My plan was to wait a few more games and run the "Batman without his Robin" numbers but then I slapped my face into my palm and remembered....we already have those numbers!
And they aren't good....
Without Robin as his side-kick, Amare will have to shoulder a LOT of additional crime fighting responsibilities. Check it*
- Amare is taking 2.2 more shots per game and scoring 4.4 more points game with his partner in destruction
- The Dark Knight's FG% actually dropped by 2.1% but the cause is interesting and not Robin-related. His eFG% at the rim actually increased from a steady mid-60's through February to mid-70's in March. The big decline came from the 10-15ft with an eFG% drop from mid 50's to low 30's from mid-range
- Amare's rebounding jumped .6 per game with ALL of that coming on the offensive glass
- The Suns as a team increased a net 5.4 points per 100 possessions with Robin as a starter
- The team rebounding went from -4.8 in Offensive Rebounding Rate to a plus 2.7 which is a swing of 7.5
So yeah...without Robin, this Batman is going to struggle to make up the difference. The paint will be without its Enforcer. The boards will be a crap shoot when playing bigger teams. Even the offense will struggle more and be more dependent on perimeter shooting.
I am absolutely convinced that having Robin Lopez in the starting line-up and playing at a high level is a HUGE reason why the team turned around. Without him, it will be difficult to get out of the first round of the playoffs.
GET WELL SOON, ROBIN! The Justice League Needs You!
* Data provided by HoopData.com and Basketball-reference.com