From the Vault: A Complex Relationship

Anyone who lived through the Allen Iverson-Larry Brown rendezvous in Philly will appreciate this brilliant piece, written during the 2001 season, from the Sports Illustrated vault.

Iverson was one Matt Geiger trade-waver option away from being a Piston in the summer of ’00 after three very frustrating (yet successful) seasons fighting Brown’s views with his own. AI went from being “Me, myself and Iverson” (Barkley’s words, not mine) as a rookie, to a guy who dished out 16 assists in a Game 7 against the Raptors in ’01, en route to leading his gallant Sixers to the Finals.

Despite 2001 officially being the year where Iverson won over the general public with his play-like-there’s-no-tomorrow attitude, it was his part in mending the bridge with Brown that was what the year came to symbolize. From his “Where’s my coach?” speech after the ’01 All-Star Game, to helping Brown, a coaching vagabond of extreme proportions, reach his first NBA Finals, to claiming his only MVP trophy while leading Philly as far as they’ve gone in the last 25 years, 2001 was the zenith of the Iverson era.

And both men endured darn-near unspeakable hardships growing up (as detailed in the SI piece), which made them more in common than appeared.

Brown, long before he became the coach of what feels like 78 teams, was a point guard (in the ABA), the position Iverson was drafted to fill in Philadelphia. Brown was taught the game by Dean Smith, who was taught by Phog Allen, who was taught by James Naismith – so he had a hoops pedigree unmatched. Iverson, on the other hand, represented a new NBA – the tattoos, the rows, the attitude. But as harsh as his critics were at the time, the oft-overlooked aspect of his game – the fact that no one played harder – was right below the surface.

So for all the differences in their lives, and their basketball lives, in that one year they co-existed. With historic results. As this story indicates, their’s was a special relationship; sometimes hate-filled, sometimes drastically the opposite, but with never a dull moment. With Brown, since this story first went to print, having coached three teams in the interim, and with Iverson nearing the end of his career as a Nugget, it’s fascinating to look back.

Retro: Fat Lever

In this photo are two of the best four guards on the planet, as of the first Sunday in February, 1988. The guy with the ball, well, that's You Know Who. The guy guarding him? Fat Lever. The only guy in the last 30 years (Magic and Bird included) who has a career high of at least 20 points, 20 boards, and 20 assists. One of three players (Wilt and Kidd being the others) in NBA history to have a 15/15/15 playoff game. The smallest player - at 6-3 - to ever lead his team in points, boards, and assists (for the '90 Nuggets). The guy who once hung a 31-16-12 line on Mike in Chicago, this during the '88 season, Jordan's first MVP year. A player who was unfortunately hurt in the '85 and '88 playoffs, on the two best teams he ever played on. You now know who Fat Lever is.

PG Evaluations: Atlanta

Over the summer, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment

KEY NUMBER: 30 - The age of Mike Bibby. On a team loaded with young guns (Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford), Bibby seems oddly out of place in Atlanta. He played like it too. Sure, he provides stability – and credibility – at the point in the two months he was in Atlanta after the trade from Sacramento, but his 41% field-goal shooting, ill-timed comments (see below), and generally ordinary play left a lot to be desired.

THE GOOD STUFF: Bibby gets a full year in Atlanta. Don’t underestimate the difficulty not only for the individual, but also the team, when you throw a new PG out there mid-season. But Bibby’s good, and really, if we’re all honest with ourselves, a lot of his ball-handling responsibility is brushed off onto the versatile Joe Johnson, saving Bibby’s legs with hopes he can unleash his oft-pretty but surprisingly-missing-of-late jumper. His health is better of late too; he missed a large chunk of the first half of last season, which was odd for a guy who had missed more than two games in a season just once in the prior nine seasons.

THE BAD STUFF: “Bandwagon fans.” That’s what Bibby called Celtics fans prior to the opening-round series with Boston. Of course, he responded to the booing and taunting by shooting 7-28 FG (including 1-3 in Game 7) in the four games at Boston, all while being thoroughly outplayed by Rajon Rondo. The lesson: Isn’t it obvious?

THE BACK-UP: Acie Law. Had a roller-coaster rookie year if there ever was one. Started out the season, almost by default, as the team’s starting PG. Then missed a good portion of both Nov. and Dec. with various ailments, came back, played patchy ball, very inconsistent, missed more time in February, then came back again, but by that time Bibby was firmly entrenched with the bulk of the minutes. Did have an 11-point game in the playoffs, albeit in a blowout Game 2 loss in Boston. Let’s give the kid a break - he’s 23 with hopefully plenty ahead.

EVALUATION: The days of Mike Bibby, circa ’02, hitting your clutch shots and consistently getting 18-20 are gone - that’s not his role in Atlanta. But if he can make open shots, shoot above 45% (which he has done before), have some semblance of a positive effect on Law, then Atlanta’s decision to trade for him will be a good one. Expect a better year from Bibby with a full season under him.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

PG Evaluations: New Jersey

Over the summer, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment

KEY NUMBER: 15.4 – Points-per-game by mid-season acquisition Devin Harris as a Net, the same guy who never averaged more than 10 per in three-and-a-bit seasons for Dallas. Of course, his role is different in NJ, but for the Nets to turn an ageing Jason Kidd into an improving 24-year old is definitely a good thing.

THE GOOD STUFF: As stated, Harris came in the Kidd deal just after the All-Star break, played in 25 games, immediately took the reigns of a gutted team (who had lost one of the two most influential players in franchise history; Dr J being the other), and played admirably. He scored 20 or more seven times over the final six weeks of the season, this after having just eight all season long in Dallas. Why is this important? With Richard Jefferson gone, Harris, despite being the PG, will be relied on to score more in 2009.

THE BAD STUFF: Well, he is Devin Harris. Let’s not get too carried away here. He’s not on the Paul-Nash-Williams, or even Kidd, level. He has the tendency to be, at times, over-confident, which isn’t a bad thing when you have Dirk Nowitzki behind you, but in New Jersey? He was a much-improved shooter last year, but defenses may forever have the Let this guy shoot instead of drive attitude towards him.

THE BACK-UP: Marcus Williams just hasn’t kicked-on as a professional. Of course, being stuck behind Jason Kidd was never going to reveal great opportunities. He did show flashes during the tiny daylight that passed through after Kidd left and before Harris arrived, including a 25-point game against Chicago, a Kidd-like 8-7-13 line against Indiana, and averages of 11 and six as a starter. Probably needs to make big improvement to retain his spot.

EVALUATION: Harris is a keeper. He does command a high price though, his $50 million contract, signed in the summer of ’07, means he’s locked up until 2013. So, for that, you’d expect more of the improvement that he showed over the final six weeks of the season. For a team actually planning two seasons ahead, and basically eyeing one guy, and one guy only (LBJ!), you’d figure Lawrence Frank will provide Harris plenty of time to get better on a bad team.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

2008 Draft Review

#1 CHICAGO – Derrick Rose, 6-3 196, Memphis
Throw him up there on the list… The list? Yeah, PG’s to go #1 since the NBA-ABA merger in ’76: John Lucas, Magic, AI and now Rose. Nice company… The Bulls get the local guy, and he’s immediately anointed The Savior… Provides athleticism, defense, good leadership, and best of all, a winning attitude from both HS and college… Unfortunately, he went ahead of Michael Beasley, who could have a HOF career, so basically Rose better do the same… Immediately made Kirk Hinrich expendable… As hyped as he was, his stock especially rose (no pun intended) in the last two weeks… This bloke is going to be good for Chicago.

#4 SEATTLE - Russell Westbrook, 6-4 192, UCLA
Stock didn’t just rise in the last few weeks it actually went through the roof… Some were scratching their heads at Seattle overlooking the talent available, but when you consider Seattle has Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour at the point, pairing Westbrook with Durant will get Oklahoma City, err, Seattle fans excited… Had dramatic freshman-to-sophomore improvement at UCLA… Can play either guard spot, and is, from all reports, an unselfish player.

# 9 CHARLOTTE – DJ Augustin, 6-0 172, Texas
Easily one of the more curious top-10 picks… Word on the street is that Raymond Felton is available and hence the Augustin pick… More of a true point than Felton, anyway… Put up 19 and six as a sophomore at Texas… CBS Sportsline threw out the Isiah Thomas-comparison; let’s hope they mean as a player instead of as a GM… Good shooter, is aggressive, and his (hopeful) duel with Felton will be a hot topic in training camp… Have fun playing for Larry Brown.

# 11 INDIANA (traded to POR) – Jerryd Bayless, 6-3 204, Arizona
Pacers fans went from elated (when he was picked) to heartbroken (when he was dealt) in the space of 60 minutes… Despite being just 6-3, he’s possessed with a scorers mentality… Has been compared to Golden State’s Monta Ellis… Scored more points than any other Arizona freshman ever… Athletic, quick, and as mentioned, more of a scorer than a distributor… Will fit in well in the Blazers youth movement… Pacers may regret trading him.

#26 SAN ANTONIO - George Hill, 6-2 181, Indiana Purdue
If Gregg Popovich says “We were thrilled he was still there” then you get the feeling they were happy to get him… Put up 21/5/4 on 54% FG and 45% 3-PT for national powerhouse Indiana Purdue… One of those stock-soared-after-pre-draft-camp guys… His name should perhaps be on a pensioners discount card instead of being read out by David Stern on draft night… As stated, the Spurs were very high on him - do they know something 25 other teams don’t?

#34 MINNESOTA (traded to MIAMI) - Mario Chalmers, 6-2 170, Kansas
Some had him going higher… Miami was very happy to get him; Pat Riley is a fan… Speaking of Riley, he listed three reasons why they traded for Chalmers: His defense, the fact he’s a combo guard, and he’s a low-mistake guy… Thankfully, Miami doesn’t have a logjam at the point (just Jason Williams and Chris Quinn) so Chalmers has a good opportunity… Yes, he’s the guy who hit the shot to force OT in the NCAA title game.

# 42 SACRAMENTO - Sean Singletery, 6-0 184, Virginia
Despite being three-time All ACC, he was under the radar of many a team… Actually came out for the ’07 draft, thought better of it, went back to school and – surprise! – didn’t hurt his chances… Sacramento might be a good situation for him, as Beno Udrih may opt out this week… From post-draft reports, was unhappy about his late pick and will try to pull an Arenas (translation: will use it as motivation).

#45 SAN ANTONIO (to PHOENIX) - Goren Dragic, 6-4 200, Slovenia
Phoenix actually traded up (from 48) to land Dragic… The Suns had him penciled in as the second-best PG in the draft behind Derrick Rose… Seriously, they did… Word is, the guy is a heck of an athlete and is very well-rounded… Good thing about his Spanish contract is that a buyout is possible… GM Steve Kerr stated on the team’s website that Dragic is a likely participant in training camp, and if he’s not available this season, he’ll “definitely” be there for the 2010 season.

#55 POR (to LAC) - Mike Taylor, 6-2 166, Iowa State
Taylor is the first player to be drafted from the developmental league ever… Did the JuCo thing before playing at Iowa State, where he was a stud on the court and a bonehead off it… Was kicked off the team… Averaged 14.5 points per for the Idaho Stampede of the NBDL… With the Clippers losing Sam Cassell last year and having just Dan Dickau at the point, Taylor has a (slim) chance of making the team.

The Four PG's in Game 4

Game 4 was a classic in so many ways.

And the aftermath has indeed bought many reactions: Doc Rivers is out-coaching Phil Jackson (true), Kobe can no longer be compared to Mike (so very true), and the Celtics are tougher than LA (do I even need to mention how true that is?). But one thing that stood out to me when watching yet another Celtics-Lakers epic was the handling of the PG’s in the second half.

Derek Fisher was out there when LA built their 24-point lead, very present in helping them hold a 20-point lead through the first half of the third, and, along with Vladamir Radmonovic, was one of few Lakers who finished in the “plus” column as far as +/- for the game.

Yet, having said that, Phil Jackson stubbornly kept Jordan Farmar out there until the final minutes, but by the he finally pulled the second-year guard, momentum (“She’s a funny thing,” Jackson told ESPN after the third) was well and truly dressed in green. Worse yet, Fisher was one of the few Lakers willing to mix it up. On a crucial play in the third where Paul Pierce swatted Bryant that led to an Allen breakaway, it was Fisher’s hard foul on Ray-Ray that stopped a Celtics break. It was an anti-Gasol play if there ever was one.

On the flip side, Rajon Rondo was facing his own demons, that of the Lakers continuing to dare him to shoot. Jackson switched Bryant onto Rondo for Game 3, and it allowed Kobe to roam, to sit in passing lanes, to neglect Rondo, deeming him a non-threat. Rondo, who had been a key to the C’s home defense (he had 16 assists in Game 2) was suddenly inept in LA.

It is worth pointing out that Rondo missed most of the second half of Game 3 with a sprained ankle, and it unwittingly forced Doc Rivers’ hand to play Eddie House, a noted gunner who had seen his time handed to “the new guy” in Sam Cassell.

In Game 4, with Rondo again struggling, Rivers turned to House in the second-half. It was his jumper in the final minutes that game Boston their first lead, and surprisingly, Jackson and his Lakers didn’t respect House enough to do something about it. It’s especially noteworthy when you consider that House, when with Phoenix two years ago, was held without a three-point field goal through the first six games of that classic ’06 PHX-LAL matchup. That’s like a human going without water for six days. Seriously. The Lakers put serial pest Sasha “Tears” Vujacic on him, and House couldn’t get a sniff. Fast forward to Thursday’s game and House is bouncing around, firing jumpers, uttering expletives to motivate his teammates, and delivering a daggers (including the one to take the lead, right in front of the Lakers bench) that came to signify The Comeback.

Ragin' Rondo

Just to throw a ridiculous stat out there: Coming into the 2008 Finals, Derek Fisher had accumulated 493 minutes of Finals’ experience. Rajon Rondo? 0. Heck, to take that a step further, Fisher has played in 20 Finals games lifetime; Rondo has played in 21 playoff games.

Anyway, the reason I write “ridiculous” is because it took Rondo all of 29 minutes to figure this thing out. Riding the wave that was The Pierce Return (by the way, it had more of a Bird ’91 feel to it than a Reed ’70, but hey, that’s just me), Rondo was the guy that got the ball to PP on consecutive possessions that resulted in two 3s; two 3s that basically turned the game.

Huge.

Why does that stand out? Rondo took an almost overwhelming moment and stayed in control. And people probably figure you could put a little sister of the poor at the point with the Big 3 and Boston would be good, but you can’t underestimate the two-stage growth of Rondo this year: 1) the regular season where he grew just about every game after the All-Star break and 2) the postseason that has seen him put up 10/4/6, come up big in several games, and has prompted me to write to someone that Rondo “had a little Fat (Lever) in him…”

And of course, Game 1 was basically a microcosm of all that. From the attempted dunk on Sasha Vujacic to the valued fourth scoring option to the 15/5/7 line to the aforementioned Pierce Moment, Rondo was superb. You can’t also forget he’s going against a guy (Fisher) who has been to the Finals four times.

But he handled himself well. Rondo didn’t ooze an ounce of nervousness in the first quarter; seemed quite at ease with it all actually. And he seems to be figuring out when and who to distribute the ball too. The Cs seemed to go to Allen early, KG in the second, and Pierce, of course, late. It was Rondo who was reading the temperature of each, knowing when to give it out, and not shying away from Phil Jackson’s psychological operation We’re Gonna Let This Rondo Guy Shoot The Jumper.

Of course, Game 2 is another day. But it sure is exciting seeing a young PG on the big stage.

You Tube: Derrick Rose Mix

There's a young guy, a point guard actually, named Derrick Rose. He went to Memphis. He led his team to the NCAA championship game. He will be either a number 1 or 2 pick, depending on if John Paxson uses Chicago's first pick on Rose or Derrick Coleman's little bro Michael Beasley. I will stop talking now - just watch.

LA-Boston: A PG history

As the NBA Finals feature the vaunted Celtic-Laker rivalry, we take a look back at some of the legendary PG's who helped make this matchup memorable.

So, the Lakers are playing the Celtics in the Finals, huh?

Rumor has it these two have quite a history – 11 meetings in the Finals. Not bad. But while the retrospectives on a whole can be left to everyone else, I’ll take the time to speed you up on what this means in PG translation. Not PG-rated, but Point Guard.

Just gonna throw some names out there: Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Dennis Johnson. Pick a legend, any legend. OK, lets:

Bob Cousy

Perhaps his contribution to the whole Celtics-Lakers thing is that his last game came against the Lakers – Game 6 of the ’62 Finals. It was the kind of ending that was scripted for Hollywood – the game was played in the LA Sports Arena. Cooz hurt his ankle at the end of the third, and the Lakers cut a nine-point lead to one, only to see him return and steady the Celtics, leading them to the win and a 4-2 series clincher. We’ve all seen the famous footage of Cooz running the down the far side of the court, cocking back and firing the ball roughly 30 feet in the air, only to be mobbed by his teammates. Yeah, well that was this game. Bill Russell always said the Cs had extra motivation to win titles for departing people – Walter Brown, Auerbach in ’66, etc – and this was no different.

Jerry West

He who is tortured. Met the Celtics in the Finals six times. Lost six times. Incredible, but so unfortunately true. As a matter of fact, in an unintentionally mocking gesture, the gallant West was awarded the MVP of the ’69 Finals, holding the dubious distinction of being the only Finals MVP winner from a losing team. You think he’d take a ring instead of a convertible? Yeah, I’d say that’s a given. Averaged 29.5 in the ’63 Finals; 33.8 in ’65; 33.6 in ’66; 31.3 in ’68; and 37.9 in ’69 including a 53-point and 10-assist effort in Game 1. And has zero rings to show for those super-human – actually super-human doesn’t quite cut it – efforts. This guy was good.

Magic Johnson

Believe it or not, there was a time when Magic was maligned. Typically, the only team that could bring him to his knees were the Celtics, who in ’84 turned up the defensive heat on him – well, to put it simply, they put DJ on him – and the end result was a severe choke-job in Game 7, and a new nickname bestowed on him by Cedric Maxwell: Tragic Johnson. Magic then turned the ’85 regular season into a cross-country killing spree, ending in another meeting with the Cs in the ’85 Finals. This time it was different. Magic ended the series averaging 18/7/14 and punctuated by leading his Lakers over the Celtics for the first time ever. Better yet, they claimed the win in Boston Garden, the equivalent of the sun rising in the east. In ’87, Magic’s first MVP season, he put up 26/8/13 over the six-game series to claim Finals MVP and his fourth title.

Dennis Johnson

I would love to go on and on about his buzzer beater in Game 4 of the ’85 Finals. The one where Bird drew two, kicked it out to probably the only guy he’d trust to take a shot that he didn’t, and DJ calmly sank a 21-footer that seemed to tear the net off, capping a 27/7/12 night. Or I’d love to talk about Game 6 of the ’87 Finals (which the Cs actually lost) but featured a truly heroic DJ performance: 33 points. But understand that this was at the end of a courageous playoffs that saw everyone not-named Bird or DJ go down with some ailment. Bird was even running on empty in this one; DJ though, his career in microcosm form, fought it out. Sorry, those two are dandy, but I’ve got another DJ memory in mind. Following Game 3 of the ’84 Finals, a 33-point Celtic loss, Johnson demanded that he be put on Magic, who was running riot. KC Jones obliged. DJ scored 20-or-more over the final four games, while pestering the usually-competent Magic into uncharacteristic brain-melts. Magic had seven TO’s in Game 7 alone, including a crucial one late, and DJ finished it with 22 points in a Celtics win.

As you can see, plenty of legendary PG’s have come through in this legendary rivalry. If history is any guide, this years LA-BOS showdown will provide plenty of memories at the point.

PG Look: San Antonio-Los Angeles

Taking a look at how the PG's fared in Game 1 of the West Finals

Game 1 Boxscore

Tony Parker

Had a terrific first half, but in the end he was the poster-child (along with Ginobili) of San Antonio’s second half offensive woes… Finished with 18/10/6 in 41 minutes, but on 7-17 FG… Was getting into the paint easily in the first half. The second half? Well, let’s just say he drew a crowd… Went missing during LA’s second half run; Duncan was the only reliable source of Spur scoring… Had a nice up-and-under in the first half that made Pau Gasol look positively softer than butter… Actually helped hold Derek Fisher scoreless through the game’s first 39 minutes… No Longoria life-size posters behind the baskets at Staples… Will probably have a strong Game 2.

Derek Fisher

Caught a nasty case of Farmar-itis (Translation: Couldn’t make a shot)… As a matter of fact, as previously mentioned, it took him 39 minutes to crack the scoring column… Was actually taken out early in the third and replaced with Farmar, who gave LA a jolt of energy… Does a nice job on Parker, positions himself well, stays in front of him (for the most part), and generally is your run-of-the-mill defensive nuisance… LA needs his outside shooting… Finished 1-9 FG (four points) in 30 minutes.

PG Look: Detroit-Boston

Taking a look at how the PG's fared in Game 1 of the East Finals

Game 1 Boxscore

Chauncey Billups

Well, it would’ve taken all of three milliseconds to realize CB isn’t quite there yet; the hamstring is still plaguing him… Detroit curiously had him guard Ray Allen, presumably to get him away from the quicker Rajon Rondo… Actually spent time in the first-half as the ‘two’ while Stuckey ran the point… Hit his first 3 of the game, didn’t score the rest of the half… Looked a little better in the second half; please take the time to underline the word “little” … Played 31 minutes, but if he’s 100% he plays 40, no question… His nine points came on just six shots… Keep an eye on him in Game 2.

Rajon Rondo

I loved his first half, he was pushing it up, running the club, and dropping hand-offs to Paul Pierce and the suddenly-inept Ray Allen… My game notes had the words VERY aggressive and unselfish; yes, I used capitals… One of three guys in the game to log 40 minutes; the other two combined for eight turnovers, Rondo had one… Was the subject of Rip Hamilton’s defensive assignment… 11 points and seven assists is dandy, but the true value was his five steals and his efficient shooting (5-9 FG)… Mike Breen dropped the little “he once grabbed 19 boards in a game at Kentucky” nugget, and as the unofficial leader of the Rebounding Point Guards Cult, this makes me smile… No longer looking for a Cassell citing, just playing his game… Before the series, everyone was saying the PG matchup was going to determine a lot of things. You know what, they were right.

Quick Links

Very interesting time of year obviously, and a lot going on. Just a few links to PG-related stuff this week...

Delonte West talked before Game 7 about the fact he was familiar with the rims in Boston, that he could find his stroke in tough confines – which also happens to be his former home. Turns out there was some merit to that. He was the only other non-James Cav – or perhaps better said, the only human in a Cavs uniform – who reached double-figures, with 15 in Cleveland’s 97-92 loss.

Source: Boston Herald

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The Boston Herald looks forward to the Chauncey Billups-Rajon Rondo matchup in the East Finals. Just look at their game in December for the real insight; Rondo went nuts in the first half, but it was Billups who turned up in the fourth, scoring 14 of his game-high 28, including the game-winning FT’s to earn a Detroit win. The moral? Rondo will have his moments, Billups will rule though.

Source: Boston Herald

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Speaking of matchups, there’s two guys (Chris Paul and Tony Parker) who have a Game 7 to play. Can’t wait to see how Paul plays in this, his first Game 7. The guy has done the stuff of legend this year, can he add to it? The biggest question surrounding Parker is whether or not that life-size cutout of Eva Longoria behind the basket will seep into his mind and kill any kind of FT concentration that he has. Hmmm…

Source: International Herald Tribune

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Derek Fisher, the guy with the unenviable task of facing either Paul or Parker in the West Finals – this after a nice dose of Deron Williams in the semis – is featured in a good piece in the OC Register.

Source: OC Register

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With the NBA Draft not too far away, a look at the positional rankings. Obviously, Derek Rose, who most have going either #1 or #2, is the top PG.

Source: NBADraft.net

Player Spotlight: Deron Williams

Despite his Jazz losing to LA at home yesterday to lose their series 4-2, I was very impressed with Deron Williams yesterday.

(What took you so long?)

Well, to clarify: I’ve been impressed with Williams basically since the second-half of his rookie year when he broke through the Sloan gauntlet – winning his trust – and established himself as an up-and-comer. But yesterday, I saw some great stuff from the third-year PG.

In the first quarter, LA surged to a 26-12 lead, and on the next Jazz possession, Williams, ever so determined, took Derek Fisher off the dribble, took it up on two LA bigs, and finished a very tough lay-up. At a time when nothing was going right to Utah, it stood out to me as significant.

In the second, Lamar Odom jammed home off a nice feed from K.O.B.E and extended the Lakers lead to 45-30. Williams came down and pulled up for a 25-footer. Cash. Once again, at a time when LA was looking to blow this game out, Williams seemed unfazed.

From the point it was 89-74 (LA) early in the fourth, until a Andrei Kirilenko three that made it 105-103 in the final minutes, Williams either scored or assisted on every non-FT score (a total of 27 points) for Utah. Think about that. He had eight assists total in that eight minute stretch, and five points, as Utah cut a 15-point lead to three.

Of course, it wasn’t enough.

But his poise was – dare I say – reminiscent of the guy whose statue sits directly outside Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake. (Calm down, I didn’t say it.) However, the Jazz have something special. In what will be remembered as The Paul Draft (or the Marvin Williams Draft, depending on how many speak with a tongue in their cheek) of 2005, the Jazz came out with a guy in Williams who they have to build around.

Lost amid the Year of Paul, Williams was All-NBA second team. His 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game on a 54-win team is eerily similar to a certain 2006 MVP from Phoenix (you know who I’m talking about), who averaged 18.8 points and 10.5 assists on a 54-win team two years ago. He also holds the unofficial title as The Only Guy On The Planet Who Has Had Any Success Stopping Chris Paul – can we abbreviate that?

And you never hear this when people are frothing at the mouth over Paul – or speaking about Williams, for that matter – but these guys are playing the toughest position in the NBA, so to be doing what they are, at this age, is mind-blowing.

Anyway, even though Williams lost Game 6 yesterday, I saw some amazing qualities. Qualities we’re gonna enjoy for many years.

From the Vault: TB is top PG

This caused a little stir back in the day.

Heck, I was 13-years old when this went to print, and I even remembered it as a big deal. Sports Illustrated rated Cleveland’s Terrell Brandon the leagues best point guard, this ahead of guys like Stockton, Payton, Blaylock, KJ, Mark Jackson, Tim Hardaway – man what a great time for PG’s – Van Exel, Strickland, Stoudamire, Kidd, Marbury… oh, and Iverson.

Phil Taylor, who covered the NBA for SI at the time, was the culprit. He used a formula – using all the major statistical categories (even the “bad stuff,” meaning turnovers) - to come up with his answer.

In my opinion, you didn’t need a formula to get an answer; just watch the guys play. By that rationale, it would be hard to argue against Gary Payton, perhaps at the peak of his powers and just one year removed from holding MJ to 41% shooting in the ’96 Finals. What about John Stockton? Despite being 34, Stock was still as good as ever; this was the year he carried Utah to the Finals. (If you don’t buy that, just watch Game 6 of the WCF against Houston, Stock had the final 10 Utah points down the stretch, including the game-winning three, to send the Jazz to the Finals). Of course, there were other worthy nominees (as previously mentioned).

But Terrell Brandon?

Really?

Sure, he was good, even played in two All-Star Games, but the best PG in the game? Nah. The guys playing the position then were just too good to have a guy like Brandon, who, still, while a very good player in his own right, to be deemed top dog. He ran Mike Fratello’s slow-it-down offense, put up numbers for a team that actually didn’t make the playoffs the year this story came out (’97), and was an understudy to Mark Price (much like KJ) the first four years of his career.

Anyway, TB has his moment of fame. His career was kind of like 15 seconds of fame, which oddly enough is probably the same amount of time he goes without knee pain these days; his chronically bad knees forced him out earlier this decade. But there’s no doubt he has a cover of SI tucked away somewhere, bragging that he was top PG of his day.

ALSO SEE: A shot of the cover; Brandon's career stats

Player Spotlight: Delonte West

You can’t understate the value of taking the ball-handling responsibility off your top guy. It may not seem like much, but taking the ball out of his hands, and allowing that player to concentrate on (most likely) scoring, is a helluva lot easier when bringing the ball up-court is taken from his list of everyday chores.

It did wonders for Allen Iverson, just take a look at his splits and his numbers from November to December, and then realize that Anthony Carter missed most of the first month of the season, only to come back, take over the ball-handling duty, and then proceed to feed a happy Iverson, who had a great month/rest of year.

And now, look at the Delonte West effect in Cleveland.

Yes, I am aware LeBron James is proving in this Boston series that there is traces of play that suggests he may actually be human – although what human shoots 19%? But the point is, James doesn’t have to handle the ball near as much as he used to now that West, acquired in February from Seattle, is there to shoulder some of that workload.

And while there are still those possessions where LBJ does his best to pound all air out of the ball, they just don’t happen as often.

The West effect continued today as he hit for 21 points – on 7/11 FG, 4/6 3s, 3-3 FT – with five boards and seven assists in 38 minutes while totally outplaying the Rondo/Cassell combo in the Cavs’ huge win. How big is that? Well, when you consider the PG’s Cleveland has had in The James Era…

Jeff McInnes, Kevin Ollie, J.R. Bremer, Eric Snow, Damon Jones and Daniel Gibson

… then you realize just how vital a contribution like West’s is. Gibson has shown potential, never more noteworthy than in last year’s run to the Finals, and had been very productive as a back-up since he came back from an ankle injury. With efficient and reliable PG’s surrounding James, its only good things for Cleveland.

In Review: PG's in MVP Voting

Well, by now you know that the NBA’s MVP has been named. (What, you didn’t? That’s OK, I let you know last August, just in case you forgot).

Anyway, I’m not here to dissect who should have won – even though I told you that too, in February – but rather, to check out which PG’s got MVP-love. And of course, Chris Paul, who made one heck of a run late in the year, finished second. His 28 first-place votes were second; he had twice as many second-place votes (64) as anyone; and he had just two voters deeming him outside the top three. That’s a total of 889 points (compared to Bryant’s 1105; ahead of Garnett’s 609).

Oh yeah, and he’s 22.

Speaking of, it had me wondering about other great PG’s at that age, and how they fared in MVP voting. Thanks to a trusty source – Association of Professional Basketball Research; member since ’01 baby! – I checked the archived MVP voting:

Bob Cousy (1951) – The MVP didn’t exist; it wouldn’t have mattered though, Cooz was a rook.

Oscar Robertson (1961) – They always said he didn’t play “like a normal rookie,” the voters agreed – the Big O got seven first-place votes, 70 in total, and finished fifth. (Who was in front of him? Russ, Pettit, Baylor, and Wilt… that’s all)

Magic Johnson (1982) – His third year, and even though he put up 18.6/9.6/9.5 - oddly enough the closest he ever came to triple-dip-ville - he finished eighth, with no first-place votes. Perhaps getting Paul Westhead fired was the reason for the media neglect.

John Stockton (1985) – Was too preoccupied with getting minutes ahead of Rickey Green to worry about MVP voting; wouldn’t get the voters attention until 1988.

Kevin Johnson (1989) – Went from being Mark Price’s back-up in Cleveland to finishing two spots ahead of him in MVP voting. This is an oft-forgotten stud.

(And if you’re wondering why he even cracks this list, just know that every record that Paul has approached recently – like highest assist average in their first series, for example – are records held by KJ)

Gary Payton (1991) – Rookie with Kemp and Co. in Seattle; wouldn’t crack the voting until ’94.

Jason Kidd (1996) – Didn’t land a vote in his second season. But get this: Some wise-cracking writer gave him a third-place vote in his rookie year (’95), and thus, that guy had the distinction of being the only person to give Kidd an MVP vote prior to ’98.

Steve Nash (1997) – Read Stockton, John… and replace the name “Rickey Green” with the names “Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson;” Nashy wouldn’t get an MVP vote until 2002, but of course, he made up for that later, winning two.

So basically, no PG in the history of the game has finished as high as Paul at his age. Crazy. I mean, we're talking about not only some of the best point guards to ever play, but some of the best players to ever play. Do I really need to go on about how amazing that is?

Nash was another PG who scored MVP votes this year. He had four fourth-place votes, and six fifth-place votes, to finish ninth overall. Utah’s Deron Williams, who certainly won’t be a stranger to MVP votes by the time he’s done, had four fifth-place votes.

By position: Point guard – 3; Shooting guard – 2; Small Forward – 5; Power Forward – 6; Center – 1. 17 players earned votes.

ALSO SEE: MVP Final Voting Totals

The Column

Be sure to swing on over to 411mania.com to check out my column this week.

I have focused on some playoff X-Factors, and two PG's made the cut - Rajon Rondo and Jameer Nelson.

ALSO SEE: Column archive

PG Evaluations: Milwaukee

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 25 – The age of Mo Williams, who has put up 17 and six in his two seasons as the undisputed starting PG in Milwaukee. Too bad he plays for the Bucks, otherwise his quick rise to stardom would be much more known.

THE GOOD STUFF: Well, he’s locked up for quite some time, having signed a contract in the summer of ’07 that’ll keep him around until at least 2013. Mo is confident, hits big shots, is consistent, strong, and best of all, he signed a big deal and didn’t blow afterwards. His numbers were near identical to his previous year – keep in mind, those numbers (17 and six on 48% FG) were pretty darn good – and carried the Bucks’ offense during Michael Redd’s absence. Random moment: Down 92-97 to Memphis in February, he scored the final ten points in the last two minutes (look at the play-by-play); basically like running the table in snooker, and he ran out of town with a 102-97 win. It began a streak of three 30-point games, and it was just crazy to watch.

THE BAD STUFF: Having missed 54 games in the last three years isn’t something that fills you with a heap of confidence. Also, playing on a consistently bad team is never good, especially for young guys, so you hope that doesn’t warp him. Truth be told, there’s not a whole lot to get down about; I’ll be picky: His numbers didn’t make a huge jump this year, and if they don’t in 2009 you may wonder if they will. Hey, give me credit, I tried being negative.

THE BACK-UP: My man Ramon Sessions. Spent part of the season in the D-League, gets called up late in the year, is given a stack of minutes and actually produced one of the more random statistical explosions in recent memory – that inspired this piece – with a 20/8/24 line on Chicago. I mean, that’s like a Fat-Lever-on-steroids-circa-’87 line. That’s just stunning. Can I come up with any more ways to honor the kid? Just look at his splits: 3 and 2 in March, 11 and 11 in April, someone please make sense of that. And for $427,000, that isn’t even bargain basement, that’s like pocket change in your average NBA players couch. A great story. Now, if we’ll see him get consistent minutes anywhere else is unknown, but he gave fantasy geeks much love late in a lost year.

EVALUATION: Honestly, not a whole lot to feel bad about. But isn’t this Milwaukee? Yes, it is, but they have a nice PG in Williams so they now have to find a consistent second scorer (other than Redd) to flank those him. Expect an increase in his numbers this year, and unquestionably with winning, more attention.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

PG Evaluations: Miami

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 57 – The number of games Jason Williams has missed in his three years with Miami. Hardly perfect attendance, but what team can survive when their only starter-worthy PG has missed this much time?

THE GOOD STUFF: Jason Williams was the starting PG on a championship team. Steve Nash isn’t. Jason Kidd isn’t. Heck, Chris Paul isn’t… yet. Why am I telling you this? No reason really, just trying to fill a few lines. In all seriousness, knee problems have slowed what should have been a better career. Long deemed a hot-dog and was once compared – prepare to shudder – to Maravich The Great, Williams actually became an assist-to-turnover nut in Memphis, and hasn’t averaged more than two turnovers a game since 2003. True story. And his 3:1 ASTS/TO ratio lifetime is something to write home about.

THE BAD STUFF: Williams’ shooting has gone down every year in Miami, ditto for his points-per-game, double-ditto for his effectiveness. In a year that began with Pat Riley almost begging for “the old Jason Williams” – yes, he was asking for that Sacramento King craziness to return – he got much less than that. Season in microcosm: 34 points in a loss to Orlando in March, followed by 36 points total in his next three games. You see, chances are your going to get an old-school performance out of him sometime, but reality hits and you get sub-par consistently after that.

THE BACK-UP: Chris Quinn was thrown into duty when the realization that Miami couldn’t win twenty games hit sometime in March. Quick story: In ’96, the Sixers had tried Vern Maxwell, an old Scott Skiles (who they brought out of retirement), Trevor Ruffin, and Greg Sutton – bonus points for recognizing either of the last two names – at the point during the season, and over the final 10-15 games of an 18-win season, they handed the keys to Rex Walters. Look, the guy wasn’t great, but he played very well over those few pointless games, and I’m convinced it actually earned him three more years in the greatest league in the world. Chris Quinn probably did himself the same, averaging 15/4/6 in April. He’s solid, unspectacular and, while destined for back-up status for eternity, he’s a good guy to have around – just don’t ask Shaq.

EVALUATION: Two words: Derrick Rose. How bad is it that I'm pinning their hopes on a guy they don't have yet? Pretty bad, but hey, this is Miami, bad is OK. If they can get him, then they have to. He’s 6’4’’, strong, athletic, and just imagine him playing alongside Wade and Marion. I mean, you can see some potential there. And what about the positive effect he could have on a team that, quite frankly, was awful this year. Of course, Miami will have a high pick, Rose will be a high pick, it’s natural right?

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

Playoffs: Day Ten

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

TOR @ ORL (GAME 5)
TJ Ford (TOR) – You know, he played exactly half the game (24 minutes) and produced 14/5/5; if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that’s a triple-dip pace… Ah, but stats don’t tell everything, he and Calderon were outplayed this series by Jameer Nelson, plain and simple… Will he be around? Or if he is, will he be starting? … Averaged 11 points this series (below his season average) and shot just 36% FG.
Jose Calderon (TOR) – Also did the “half-a-game” thing… 12/3/4, not bad, but like Ford, wasn’t the best at his position in this series… May be saying adios to his buddy Ford now… Although you get the feeling Toronto would much rather part with Ford than the budding Calderon, especially if Mike D’Antoni is in the pipeline.
Jameer Nelson (ORL) – Successfully made that two-headed point-guard dinosaur extinct… It wasn’t enough that he thoroughly beat CalderFord, but he also tacked seven extra points per game over his seasonal average (from 10 to 17) in this series… his 19 points came on 7-13 FG… Hit a huge three that ended things with roughly three minutes left… Great series considering expectations.
Keyon Dooling (ORL) – Nine valuable points in 17 bench minutes.

BOS @ ATL (GAME 4)
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – The only blemish on an otherwise fine night (14/3/12) was his 6-16 shooting… Was finally outscored – not sure if outplayed – by Mike Bibby… Always love to see how young PG’s respond to playoff pressure, well, he gets his chance in Game 5.
Sam Cassell (BOS) – Seven ineffective minutes for the 53-year old.
Mike Bibby (ATL) – Shot better than 50%? Outscored the guy he was going against? Hawks tie series? Am I making this up? … Finally showed up, and it helped his team tie the series… Look for another big game in Game 5; also look for him to make me look oh so smart and go 2-13.

LAL @ DEN (GAME 4)
Derek Fisher (LAL) – Tough game for Nostradamus… I guess his whole looking-ahead-to-Utah theory after Game 2 ain’t looking so cocky now… Had just seven points on 3-9 FG in 39 minutes… Pretty quiet series – just 8.5 points on 43% FG.
Jordan Farmar (LAL) – Six points in 13 minutes… Probably didn’t contribute as much as LA would’ve liked, but hey, they won 4-0 so what do I know?
Allen Iverson (DEN) – Unfortunately, having the biggest heart doesn’t equate to playoff advancement… The good news is he can now give his body a rest… Great season, barring his rookie year and the famed 2001 MVP campaign, my favorite Iverson season… still got it… had just 22 points in Game 5 on 10-22 FG… Averaged just 24.5 for the series, but had two 30-plus games in LA.
Anthony Carter (DEN) – All you need to know is that he had a hard time finding a suitable matchup, and was basically deemed useless or unusable (pick one) by George Karl… good year for AC though, may have found a home.

Playoffs: Day Nine

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

CLE @ WAS
Delonte West (CLE) – Was Paxson to Lebron’s Jordan… hit the game-winning three with less than five ticks left, off a James feed, for a 100-97 lead… Capped a 21-point afternoon… Just what the Cavs needed today.
Daniel Gibson (CLE) – Boy, his outside shooting sure is a breath of fresh air, isn’t it? Was starting to think that any non-manchild wearing a Cavs’ jersey was offensively inept… continuing strong playoffs… 12 points off the bench… averaging 12 points in three CLE wins.
Gilbert Arenas (WAS) – Got through a full game today… Played 32 minutes after just 10 in Game 3… Missed potential game-tying three, this after hitting crazy banker to tie it… Just doesn’t have that Agent Zero feel right now… Needs a vintage performance if his team is to win Game 5.
Antonio Daniels (WAS) – Seven points in 17 minutes.

SA @ PHX
Tony Parker (SA) – Actually seemed mortal today… Of course, 35 points would’ve seemed mortal compared to that Game 3 masterpiece… The most effective guy guarding him? Hill, nope. Bell, nope. Nash, yeah OK. Boris Diaw? You betcha! Go figure… Promised big game for Game 5.
Damon Stoudamire (SA) – 11 points in 13 gar-bagh-related minutes… Break out the dinosaur Raptors jerseys… In all seriousness, nice to see Mighty Mouse out there.
Steve Nash (PHX) – Won’t knock you dead with his digits, but still crammed 15/5/4 into 29 minutes… I’d love to see a classic Nash 26-point/14-assist performance in Game 5… Is that too much to ask?

DET @ PHI
Chauncey Billups (DET) – As one Pistonologist noted to me prior to gametime: “He needs to just imagine that Andre Miller has a Kidd or Nash jersey on, then he might respect him…” Any questions? … Had his best game of the series: 18/6/7… Still needs to turn up the juice, or better yet, cut Miller down.
Rodney Stuckey (DET) – Little-used after getting good burn earlier in the series.
Andre Miller (PHI) – Basically was “out-Millered” by Billups… Just 13 points in 42 minutes, after averaging 18.3 coming in… Will “out-Millered” ever become part of everyday hoops vernacular?
Louis Williams (PHI) – Went for 10 points in 13 minutes… poor man’s Pargo.

NO @ DAL
Chris Paul (NO) – Man, is it disappointing or what when he has a so-so night? … Just kidding, instead of putting up Kevin Johnson-like numbers he got himself a W instead… Looking forward to seeing his approach to a Game 5 that his Hornets should win.
Jannero Pargo (NO) – Had an eventful two-game stretch in Dallas… Went for 30 in Game 3, was the subject of a Jason Kidd takedown in Game 4… In all honestly, I think Kidd was checking his head for lice… OK, maybe not… Has had a nice series, perhaps an underrated cog to this juggernaut known as the Hornets.
Jason Kidd (DAL) – Capped perhaps his worst playoff game ever with a McHale-like takedown of Pargo… hopefully won’t be suspended… If you look closely, he wasn’t going after him… Just 3 points on 1-6 FG.

PG Playoff Watch

We're a week into these playoffs, so here are some thoughts on five notable PG's:

Jameer Nelson (ORL) – The same guy who was said to be killed by The Great Calderon/Ford tandem (gotta be honest, there was a hint of sarcasm in that) has proven to be the Magic’s playoff barometer: In Orlando’s three wins he averages 20.3 points, while in their one loss (Game 3) he had just six, albeit with back spasms, while giving up 39 and 16 to CalderFord. Oddly enough, he’s gone Horry on us and played his best ball of the year after the regular season finishes.

Tony Parker (SA) – To be brutally graphic, there were traces of vomit in my mouth after watching Parker’s 41-point performance against the Suns in Game 3. I wasn’t sick from watching Parker, but rather, how the Suns chose to defend that suddenly-vaunted pick-n-roll that he and Duncan have made borderline unguardable. Parker is the top scorer in a series that involves Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan, and also has him matched with Steve Nash. Speaking of…

Steve Nash (PHO) – I’m in total denial about his decline, but Friday’s game was the first time in the four years that I’ve closely watched the Suns in The Nash Era where I’ve seen the Suns down, and have had doubts about whether Nashy – as he has done time and again – could bring them back. He couldn’t. He even claimed to being “an outsider” and that’s a good way to put it. He just seems a step slower, he’s not getting into the nooks-and-crannies of every defense as much, is finding it increasingly harder to get his shot off, has kept pushing the ball up to a minimum, and has had the unenviable task of trying to guard Parker with Grant Hill hobbled. I’m a firm believer in never writing off champions, and I’m not doing that here, but I think it’s time to get him a back-up that will allow him his 30 minutes (max) per night for the ’09 season. Of course, Phoenix drafted Rajon Rondo in 2006 and owner Robert Sarver – in a fit of rage that involved them burning draft picks in the name of luxury tax - gave him away.

Andre Miller (PHI) – It’s not every day that an underrated guy (like Miller) totally busts a perennial All-Star (Billups) in a playoff series. Of course, this series is basically still in its infancy; and a guy as good as Billups surely can’t continue to have this odor for an entire series – right? – so maybe I’m jumping the gun. All I know is this: Miller was the Sixers’ MVP this year, was the single biggest reason (Iguodala included) why Philly has thrived in the post-AI era, and is still known by less fans than ever.

Rafer Alston (HOU) – I have to give credit here. I stated, just last week, that with Alston or no Alston, Deron Williams was going to have his way with Houston in this series. Well, in the first two games – minus Alston – Williams was the key to Utah coming out of Texas up 2-0. However, Alston has returned to the series for the games in Salt Lake, and I honestly underestimated the impact that he had on these Rockets. Not only did he take the ball-handling responsibilities away from T-Mac in the fourth quarter of both games – believe me, giving McGrady one less thing to think about in crunch-time is huge – but he has given Houston hope. Yeah, they’re down 3-1, but they’re going back to Houston, and they have their PG back.

Playoffs: Day Five

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

PHI @ DET
Andre Miller (PHI) – Modest game by his suddenly-lofty Sixer standards… actually out-played Billups though… 14 points and just three assists… the only Philly to starter to show up.
Louis Williams (PHI) – 17 points in 23 minutes off the bench… shame much of it came when the game was cooked, glazed, and ready to serve.
Chauncey Billups (DET) – Second straight sub-par game… I honestly wonder how much it has to do with either his opponent (Miller) or his mindset? … When was the last time he had two bad straight games? … Will probably have back-to-back 25-point games, and several daggers, in the two games in Philly.
Rodney Stuckey (DET) – How could anyone not like this guy? … I don’t know what it is, but I love him… 12 points in 28 minutes, but more importantly, he’s out there when it counts… only he and Maxiell played off the bench when the game was still to be decided.

ATL @ BOS
Mike Bibby (ATL) – He of big mouth… Well, that bandwagon comment sure went down well, didn’t it? … By the way, he’s 4-17 FG since he made those comments… If the crowd wasn’t in his head, then Rondo sure was… Can he get his game back?
Acie Law (ATL) – Popped off the bench for 12 points… 4-4 FG, 4-4 FT, and four TO’s, that’s symmetry people.
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – I was going to write “ageing by the day” but that would’ve made absolutely no sense… He’s busting Bibby so far… How about this: He’s growing with every game. Yep, that’s it… Oh yeah, by the way, 12/6/8 and four steals.
Sam Cassell (BOS) – Seems to be content coming off the bench - until they play an actual contender that is… 10 points in 12 minutes, led the bench in points.
Eddie House (BOS) – Three minutes and no points… why am I telling you this?

DEN @ LAL
Allen Iverson (DEN) – Started at the point with Carter shuffled to the bench… Seriously, he shows up for every big Nuggets game, can’t say the same about Melo… 31 and six, I swear, he’ll slow down one day… OK, no he won’t… Has been T’d up both games.
Anthony Carter (DEN) – Big Lakers lineup – and the fact Kenyon Martin is guarding Kobe - has basically made A.C. redundant… just nine ineffective minutes off the bench.
Derek Fisher (LAL) – I was surprised by his “Looking forward to playing Utah” comments prior to the game… If you get busted for 30 every night (like Fisher does guarding AI), then you’re probably one of the last guys who can talk… 10 points in 29 minutes… I hope Iverson lays 40 on him sometime before this series ends.
Jordan Farmar (LAL) – Yet to light the playoffs on fire… just four points, on 2-6 FG, in 19 minutes.

Playoffs: Day Four

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

DAL @ NO
Jason Kidd (DAL) – Dropped a 7/4/8 stink-bomb on 3-10 FG… What do you know? A rare “triple-single” for Kidd… Still a legend, don’t get me wrong… Let’s do the math: Kidd 18 points and 17 assists, Paul 67 points and 27 assists through two games.
Jason Terry (DAL) – 16 points in 31 minutes off the bench.
Chris Paul (NO) – Missed six shots from the field and two FT’s in Game 2… turned it over three times in 39 minutes… had five fouls… oh yeah, put on one of the best point guard displays for someone his age maybe ever… If this were the regular season, a 32/5/17 line would have fantasy owners hyperventilating.
Jannero Pargo (NO) – 10 points and four assists in 22 minutes off the bench… Now, that is more like it.

TOR @ ORL
T.J. Ford (TOR) – Missed two jumpers and had two turnovers in the first five minutes of the fourth, was promptly hiked from the game… Was 1-8 from the field… Not to use the same un-funny joke as in my Game 1 recap, but “Why is he starting again?”
Jose Calderon (TOR) – Played identical time (24 minutes) as Ford and had 12 more points and three less turnovers… hit two big 3s late… 18 and 5 on efficient shooting and low turnover-count is more like Calderon than Game 1.
Jameer Nelson (ORL) – Still riding high after Game 1… Has a combined 42 points in the last two games; hadn’t had a combined 40+ over two games all year… Clearly winning the PG battle thus far.
Keyon Dooling (ORL) – Is clearly The Coaches Choice as Nelson’s backup over Carlos Arroyo… Committed dumb foul that gave the Raptors the last possession, and a chance to steal it… shot 2-9 FG in 18 minutes.
Carlos Arroyo (ORL) – The only way he gets more minutes is if the entire Toronto squad plays in USA Olympic jerseys and pretends it’s 2004.

PHX @ SA
Steve Nash (PHX) – Always want him to shoot more when he has nights like this (10-15 FG)… Was a little rattled in that third-quarter collapse… There’s a first time for everything… Is having a helluva time on defense… He’ll be ready for Game 3.
Tony Parker (SA) – Got anywhere he wanted in Game 2, most notably the paint, and proclaimed afterwards “He has no fear” when penetrating… 32 points and seven assists… Will always shoot a high percentage when he shoots from an average of six-feet.
Jacque Vaughn (SA) – Five minutes and no points… classic Jacque Vaughn performance.

Playoffs: Day 3

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

WAS @ CLE (GAME 2)
Antonio Daniels (WAS) – Once again, split a game with Arenas… Unlike the ’06 series, has failed to make an impact… Just eight points in two games, including four in Game 2.
Gilbert Arenas (WAS) – Looked like “Played-just-a-dozen-games-since-November Gilbert” tonight… Shot just 2-10… think he regrets pre-series comments? ... Friendly confines of home may do the trick… Will he crack that starting lineup?
Roger Mason (WAS) – Made the most of gar-bagh time… 10 points in 22 minutes… Played mostly at the two.
Delonte West (CLE) – Way down on Game 1 production – turns out, Cavs didn’t need a big one from him… As always, takes a huge amount of ball-handling responsibility from LBJ… Shot just 1-5 FG in 23 minutes.
Daniel Gibson (CLE) – 13 points in 29 minutes… think Cleveland didn’t miss him down the stretch of the regular season?

UTH @ HOU (GAME 2)
Deron Williams (UTH) – Really won’t be challenged this series, Alston or no-Alston… 22 points on 8-15 FG… found time to block two shots… Not get too far ahead, but you think Kobe might guard him the second round? … Scary part for Houston is, this guy is a killer at home.
Ronnie Price (UTH) – Eight points in eight minutes off the bench in a six-point decision? You’ll certainly take it… If you’re counting at home, that’s 13 points in 11 minutes this series.
Bobby Jackson (HOU) – Played a lot better than Game 1… Still shot poorly (7-17 FG), but that Sacramento Bobby Jackson was there… Tough ask to play starters minutes against a good team when he’s been a bench guy for going-on eight years.
Aaron Brooks (HOU) – Like Jackson, redeemed himself after a poor series opener… 11 points in 18 minutes on 5-9 FG… Unfortunately, didn’t translate to a win… how will he handle the tough confines of Utah?

PG Evaluations: New York

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 1 – The number of times Stephon Marbury has averaged 20 and seven over the course of a full season as a Knick. The significance? He did it each of the five seasons prior to this train-wreck known as the Marbury-Isiah Era.

THE GOOD STUFF: (… taking a deep breath…) Marbury was good once; I swear - he really was. Well, he was never a traditional PG, but there was a time when you’d put his numbers up against anyone. As a matter of fact, if I remember correctly, Oscar Robertson was the only other guy to average 21 and eight assists over his first eight seasons. Of course, that guy is long gone – never coming back. His actions are fast making this one of the most hilarious legacies ever. Wait a minute… whoops… this is “The Good Stuff:” My bad…

THE BAD STUFF: Do I really need to do this?

THE BACK-UP: Nate Robinson, he of 943-dunk-attempts-to-claim-the-2006-dunk–comp fame, actually had a decent year – 12.7 points, 2.9 assists, and probably one catch-ya-off-guard-dunk every ten games. Robinson has improved his game steadily in each of his three years, but honestly, if you take a look around the league do you see any team that he’d fit in well with? Could easily be out of the league in three years, if that makes any sense. He’s just that kind of guy.

EVALUATION: Donnie Walsh should be scanning the free-agent list as we speak for a decent PG, if only he had the dollars to spend. New York is pretty much stuck with what they have. Marbury had season-ending surgery on his ankle halfway through this season, but Walsh has reportedly told “Starbury” (snickering) that he figures in the Knicks’ plans for the ’09 campaign. Seriously, he did. What would it take for him to turn this stuff around? Realize his limitations at his age, control his ego, play like a traditional PG, try to average maybe 14 and eight, and basically do the opposite of everything he’s ever done. Harsh? Yes, but honestly, this is what he should do.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

Playoffs: Day 2

A snapshot of each PG in each game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs

TOR @ ORL (GAME 1)
T.J. Ford (TOR) – 1-9 FG in 22 minutes… thoroughly outplayed by Jameer Nelson… why is he starting again?
Jose Calderon (TOR) – 9 points, 8 assists… but like Ford shot poorly (3-11 FG)
Jameer Nelson (ORL) – Faced doubters who said he’d get eaten alive this series… first 20-point game since January (24 points)… killed the Toronto PG tandem, then gave us the whole “I’m as good as them…” speech afterwards, uh-huh…
Keyon Dooling (ORL) – Continued Magic PG dominance… 10 points in 17 valuable bench minutes.

DEN @ LAL (GAME 1)
Anthony Carter (DEN) – Struggled to find a suitable spot against bigger Lakers… probably will come off bench in Game 2… hard foul on Kobe in the third which I enjoyed because Kobe gave the whole “He’s not worthy of fouling me” face afterwards
Allen Iverson (DEN) – 30/5/7 line… another ho-hum from AI… struggled from the foul line, continuing late-season theme… probably was operating on 23 minutes sleep… who on LA does he guard? Or should I say, who guards him?
Derek Fisher (LAL) – Non-factor… always valued on defensive end though… shot just 1-5 FG in 29 minutes.
Jordan Farmar (LAL) – Also a non-factor… six points in 19 minutes.

PHI @ DET (GAME 1)
Andre Miller (PHI) – Came on after a slow start… 20 points in 45 hard minutes… huge put-back late in the fourth after Billups refused to box him out… continues to be overlooked – continues to put up games like this in total anonymity.
Louis Williams (PHI) – Nice contribution with nine points in 22 minutes.
Chauncey Billups (DET) – Shot poorly from the field (3-9 FG)… having said that, why just nine shots? Outplayed by Miller… clanked three FT’s in this one, had done that just once all season… don’t expect another stinker in Game 2.
Lindsey Hunter (DET) – Dusted off the mothballs… hit a three in 12 minutes of burn.

ATL @ BOS (GAME 1)
Mike Bibby (ATL) – I was real excited about his playoff experience… by the way, he was killed by a playoff debutant (Rondo)… shot just 2-10 FG… did I mention he has playoff experience? … also had just one assist in 34 minutes.
Acie Law (ATL) – Hit his only shot in garbage time… welcome to the playoffs.
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – In the first Boston playoff game since the great Dennis Johnson passed away, Rondo had a classic DJ-like performance (apologies for hoop sacrilege)… 15/6/9/2 steals and shut down a so-called playoff performer (Bibby)… any questions about his youth and inexperience?
Sam Cassell (BOS) – 10 points and instant offense in 16 minutes off the bench… exactly what they got him for.
Eddie House (BOS) – Hit a three, all is well in the world

Chris Paul's Playoff Debut

I questioned Chris Paul's lack of playoff experience... everyone questioned it. Sure, it was only one game, but geez, talk about putting that talk to rest.

Playoffs: Day 1

WAS @ CLE (GM 1)
Antonio Daniels (WAS) – Started but played bench minutes (20), scored four points.
Gilbert Arenas (WAS) – Best scoring game since return, looked confident, shot well (8-16 FG, 4-5 3-PT), fouled out.
Roger Mason (WAS) – 12 scoreless minutes.
Delonte West (CLE) – 16/5/5 with two steals and two blocks? Yeah, that’ll work as leader of LeBron’s entourage.
Daniel Gibson (CLE) – 11 points, five assists, two 3s, in almost two-and-a-half quarters of work in best game since February.

PHX @ SA (GM 1)
Steve Nash (PHX) – Spent all day Friday in bed with the flu, scored just 11 in regulation, hit 14 more in two OT’s (25 points), added 13 assists, hit crazy three at the end of the 2OT, just two TO’s in 45 minutes.
Tony Parker (SA) – 26 points in 51 minutes, shot very well (11-20 FG), fouled out.
Jacque Vaughn (SA) – 3 scoreless minutes – let’s hear it for Jacque Vaughn!

DAL @ NO (GM 1)
Jason Kidd (DAL) – Had trouble keeping Paul out of the paint, 11/9/9 isn’t too bad right? Five shots in 39 minutes one game after a 27-point night aren’t enough.
Jason Terry (DAL) – 24 uneventful minutes for eight points.
Tyronn Lue (DAL) – One minute.
Chris Paul (NO) – Not a bad playoff debut huh? 35 points, 10 assists, and one giant big “You were worried about my playoff debut?” statement… now, can he do it over a series?
Jannero Pargo (NO) – Tough shooting night (1-9 FG) for Hornet super-sub, better player than this.

UTH @ HOU (GM 1)
Deron Williams (UTH) – Took advantage of Rockets’ lack of PG depth, 20 points and 10 assists in 44 controlled minutes.
Ronnie Price (UTH) – Spotted Williams for four minutes.
Bobby Jackson (HOU) – Playing out of position, had a costly turnover instead of an open layup, struggles mightily with his shot (3-15 FG) in 33 minutes.
Aaron Brooks (HOU) – Fell in love with his jumper late, like Jackson struggled from the field (1-7 FG).

It Shall Be Called "Pulling A Delk"

The black-tie crowd rises in unison and applauds as Tony Delk approaches the podium to announce the winner of the award named in his honor. What award? The first annual Tony Delk Award for Random Statistical Explosions. The award, in honor of Delk’s ridiculously random 53-point performance in January of ’01 in Sacramento as a member of the Suns, is remembered fondly by all NBA fans. OK, maybe just casual fans. You know, I lied - only remembered by hoop junkies. Anyway, Delk currently resides in hoops lore with a career average of 9.1 points per game over a 10-year NBA life that included stops in eight cities – so, to say his 53-point game came out of nowhere would be a vast understatement. And no, this isn’t about Delk, but rather, handing out an award that he inspired.

(Delk sighs…. takes in the noise of the 20,000-plus seated in the auditorium)

(A fan yells from the crowd… “We love you Tony!”)

(Delk smiles and nods in approval, then mimes “Thank-you”)

Delk: “It gives me great pleasure to hand out the inaugural Tony Delk Award for Random Statistical Explosions, because it brings back such great memories of my hot night. Could it be seven years already?

“We were playing my old team (Sacramento), who had just let me go the previous season, in their own barn – Arco Arena – and the time just felt right for me to have a performance that, chances are, I couldn’t have duplicated alone in the practice gym.

“I remembered the words that the great Willie Burton had once passed on to me – ‘If I (Burton) can do it, anyone can…’ – and just went out and tried to make everything. It worked.

“But the reason I’m here isn’t to pump up my own tires, but rather, honor another young gentleman who gave us all something to scratch our head about last night. A performance so startling, that people were yelling out my name in remembrance when they heard of the performance. A performance by a guy you’ve never heard of…

(The crowd gasps)

And so, the winner of the Tony Delk Award for Random Statistical Explosions is… Ramon Sessions!

(Of course, this award doesn’t exist, but it should! And in all seriousness, how on earth did a second-round pick/part-time D-Leaguer playing just his fifteenth – fifteenth – NBA game record 20 points, eight boards and 24 assists in a single game? Not only was it a Bucks franchise record, but Sessions was one assist shy of equaling the rookie record for assists in a game. He was just six short of the NBA record! Talk about making the most of an opportunity; Sessions is averaging a double-double this month while taking the reigns for the Bucks' final few games. Is this random? Is this explainable? Is there any way we can prove Tony Delk is really Ramon Sessions’ father? I don’t know the answer to any of those, but all I know is this: Great game kid.)

PG Evaluations: Indiana

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 43 – The number of games Jamaal Tinsley will end up missing for the year if he sits out the remainder of the Pacers’ season (two games).

THE GOOD STUFF: 12 points and 8 assists a game for your starting PG is good, but not great. Over December and January, Tinsley averaged 13.5 points and 8.7 assists – who wouldn’t take that? Seriously, I’m having trouble writing three “good” sentences without having the temptation to use the words “gun possession” or “off-court incident” or “indiscretion.” Believe me, I tried.

THE BAD STUFF: I’ll focus on the court here. 52 games or less played in three of the past four seasons. Punch the numbers 38% FG, 28% 3-PT, and 72% FT into the computer and you get: Bad Shooter.

THE BACK-UP: Travis Diener, a poor man’s Steve Blake, emerged as the Pacers’ back-up PG and basically full-time starter (late-January to mid-March) in Tinsley’s absence. He’s played more games this year than he did in two years in Orlando, and he’s done a decent job. His stats (7 points, 3.8 assists) won’t make you rush to the computer to trade for him in your fantasy league, but he takes care of the ball, knows his limitations, and at the bargain basement price of $1.5 mill (seriously, that’s bargain basement) he’s a good guy to have around if others get hurt.

EVALUATION: OK, when healthy and (perhaps?) sane, Tinsley is a more-than-serviceable PG. Eight assists a game? Yeah, that’ll work. But here’s the thing: His attitude, off-court stuff, and general unpredictability in his seven NBA seasons makes him very hard to rely on for a full season. Sure, the talent is there, but like a lot of NBA guys “with talent,” sometimes the other stuff gets in the way and just flat-out doesn’t make it worthwhile. Tinsley is Exhibit A.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

Old School: KJ

SportsCenter dropped a little doozy the other night: Only three guys since the NBA-ABA merger in '76 have had seasons in which they averaged over 21 points and 11 assists while their team won 50 games or more. Nice stat. Anyway, the three guys were Magic (predictably), Kevin Johnson and Chris Paul.

Magic won MVP's in the three years that he did it, while Paul is in line for a top-three finish this season. KJ? Not a single, stinkin' MVP vote.

But he gets the next best thing... he becomes a blog topic here. I know, I know, spoiling him for sure, but the guy was a stud, he deserves it.

For the record, KJ turned the trick in '90, when he put up a career-high 22.5 points per game, throw in 11.4 assists, 54 wins, a trip to the conference finals and all while combining with Tom Chambers to form one of the coolest tandems in NBAville. By the way, KJ was 23 at the time, just one year older than Paul is now.

Definitely one of the most overlooked PG's of his generation, considering his exploits, and he was probably never better than he was in '90. He dropped 30-plus in Game 5 of PHX's opening round win at Utah, including the game winner as time expired - the game has since been preserved on the NBA's Greatest Games and it's on NBA TV from time to time. He then led the Suns past Magic and his Lakers in a 4-1 series, which at the time was considered a minor miracle. He started alongside The Magician at the very next All-Star Game.

Now get this garbage: On January 9, 1990, the Suns hosted the Lakers and KJ had 34 and 15, while Magic had 24 and 24. Seriously, people talk about Kidd and Nash going at it, or Paul and Williams now, but have two PG's ever gone at it like that? Not bloody likely.

Final note: Everyone remembers his dunk on Olajuwon in the '95 playoffs, but just know, it was only good enough for the second best dunk of his career. And if you don't believe me, just ask Mark Eaton.

From The Tube: AI vs Marbury circa '97

I actually got this game on DVD in the mail last week.

March ’97: Sixers at Wolves. Iverson at Marbury. It was a match-up of one team playing well below expectations (Philly) against a team exceeding them (Minny). It was also a match-up of two youngin’s, both locked in a tight battle for the Rookie of the Year Award. AI had the glitzier stats – and besides, even then he was flat-out the better player - whereas Marbury had good numbers (surprisingly a more team-oriented PG – yes, you read that correctly), but had made a positive difference to his team, as the T-Wolves were on the cusp of their inaugural playoff appearance.

Anyway, the Sixers – led by AI, Stack, DC and Spoon (yeah, a team with this much talent won just 22 games!) – jumped out to a huge lead, with AI leading the way. Marbury bought the Wolves back, fouling out Iverson in the process, and finishing with 24 points in a 104-100 win.

This was their first pro meeting, and a number of things stood out: 1) Just how hard those guys were going at each other, it was nice to remember a time where there was a place for one-on-one rivalry within a game; 2) Iverson was donning the cornrows for I think the fifth time ever in his career IIRC (he used to go with the mini-fro mostly that year); 3) AI controlled the first three quarters, while Marbury took over late, leading a Minnesota charge; 4) It still amazes me now that Philly had AI, Stack, DC and Spoon (respective career averages the day this game was played: 23, 19, 19, 17) and still couldn't at least break even over their 82 games - they lost a bunch, but boy were they fun to watch; 5) Even at age 19, KG was insanely competitive, crazy, huh?

Anyway, this is all I could find on YouTube, trust me, the full game is a cracker. Enjoy!

PG Evaluations: Chicago

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 4.8 – The drop in points per game for Kirk Hinrich from ’07 to ’08. Hinrich went from dropping 16 a night for The East’s Next Top Team to a struggling player barely averaging double figures on a team who plummeted below expectations. This happened in a matter of 10 months.

THE GOOD STUFF: Uh… umm, well, Hinrich’s alma mater (Kansas) won the NCAA title, that would make Captain Kirk happy, right?

THE BAD STUFF: Geez, where to begin. Somebody contaminated the water in Chicago this year, and Hinrich was the main consumer. Just 11 points per, 41% shooting, and an immeasurable confidence drop. How bad was it? My game notes from Chicago’s December meeting with Boston: “Hinrich is trying too hard… probably time to bench him.” The footnote to that scribble: 10:28 left in the third quarter.

THE BACK-UP: 27 years from now when some junkie is sifting through the Bulls media guide, they will see that in 2008 Chris Duhon had another ho-hum Duhon kind of year: 5 points, 4 assists in 20 minutes per game off the bench. What they won’t see is the suspension for disciplinary reasons stemming from discontent over a lack of playing time. Probably no big deal in a lost season, but the Bulls could’ve done without it, especially from a mediocre player.

EVALUATION: Just write this one off. A bad year for a good player (Hinrich) who probably wasn’t playing in the greatest environment known to man. But no excuses. Here is a guy who, as mentioned, was putting up almost 17 a night for a team many predicted to win the East. The one thing that really stuck out to me was the confidence Hinrich has lost. It will be how he bounces back from it that perhaps determines his fate as a professional – really, it will. Keep an eye on it.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

PG Evaluations: Charlotte

Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.

KEY NUMBER: 12.5 – As in, shots per game by Bobcats PG Raymond Felton, which is good for third on the team. Why am I telling this? Well, Felton led his team in shots taken last season – something I noted prior to this season. He’s the point guard. He plays with Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson. This is more like it.

THE GOOD STUFF: Any time you put up 14.3 points and 7.3 assists, you can play. That’s good. But what’s even better from Felton is that, in roughly 36 minutes – or three quarters per game – he turns it over just a shade more than twice a game, for about 2.5 assists per turnover. For a young pup, you’d think that would get better the older, wiser, more experienced that he gets. Of course, Stephon Marbury was a better PG as a rookie than he ever was after that… so who the heck knows?

THE BAD STUFF: Like last year, Felton’s shooting was questionable. No one will mistake him for Dale Ellis – sorry, how about a name you know, like Larry Bird – when shooting the ball, as his 41% FG indicates. His 28% from three-point range indicates he should perhaps have a clause in his contract prohibiting him from taking a shot outside 15-feet. Luckily enough, he has time to get better.

THE BACK-UP: Charlotte went with Jeff McInnis as their top back-up. He went to North Carolina. So did Felton. So did the guy who bought them to Bobcatville, some guy named Jordan, who they say was a good player in his day. See the theme? Anyway, McInnis once played for the Clippers, so he knows how to lose with pride, so Charlotte is right up his alley. He put up 4 points and 4 assists per while playing roughly two-thirds of the season. Earl Boykins was also bought in, and although he stands roughly the height of a Doberman, he is strictly a shooter first.

EVALUATION: While there wasn’t a drastic increase in his numbers, Felton added another year of experience as a starting PG. While fellow ‘05ers Chris Paul and Deron Williams were fighting for playoff position – and in Paul’s case, trying to decide where the MVP trophy would best fit in his living room – Felton was punching the clock down in Charlotte for a fourth-year team still vying for its first playoff appearance. Still, Felton is an up-and-coming player on an up-and-coming team. His numbers, if he was drafted any year other than ’05, would compare very favorably others at his position. Good player.

ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index

PG Evaluations Index

Over the next few weeks I'll be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year, starting with non-playoff teams, then moving to the eliminated teams as they bow out, and finishing with the final two teams standing in June.

Charlotte / Chicago / Indiana / New York / Miami / Milwaukee / New Jersey / Atlanta

Player Spotlight: Luke Ridnour

The league operates in funny ways.

If you’re competing with another guy for a spot or for minutes, then if something ill happens towards that guy (traded, injury, suspension, etc) then you’re almost happy that it happened - in a sick, twisted way - because it means more opportunity for oneself.

Take Luke Ridnour for example.

Caught on the wrong side of a three-way PG scrum in Seattle with Delonte West and Earl Watson, Ridnour, himself a former starter, basically had his first-half of the season count for naught. Struggling with injury, and then struggling for minutes when actually healthy, it was clear that PJ Carlesimo’s drug of choice was a West/Watson rotation.

Prior to the All-Star break, Ridnour was playing less than 20 minutes per and contributing just five points and four assists, down from career averages of nine and five.

Then in mid-February, Seattle traded West to Cleveland. Ah-hah… Ridnour goes from not-sure-if-I’m-gonna-get-off-the-bench-tonight to Seattle’s backup PG.

And Ridnour, like a lot of reserves in this league, usually makes the most of an opportunity to play a lot of minutes. Since the All-Star break, he’s at around 22 minutes, eight points, four assists and exactly one spot in the rotation that is set in stone – the latter probably the most important aspect.

His 19 points in Seattle’s We’re-gonna-screw-your-playoff-chances win over Denver on Sunday night was a season high. Late in March he had a string of four straight games in double figures, something that once was considered the norm is now something to hang your hat on. Ridnour also had 15 assists in a February game in Golden State.

Moral: Take your chances when they’re there.