Evaluating Game 4

Let me jump things off by reviewing my long time keys for the series:

1. Miami, unlike any previous Mavs postseason opponent, as the pieces to make the paint a no-man’s zone and take a way a crucial aspect of Dirk’s new game.  


2. No one single player can guard Dirk, Wade, or Shaq in this series.


3. Miami has to keep Walker on a leash or on the bench.


4. Dallas needs its secondary players (Terry, Stackhouse, Howard) to be aggressive against Miami’s poor perimeter defense, either by attacking or with outside shooting.

Last night, the Mavs got handled.  Pure and simple.  What I saw:
Miami playing to its full potential on defense, creaming anyone trying to establish an inside game, and maintaining its intensity for 48 minutes instead of 15.  
Shaq and Zo finally dominating the center position, totalling 21 points (70% shooting), 19 boards, and 5 swats.
Walker chilling out, hoisting only 11 shots instead of the 17+ he had been averaging in the series.  Williams kept his shots to 5.  
A continuation of game 3’s final 7 minutes for Dirk and company.  Like I said before, the Mavs completely take their mental and emotional lead from Dirk.  When he’s got swagger and a wagging tongue, they all light up.  When he’s flummoxed, they all look like they need to change their contacts.  That was just a horrific shooting display last night, with the Dallas big four putting up a combined 17-58 (29%).  

Looking ahead to Sunday…wait, stop.  Let me get this off my chest first.  Major bone to pick with ABC and the NBA’s willingness to go along.  First, there’s no need for a two day lay off during the middle three games of the Finals.  There’s no travel, and if anything, it gives an additional edge to the team without homecourt, letting them cool their jets at home longer than they have to be on the road in the series.  I say, make one of those three games a back-to-back.  Let’s see a champion show some fortitude.  Second, the late starts are completely out of hand.  All seven games in this series in this series are slated for 9:20 pm ET tips?  Even the ones in Miami and the two Sunday games?  Are you serious?  Last I checked, the Suns weren’t in this Finals.  Consider things from this angle: how many Florida kids are being shut out of watching their home team because ABC is catering to the west coast viewers in this way?  It’s pathetic and upsetting.  I’m pretty the 15 people in L.A. that are even aware that the NBA season extended past the Lakers’ would be okay tuning into the second half of games after work (6 PT, 9 ET).  That would give us 7:30 tips on the East, and I’d even be cool with them tipping at 8.  No big deal.  The late night Sunday starts are particularly galling as well, though.  Boo, ABC, boo.

Anyway, what to look for in the now best of 3 series.  

1. History is pretty definitive that whomever breaks a 2-2 tie has almost certainly locked the series (right around 85%, if I recall correctly).


2. I doubt we’ll see all 4 Mavs ground out like that again.  Howard hasn’t broken through yet, and Nowitzki’s been up and down, but Stackhouse and Terry aren’t going to go long before their next tear.  That was a bad night for them more than a Heat defense snuffing them out.


3. That was the first night that the Heat played with energy all the way through.  They might be able to repeat it at home with the two days off, but I’d keep a close eye on their gas tank.


4. If Stackhouse gets suspended, it would be unfortunate as it was maybe a tenth of what Shaq normally gets each night.  It simply looked bad because he was airborne and carries the momentum of a runaway train.


5. My guess?  Dirk brings the Mavs’ offense back to take the next two games and close things out.  I would look for this Miami team to get a little high on itself, especially the secondary players.  Bare in mind, we still have not seen a game where the Mavs have run on all cylinders.  If they break loose, it’s finished.

Gossip Mongering

Just passing along a few things, which may or not shape the world in the upcoming weeks.  Rumors are always tricky, since you have the following possibilities:
It’s true, it’s serious, and it’s going to happen
It’s true, it’s serious, but things might change
It’s true, but it’s not something that’s serious
It’s false
So odds favor nothing coming of these things.  Too bad Peter Vescey never figured that out.  Still beats Sam Smith, who just wastes his Chicago Tribune readers’ time by playing GM on his playstation and writing about all the make-believe trades that excite him.  

Still, where there’s smoke, there’s a player on the trading block.  If the same name keeps coming up over time, it tells you that there may be something to the talk.  Gary Payton’s last two or three years as a Sonic were rife with trade speculation.  While I know they are adamantly opposed to doing so now, I would think the Wolves will start listening to KG offers within a year’s time.  

Without further ado, here’s the chit-chat I find most credible:
The Knicks circus isn’t about Brown-Thomas so much as it is owner James Dolan vs. Larry Brown.  Dolan is the one that feels most undermined by Brown throwing players under the bus and whining to the media.  It’s almost a certainty that Thomas will take over, and since there will be no need to interview coaches, Dolan is leaving Brown to twist in the wind.  Consider: Thomas can take over at any time, seamlessly, so Dolan can wait for other franchises to shore up their coaches and ensure that there’s no job waiting in the wings for Brown.  It would take nothing short of a miracle for Brown to quit and leave $40 million on the table, but this way he can’t take Knick money while making some other team look good.

Toronto probably has not made up their mind with the number one pick in the draft.  The players that fit their backcourt needs (Roy, Williams) would be a reach at #1, but nobody’s breaking the bank to trade up with them either.  In this draft, there’s only marginal difference in value in the top 6 picks.  The Raptors seem to have Bargnani penciled in, but would love it if Portland made them a nice offer to swap picks.

Portland (this ties into the above) and Charlotte seem to really like Adam Morrison.  The only thing that seems to hurt him as he visits teams is his diabetes, which has spooked a few clubs.  He’s made up for it by looking brilliant in workouts and even impressing GMs by not placing conditions (I won’t scrimmage against rival players, etc).

The Lakers and Phil Jackson are said to have a major love affair with Brandon Roy, my way too early pick for rookie of the year (it’s only fitting that he be R.O.Y.), with Jackson seeing him as a Ron Harper type.  This is said to be the real reason why Chicago has been surprising people with rumblings that they’d take him at #2, despite their strong 3-man guard rotation.  It’s been suggested that there may be a draft day deal involving (who else?) Lamar Odom.  That sounds like a hefty price, but bare in mind that Chicago is under the cap and could take his $12.5 million 06/07 salary in return for a trade exemption.  That would give L.A. Roy, end the Odom experiment, and give them the ability to trade for a big salary forward (Carlos Boozer?) to help build up their team.      

People are also scratching their heads in the wake of Shelden Williams’ pronouncement that he’s been promised to go in the top 5 by some unnamed team.  That team has been backtracked to Atlanta.  Kudos for them not going after Rudy Gay and having the bravery to end their search for more underdeveloped 6-8 small forwards to stack the roster with.  Shelden is ready to play, though he’s unlikely to be much of a scorer.  

It’s sounding more and more like the Pacers might blow up their team, with Jermaine O’Neal’s name surfacing in multiple trade rumors.  It’s still my bet that Peja has his sights set on a different city, and Stephen Jackson could be had for lunch at Subway.  This is another team that may make a draft day deal.

Off the NBA beat, the baseball scandal centering around Grimsley’s as of yet unleaked finger pointing may become an even bigger deal once the names are known.  Dan Patrick claims to have been told some of the names, and that “two will shock you, and one will surprise you.”  Add this with talk that Chris Mihlfeld is a central figure in this along the lines of Gary Anderson (Bond’s trainer).   Mihlfeld is said to be a major source of the steroids, amphetamines, and rock candy that players were dipping into…and he’s also been Albert Pujols’ personal trainer since before he was drafted.  Refer again to my opening disclaimer – I’m not going to say that this is 100% ironclad and FDA approved.  However, I’ve ALWAYS hated the Pujols-defenders’ arguments that he didn’t morph from skinny to huge like McGwire and Bonds.  The man was drafted in ’99, right in the thick of the juicey-juicey era.  You think he couldn’t use in high school?  In the minors?  He doesn’t pass my sniff test - the guy is abnormally huge.  When you could hop in the ring and blend in next to the Rock and Stone Cold, I have questions.  Again though, it’s not like I have any of his used needles with me.

Evaluating Game 3

Thank goodness.  I sat through 3 quarters of last night’s game in a slight funk because of this write up.  What the heck was I going to say?  The Heat kept on doing the same moronic things that had plagued them so far and were a colossal train wreck.  My game 2 evaluation was all but the same as my Game 1, and about all I could mention new was that the Heat finally used a repost with Shaq a couple of times (each time ringing up Diesel points).  Other than that, all I had was a joke about Antoine Walker being forcibly committed to Chuckers Anonymous 20 minutes after the game ended.  

Then the Heat came back.  FANTASTIC!  I have something to write about!  Here’s my take on how Miami finally pulled a 180:

1. Antoine Walker got yanked.  Riley may have finally figured out how he took away 3 points (on defense or through terrible shot selection) for every one basket he made and pulled him in favor of Posey, allowing…


2. Dwayne Wade tearing up Dallas.  Dallas has no single defender that can contain Wade, period, and they made a horrible mistake of relaxing their strong help defense.  Wade found a rhythm and lanes to slash through, once again looking like the terror he was all season.


3. Déjà vu; namely, Dirk completely re-living his 4th quarter from game 6 of the Spurs series.  Everything was the same – the swagger evaporated, his face became as blank as paper, and he disappeared, taking the team’s moxy with him.  A look at his 4th quarter:

Missed close-range jumper
Makes a layup
Makes a jumper
Makes a layup (8-minute mark, enter the clutch stretch)
(Wade catches fire)
Misses 18-footer (4-minute mark)
Offensive foul
Turnover
Loose ball foul (3-minute mark)
Hits 2 free throws (next possession)
(Miami takes lead)
NOTHING from Dirk until the final 3 seconds, when he misses the critical free throw  

When the game turned, Dirk went poof.  No two ways about it.  Now again, this is almost exactly the same way Dallas choked away a similar lead and lost to the Spurs in game 6, and Dirk responded in a very big way to put away the series.  I would have to think that he could do so again, seeing as he started to get into a comfort zone in the first three quarters last night.  Watch for him to perhaps ring up his first 30- or 40-point night of the series when it resumes.  

Can the Heat build on this?  Well, Dwayne Wade certainly looked sharper than he has since suffering a flu and may have renewed confidence in his ability to tear apart Dallas’ defense.  If Riley keeps Walker off the court and spares the team the head-shaking 13 misses a game he’s been averaging, the Heat can better focus on their two real scoring options.  More re-posting with Shaq in the early quarters still needs to take place, as he simply runs out of gas in the second, fumbling away half the entry passes that reach him.  In the end, however, I don’t think it well happen.  This team is now falling victim to the flaws of its make-up: a cast of role players that were almost all once main guys on offense.  Among Payton, Williams, Walker, and Mourning, none show the same enthusiasm, grit, and willingness to bleed on the court that the Mavericks do.  Only Haslem comes close.  If James Posey was still his do-everything Denver self, he’d be a match for Josh Howard, but he pawned off his heart during his Memphis stay (coincidentally, this was when he befriended Bonzi Wells).  Pat Riley is going to have to continue choking on the dry bread he put on Miami’s plate.

Oil Slick Ahead

Well, summer’s here; time to start planning those road trips!  Oh wait, that was 5 years ago.  Can’t do that anymore.  Not in an age of $3-plus gas prices.  Whatever it cost you at the turn of the century to head out to a different coast, it’s double now.  I used to joke that taking I-95 up to New York was a trip that had to be put on lay-a-way because of the Delaware and Jersey tolls.  It’s not as funny anymore.  

Oil is a topic on everyone’s mind these days, and to be honest, it’s about high time.  It’s shocking to me how many people I talk to are in disbelief when I say that the prices are never coming down.  Of course, this is the same country that decided that Hummers were the way to go when faced with rising gas prices.  Unfortunately, this means we’re all being set up for a massively rude awakening in the coming years.  

Hubbert’s Peak
Hubbert’s Peak, or the Oil Peak, is the accepted theory that points to eventual depletion of oil as a natural resource.  Fossil fuels are relatively non-replenishable and extraction is related to natural supply.  Basically speaking, it’s easier to scoop peanut butter out of a full jar than when you are forced to scrape the sides for the last bit.  As oil fields begin to deplete, it will be come more energetically expensive (lower energy yield) to retrieve it, and prices will go up.  The Oil Peak itself refers to the point that oil production begins to decline, and it has been argued whether this point has already occurred.  I, for one, strongly believe that it has.  

Are We Out of Oil?
There are still many major untapped reserves of oil in the world, including the deep ocean, Eastern Russia, and Northern Canada.  Unfortunately, these reserves are not readily accessible and the financial and energy costs to retrieve would represent a net loss at this point in time.  Future drilling technologies may make them a viable option.
The oilfields in the protected Alaskan Wildlife Refuge have sparked controversy for some time, with some pointing to them as a way of reducing dependence on foreign oil supply.  While this may be true, it’s highly unlikely that this supply is great enough to significantly solve our supply woes for any length of time.  

So I Should Get a Hybrid, Then?
Color me skeptical when it comes to hybrids, at the moment.  While the gas mileage is better, all of the car’s power is still generated from gasoline.  It’s just much more efficient about it, primarily by reducing the amount of gas burned for accelerations.  You won’t save an awful lot of money, given the approximate $10, 000 premium that most hybrids sell for versus their conventional counterparts.  Today, all hybrid repairs have to be done by dealers (and they don’t exactly spare you much on the bill) and replacement batteries will cost you as much as three thousand dollars.  The pessimist in me is also wary that no one can say how well a hybrid holds up after six years.  Yes, a hybrid is much better for the environment, and one major way of conserving, but don’t expect any real financial relief.

So Should I Hold Out for My 2010 Toyota Hydrogen Car?
Many are holding out hope that Hydrogen Fuel Cells will be the alternative fuel of the future.  Shell already has a Hydrogen fuel gas station, and many manufacturers (BMW, Mazda, GM) have prototype engines for development.  The plus: pollution free energy that can produce nearly equivalent horsepower to today’s cars.  The minus: it takes as much energy to isolate hydrogen as you get from it’s combination with oxygen.  In short, HFCs are at best a battery.  Dedicated power plants would most likely be required to generate pure hydrogen for use.  Additionally, storing the hydrogen is problematic since gas is more expansive than liquid fuel (requiring bigger tanks or compression technology) and any exposure to air would be incredibly hazardous.  It could be like living in Knight Rider – any car wreck would result in an explosion.  Hydrogen Fuel Cells aren’t inconceivable, but there are numerous obstacles that still need to be overcome.  

So if Power Plants Help Make HFC Cars a Reality, Are We in the Clear?
Not exactly.  Cars and Oil are the most immediate connection, since 70% of petroleum use goes to transportation and 97% of the fuel used in transportation is petroleum.  However, fossil fuels as a broad group (petroleum, natural gas, coal, etc) represent over 85% of our energy supply.  Heating, cooling, electricity.  All fossil fuels are subject to peaks and depletion as mentioned above, and we’re draining the world of them in a fairly consistent manner to oil.  Point?  We’ve got to start shifting from our nearly-complete dependence on fossil fuels before it has to happen the hard way.  

We Hippies Are Happy to Hear that You Agree Green Energy is the Way to Go
Yes and no.  First off, don’t think I’m not still sending you all to Northern Canada when I take office.  I haven’t forgotten about that incident at the Bela Fleck show.  And as far as the renewable energy sources…
There is serious doubt from this corner that renewables (wind, solar, hydropower, ethanol) can meet current energy demands.  Almost all seem to be far better suited as power supplements rather than sources.  Also, these green sources have been shown to be less environmentally friendly than historically viewed.  To generate the levels of power consumed today, large amounts of land would have to be built on for the number of wind turrents required, and there has even been some concern raised that with a large enough number of turrents, world currents would be affected.  Solar panels are still expensive to build and maintain, though they continue to lower in price as the technology develops.  Dams have a profound impact on the surrounding environment and habitats.  

So What’s Your Master Plan Then, “Future Prime Minister?”
Nuclear power.  

Okay, Well, So Much For Reading This.  
No, no, stick with me for a second.  The nuclear field has had as bad an image as any new technology, even worse than genetic engineering, but a lot of that is bunk and solely public perception.  For example, an MRI exposes you to no ionizing radiation while a CT scan (or, to a lesser degree, a planar X-Ray) delivers relatively high amounts.  However, people were initially reluctant to have MRIs done because of their original name: NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance).  Following the name change, everyone’s happy to have one.  
3-Mile Island is still a buzzword on par with Chernobyl, but lost in the paranoia is that (a) Chernobyl was a power plant disaster because of the combination of a terribly unsafe design and negligent operators, (b) 3-Mile was a horrific disaster only from a PR standpoint: no deaths, no radiation fall out, a contained meltdown that was brought under control.  Raise your hand if you already knew that.

I Don’t Know That I Buy It, but Go On…
Thanks!  Today, we get less than 7% of our power supply from nuclear power plants.  Coal fuels half of the energy we use (non-transportation).  Worried about the environmental impact of nuclear plants?  Coal plants are established polluters in a major way while nuclear plants vent…water vapor.  Worried about worker safety in nuclear plants after watching Homer on television?  Stop and consider the number of coal mining-related deaths that have occurred in recent history.  What about the toxic, glowing, neon green ooze being dumped into rivers?  Well, there you’re thinking about chemical waste, not nuclear.   Nuclear waste is typically sold materials such as depleted uranium and is buried underground, usually with concrete, as the radioactivity fades over time.  To be blunt, nuclear waste is handled and disposed of far more efficiently and safely than most any other kind of waste on the planet.  

Advanced Reactors
Today, light water fission reactors using uranium-235 (slow/thermal neutron reactors) are the most commonly used.  Light water indicates standard H20 as opposed to heavy water’s deuterium (isotope of hydrogen with a neutron).  These reactors are popular because they do not require extensive enrichment of uranium.  Ur-235, however, makes up less than 1% of naturally occurring uranium, and is a wasteful fuel source.  In fact, Ur-235 likely does not exist in sufficient quantities to serve as a valid long-term global source of energy.  
Fast reactors produce less waste by more efficiently generating energy in a fissle chain reaction, but require highly enriched uranium or plutonium (Pu-239, generated by fusing a neutron to Ur-238).  There is plenty of fission source material to last for thousands of years, and the prospect of deep sea deposition of waste would further improve the low environmental impact of this energy field.  

Holy Grail
Fusion reactors are the ultimate prize in energy production – self-sustaining, non-polluting energy modeled after the sun.  Unfortunately, we are still extremely far off from realizing it as an option.  A couple of early-generation reactors have been built in Europe and show some promise, but it will be some time before this technology is honed and accepted.  
  
So Where Are You Going With All This???
The answer to the world’s future energy supply question will need to be as complex as the problem.  Clearly, the immediate concern is in oil and natural gas reserves.  Calm me crazy, but I would caution against trusting OPEC in regards to the state of supply.  I believe there is less than we are led to believe (world oil production has plateaued) and when we get a handle on how much is truly left, it will be uncomfortably late in the game.  

-The U.S. is fortunate in that it sits on a quarter of the world’s coal reserves.  That will help provide a stabilizing crutch as we transition away from oil.  Expanding our use through more coal-based power plants would be unwise, however, due to the heavy production of air pollution.

-Green renewables, especially solar panels, would help keep energy bills down for individuals and businesses.  Roof-mounted solar panels supplement energy needs and are non-intrusive.  

-Diesel and Jet fuel are the petroleum products most necessary in our economy, supplying fuel for shipping (air, truck).  Those guzzling gas in dense urban areas behind the wheel of an SUV are most wasteful of the diminishing petro-supplies.  The country is beginning to shift away from its obsession with monster trucks, but I would suggest a pseudo-luxury tax on any vehicle that gets less than 20 mpg (city), an additional tax on any that gets less than 10 mpg, and a new 3% tax on gasoline (non-diesel) in major metropolitan areas (i.e., mass transit available) that would go to funding local mass transit as well as nationally subsidizing diesel and jet fuel.  Pinch hurting?  Carpool.  Use mass transit.  Get over your single-person Tahoe commutes.  Me?  I bike to work.  Over 8 miles each way.  Maybe that’s not a viable option for you, but there is an option out there that you’re choosing not to employ.

-Build new Nuclear plants.  Easy to see that one coming, I know.  There are advanced new designs out there, generation 3 boiling water reactors.  There’s major room to improve the efficiency and safety, and this is already a highly underutilized source of power.  Yes, we’re still spooked by the name, but China, Japan, and India are hot on the field, realizing its energy potential.  I propose we stay ahead of the curve while we still can.

-Push for Hydrogen Fuel Cell car technology, with the hydrogen production powered by dedicated nuclear plants.  Give my hydrogen gas tank an extra layer of titanium, if you could.

Yes, the future can be frightening, but no, we’re not careening into a Mad Max apocalypse.  This country built itself on innovation, and I expect that innovation to power the next major world economical revolution.      

Evaluating Game 2

What the Heat did well:
Maintained a strong defensive scheme that focused on zone coverage and a collapsing defense against penetrators that continued to make life difficult for Dirk and Josh Howard.  Focused a little more on Jason Terry.  Jerry Stackhouse was the only scoring threat that managed to hit over half of his shots.  

How the Heat failed:
Doing everything that was wrong in game 1, but worse.
Allowed Walker and Williams to again abandon the gameplan and go into a trigger-happy mindset.  Pat Riley and Shaq were ruthlessly critical of Stan Van Gundy last year for abandoning the post in their Eastern Finals loss to the Pistons.  Imagine what Riles would have done to Stan if Shaq had a 5 point, 6 rebound game.  Ultimately, it falls on the coach’s feet if players go off on their own agendas.  Yes, Shaq should kick it out if he’s swarmed by defenders.  No, that does not license the perimeter players to gun away.  Reposting is a technique that any team with a dominant big man must employ.  Wait for the help defense to leave, and then pound it right back inside.  It could not be clearer that the Heat, and especially Walker, are acting like weak-willed dieters passing by a McDonald’s.  Walker and his volume shooting need to be benched.
Dwayne Wade is looking more and more like Steve Francis each passing game.  The laughable Michael Jordan comparisons have stopped cold for good reason.  Specifically, through two games:
1.16 points per shot1, down from a 1.44 regular season average
4.9 shots per assist, way up from his 2.8 regular season average
1.00 assist/turnover ratio2, well below his 1.88 regular season average
What does that tell me?  Wade is acting less like a playmaker and creator and more like a Kobe Bryant without a jumper.  He’s passing less, shooting more, but is actually scoring a less.  He’s wasting possessions.
Altogether, the Heat are acting like anything but a team.  They are trying to win out on individual talent and refuse to work together on offense.  This team reminds me of the parable of hell: everyone seated at a great feast, everyone starving, but no one able to eat because their forks are far too long.  All they needed to do was feed one another, but they never would become part of a larger whole.  Shaq has talked a lot about his legacy; will this open talk about his two other embarrassments in the Championship round instead?


What the Mavs need to fix:
When you’re up two games?  Not an awful lot.  Still, Nowitzki still has not found the comfort zone he enjoyed in the first 3 rounds, still having trouble attacking inside against Miami’s collapsing frontcourt.  At the same time, he’s been able to get to the line and be a factor there.  As long as Miami stays in a zone, he may be best served as a 20-foot sniper if he starts to struggle.
Josh Howard still isn’t picking his spots as well as he could, but he’s maintaining his aggressiveness and finding that outside shooting will come easily against this defense.  

Why the Mavs won:
Effectively using a zone to tempt loose cannons like Walker from sticking with Shaq.  Shaq managed only 12 attempts in game 1, now it’s down to 5.  Wade, Walker, and Williams let loose for a coach-killing 17-45 shooting performance.  
A flexible, unselfish offense that fells out the defense and rides the hot hand of the night; in Game 1 it was Terry and in game 2 it was Stackhouse.  Once again, Miami is struggling to contain perimeter players, and Dallas is eagerly exploiting it.
Taking advantage of the available outside shot.  To hold back Dirk, Miami is leaning on a collapsing zone but they simply don’t have the quickness or focus to rotate on outside shooters.  Dallas may not have any Dell Currys in their pocket, but wide open jumpers aren’t too difficult for them to hit.  Howard, Stackhouse, and Van Horn hit a combined 7-10 from beyond the arc.


Looking forward:
The number one thing the Heat must do in the next game is re-emphasize Shaquille O’Neal in their offense.  Shaq likewise has to play with enough energy to merit that gameplan.  Dallas is simply not equipped to stop him or Wade with regularity, but when Walker starts firing recklessly it gives them a free pass.
The NBA’s 2-3-2 format makes it extremely difficult for the team with homecourt to maintain momentum, however, Miami’s falling apart at the seams and needs more than a shot of enthusiasm at this point.
The ultimate question is, can Riley nail down the collection of individuals on his roster and get them on the same page?  Dallas has really unified as a team, the common denominator among all championship teams.  If Miami continues to try and win with players pulling in multiple directions, they may not be coming back to Texas.

1measure of shooting efficiency, with a 1.5 or higher being excellent, a 1.25 being good, and a 1.0 being poor  
2best benchmark for effective playmaking and handling, with a 2.5 or higher being excellent, a 1.7 being good, and below a 1.0 being poor.