teach defense so I’m sure it helped. I like Mike Brown don’t get me wrong he is a great person he’s just not a head coach. He would make a great assistant however the fact that he isn’t one makes me wonder. Of course he’s still getting paid so it’s not like he needs the money.
I think one reason that big men may be reluctant to take charges is because it increases their odds of getting hurt. The knee-knock in the preseason that Will talked about isn’t a rare occurrence for Andy. It’s happened several times in his years with the Cavs and has caused him to miss games. That’s not to say that you can’t also get injured going for blocks, but I’m just finding a reason why centers and power forwards may not want to take charges.
I had no idea who Eyenga was, but I loved the Hickson pick at the time. He was this big-bodied, super-active power forward who supposedly had a decent jump shot that would improve with time. The problem was that his jump shot never did come around and he seemingly didn’t have a very good basketball IQ. The latter was something Ferry could have known prior to drafting, but the jump shot is a mystery.