Monday, July 14, 2008

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.

Monday, July 7, 2008

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