Agreed. So let’s stop calling him one. He is a consummate competitor who tenaciously gives his best.
Some nights it won’t go in his favor, depending on the matchups.
Xavier primarily guarded NPOY Jalen Brunson in the national championship game. Brunson had an 80 offensive rating in that game when he averaged 128.5 on the year.
Understating Xavier’s defensive abilities is a weird hill to die on.
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These are the guys for whom Simpson was primarily responsible who were 15% or more lower on an efficiency standpoint from January on:
Bohannon (twice)
Frazier (almost 40% lower)
Carsen Edwards (twice, once almost 25% lower, the other time almost 40% lower)
McIntosh (almost 30% lower)
Davison
C.J. Jackson (over 60% lower)
Winston (twice)
Rohrie
Gray
Starks (almost 60% lower)
Walker (over 60% lower)
Brunson (over 35% lower)
In addition, Cowen (once), Sanders, Watson (once) and Custer were well below their efficiency numbers against Simpson, though not at the 15% or more level.
That’s 19 games out of 26. Are you suggesting that all of these guys were the same match-up or that they’re all similar players?
There were 7 games where opposing PGs went above their efficiency ratings against Simpson. 5 were single games against Bohannon, Edwards, Cowen, Watson and McIntosh, whom he shut down on other occasions, so those couldn’t have been match-up driven. That leaves 2 match-up where an opposing PG got the better of Simpson on an efficiency basis in the only game they played–Carr (112.0 overall, 117.6 against Simpson) and Mason (111.4 overall, 121.7 against Simpson). Those 2 aren’t remotely the same player.
The numbers just don’t bear this theory out.
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Good work. What percentage do you assign to Simpson individually and the fact that Michigan’s overall team defense was its best in history?
A better question would be, how much of the fact that Michigan had an excellent team defense do you credit to Simpson being an excellent defensive player?
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Some to each. Clearly, the abilities of Matthews and MAAR on the defensive end, Teske when he was in, and even Duncan Robinson in help (hard to believe I’m saying that) were a real factor. It’s not all of it though, and I don’t think it’s most of it (though that is, as you say, really difficult to measure).
I can say this–last year, we were the best defensive team I have seen in my way too many years of watching Michigan basketball. The only teams which were close were the '76 team with Waymon Britt, Ricky Green and Steve Grote, the '85 team with Grant at PG and a shot-blocker in Tarpley, and the ''93 team (year 2 of the Fab Five). Each of those teams had considerably more overall talent than last year’s team, and each had less holes defensively than last year’s team did (nobody in '76, Joubert in '85, maybe Jalen in '93 vis-a-vis Wagner and Robinson as a straight up defender last year). It has to have been more than just the team and help. My eyes (and the stats I’ve cited) tell me Simpson is a great one-on-one defender, though like all defenders, he has bad games, and he certainly is small enough to have some issues with a guy like Tony Carr. Maybe I’m wrong. I hope not–we’re going to be reliant on him for the next 2 seasons.
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You said earlier that the only way to look at true individual defense was breaking it down play by play. Since you seem really steadfast on Simpson being overrated despite opposing PG stats I’m assuming you’ve done this? What games are you going off of and do you have a link with timeslots showing examples of how the team as a whole rather than Simpson was responsible for his opponents being shut down?
I’m not sure why Simpson potentially struggling to “Lock Down” more physically gifted scorers is really that controversial. He’s limited athletically.
I’m just glad to know that we won’t have to worry about that this upcoming season. Go Blue.
This post should be the end of the conversation.
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I’m just thankful we have actual basketball games to watch starting on Friday 
Everyone is going a bit stir crazy after a long offseason.
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You may be able to shoot over Simpson but no one bulldozes their way through him. Kid is absolutely jacked and ridiculously strong. Also simpson is actually Uber athletic , last year his vertical tested at 42 inches.
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Hahaha, I know you realize that won’t save us - this group spent four months arguing about Andrew Dakich during last year.
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I’d like to quibble over the characterization of the shot as “insanely” lucky. Was it probable? Of course not. However:
and
“the play had been practiced numerous times before it was executed”
How does the quote go…“luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”? You’re selling Beilein and Poole short by calling it “insanely” lucky.
I like to think that I am Jordan Poole’s biggest fan. The dude was born to hit that shot and I’m well familiar with his high school buzzer beaters haha. But run that play 100 times, he hits the shot with that exact coverage maybe 5 times? I don’t think it’s wrong to say that was a well-orchestrated late clock situation play by a hall of fame coach, a talented player doing what he does best, and also insanely lucky.
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I really loved last year’s team. They were a very good team. They were also very lucky in the post season. The stars just aligned. I was happy to be along for the ride.
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Don’t forget about Devin Davis missing the free throw… Most teams that make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament get lucky somewhere along the way whether it is another team getting upset or a big break in a game.
There aren’t many Villanovas.
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For anybody who wants to re-witness “the strength of street knowledge” (aka “getting a little lucky”) please take a look at the best video ever made: “The ecstasy of Maize: Poole party”.
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To be fair Michigan missed a tap in and two pretty easy layups on the previous possessions. We shouldn’t have been in that situation.
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If we make that tap in, maybe Houston holds for the last shot and makes it
You are talking to a guy who is convinved Iggy is going to be average. Why do you take him seriously?