jcrod
04-08-2005, 12:39 PM
Dynamic duos
Wizards' pair headlines list of NBA's best backcourts
Link (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/drew_packham/04/05/best.backcourts/index.html)
For me, the end of the last century was all about guard play. From 1987-92 the MVP award was split between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, two of the most exciting guards ever. Isiah Thomas ruled the Bad Boys. Mo Cheeks ran the Sixers with aplomb. And John Stockton came along and kept the short-shorts era going strong into the '90s.
Even today, I find myself drawn to the NBA backcourts. Whether it's a crossover dribble, a pull-up jumper or a little guy hitting a running floater over a 7-footer in the lane, good guard play gives me goosebumps. Maybe it's the Napoleon complex in me, but there's just something about seeing good guards "sticking it to the man," to paraphrase Jack Black's character in School of Rock.
But one good guard does not a good backcourt make, so today's Starting Five is dedicated to the league's best backcourt duos.
Let me preface the list by explaining that one of the toughest decisions I faced was deciding whether or not to include the Jason Kidd-Vince Carter backcourt. Since Carter has been starting at small forward for most of the season, though, I decided in the end not to, but when Richard Jefferson returns and Carter moves to guard, this would definitely be one of the league's top five.
Gilbert Arenas/Larry Hughes, Wizards
Arenas and Hughes are the best guard tandem in the league -- hands down, if you believe Hughes.
"Gilbert and I are the best backcourt tandem in the league," Hughes said. "You can put us up against anybody, either in the East or the West, and I feel like we're the best."
I believe him. No team has been able to stop them this season. The only thing that has slowed them was a thumb injury that cost Hughes 20 games. In his absence, the Wizards went 9-11. With Hughes, the Wizards have a record of 32-20.
Arenas and Hughes are far and away the best scoring backcourt in the league, averaging almost 48 points combined. They're also the most aggressive defensively, with Hughes leading the league in steals per game (2.9) and Arenas coming in at fifth (1.86).
"Those two have really raised their games," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said after the pair combined for 53 points in a win last week over Portland. "They help their teammates get their opportunities and they know when to get their own. That's why they are good players and why we are a well-rounded team."
Steve Nash/Joe Johnson, Suns
The Suns have become title contenders and their backcourt has been the driving force. Sure, Amare Stoudemire is the powerful bruiser in the middle, but it's Nash and underappreciated off-guard Johnson that makes the Suns tick. Since Nash arrived, Phoenix has played a loosey-goosey style of ball that has translated into the league's best record (56-17) and a lot of new fans.
For Johnson, Nash's arrival has meant better looks. Like last season, Johnson is averaging 16.7 points, but his percentages have risen like, well, a phoenix. This season, he's second in the league in 3-point field-goal percentage, hitting 46.8 percent, a mark he can certainly attribute to Nash's penetrate-and-dish dimes.
Nash and Johnson aren't quite the scorers that some of these other guards are, but they've transformed a 29-53 team into this year's darling and one of the league's most exciting shows. For that they deserve credit.
Richard Hamilton/Chauncey Billups, Pistons
Earlier in the season, I ripped the Pistons when talking about the NBA's five most exciting teams (the Pistons weren't even close). However, when considering the league's best backcourts, Detroit's duo of Hamilton and Billups definitely makes the cut.
They're not the flashiest or most exciting pair of guards, but you can't argue with their winning ways. The Pistons are once again one of the teams to beat coming out of the East, and you can bet the Lakers have memories of last year's Finals still in their minds.
Neither Hamilton nor Billups has made an All-Star team, but they've both made the Pistons the defending NBA champs and maneuvered Detroit into position to retain their crown with a 46-27 record and a solid grasp of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Since the two arrived in '02-03 -- Hamilton from Washington, Billups from Minnesota -- they've been the top two scorers on the Pistons. This year, Hamilton is the team's leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points and Billups isn't far behind, scoring 16.9 per game. When the Pistons need a bucket, there's a good chance Larry Brown is running the play through either Rip or Chauncey.
[B]Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili, Spurs
This is another tandem who makes the list in large part because of their winning ways. The Spurs, in return, have put a lot of money into the pair, signing Parker to a six-year, $66 million extension last offseason and Ginobili to a six-year deal worth $52 million. So far, the duo is paying dividends, and San Antonio only expects that to continue.
Parker is one of the quickest point guards in the game and has the talent to slice through most defenses to the bucket, evident in his .487 shooting percentage, which is even more impressive considering he only hits 27 percent of his 3-point attempts. Ginobili, known in the past more for his defense, has become a better scorer this season (up three points per game to 15.8) thanks to improved shooting (career-high 47 percent).
This is possibly the least flashy duo of the group, but one of the steadiest. Parker runs the offense, knowing that play runs through the big guy, Tim Duncan. Ginobili is the defensive stopper and all-around hustle guy, and together they have San Antonio ready for a title run when Duncan returns from his injured ankle.
Baron Davis/Jason Richardson, Warriors
The Warriors had a good backcourt with Derek Fisher and Richardson. When Davis arrived from Charlotte at the trade deadline, their backcourt became a great one.
"It's like night and day," Richardson said of the difference since Davis arrived. "Guys are just working hard. We had a lot of close games before Baron got here, but now he's here and it takes a lot of pressure off guys like myself."
The Warriors' playoff hopes have been slim almost all season, but Davis, a two-time All-Star point guard, has been a bright spot and has given the Golden State fans a glimpse at a potentially bright future. Since Davis arrived, the Warriors have gone 12-7 and have won eight of their last nine, but more important, they have played with emotion and renewed energy.
Should the the young Warriors find a way to consistently channel that effort, they could ride the backcourt of Davis and Richardson into the playoffs next season.
Honorable mention: Dwyane Wade/Damon Jones, Heat (Jones is underrated and Wade is one of the league's top point guards); Stephon Marbury/Jamal Crawford, Knicks (statistically one of the best, but inconsistency is a killer for this pair; one night they sizzle, the next they're sloppy and lackluster); Mike Bibby/Cuttino Mobley, Kings (they're still figuring each other out; once they do, I really like their potential); Allen Iverson/Andre Iguodala, 76ers (the stats stack up favorably, thanks to Iverson's scoring and Iguodala's hustle numbers, but give them a year); Kobe Bryant/Chucky Atkins, Lakers (Which backcourt would you rather have: a star and a mediocre player or two above-average players? If you prefer the former, this is your backcourt.)
Wizards' pair headlines list of NBA's best backcourts
Link (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/drew_packham/04/05/best.backcourts/index.html)
For me, the end of the last century was all about guard play. From 1987-92 the MVP award was split between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, two of the most exciting guards ever. Isiah Thomas ruled the Bad Boys. Mo Cheeks ran the Sixers with aplomb. And John Stockton came along and kept the short-shorts era going strong into the '90s.
Even today, I find myself drawn to the NBA backcourts. Whether it's a crossover dribble, a pull-up jumper or a little guy hitting a running floater over a 7-footer in the lane, good guard play gives me goosebumps. Maybe it's the Napoleon complex in me, but there's just something about seeing good guards "sticking it to the man," to paraphrase Jack Black's character in School of Rock.
But one good guard does not a good backcourt make, so today's Starting Five is dedicated to the league's best backcourt duos.
Let me preface the list by explaining that one of the toughest decisions I faced was deciding whether or not to include the Jason Kidd-Vince Carter backcourt. Since Carter has been starting at small forward for most of the season, though, I decided in the end not to, but when Richard Jefferson returns and Carter moves to guard, this would definitely be one of the league's top five.
Gilbert Arenas/Larry Hughes, Wizards
Arenas and Hughes are the best guard tandem in the league -- hands down, if you believe Hughes.
"Gilbert and I are the best backcourt tandem in the league," Hughes said. "You can put us up against anybody, either in the East or the West, and I feel like we're the best."
I believe him. No team has been able to stop them this season. The only thing that has slowed them was a thumb injury that cost Hughes 20 games. In his absence, the Wizards went 9-11. With Hughes, the Wizards have a record of 32-20.
Arenas and Hughes are far and away the best scoring backcourt in the league, averaging almost 48 points combined. They're also the most aggressive defensively, with Hughes leading the league in steals per game (2.9) and Arenas coming in at fifth (1.86).
"Those two have really raised their games," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said after the pair combined for 53 points in a win last week over Portland. "They help their teammates get their opportunities and they know when to get their own. That's why they are good players and why we are a well-rounded team."
Steve Nash/Joe Johnson, Suns
The Suns have become title contenders and their backcourt has been the driving force. Sure, Amare Stoudemire is the powerful bruiser in the middle, but it's Nash and underappreciated off-guard Johnson that makes the Suns tick. Since Nash arrived, Phoenix has played a loosey-goosey style of ball that has translated into the league's best record (56-17) and a lot of new fans.
For Johnson, Nash's arrival has meant better looks. Like last season, Johnson is averaging 16.7 points, but his percentages have risen like, well, a phoenix. This season, he's second in the league in 3-point field-goal percentage, hitting 46.8 percent, a mark he can certainly attribute to Nash's penetrate-and-dish dimes.
Nash and Johnson aren't quite the scorers that some of these other guards are, but they've transformed a 29-53 team into this year's darling and one of the league's most exciting shows. For that they deserve credit.
Richard Hamilton/Chauncey Billups, Pistons
Earlier in the season, I ripped the Pistons when talking about the NBA's five most exciting teams (the Pistons weren't even close). However, when considering the league's best backcourts, Detroit's duo of Hamilton and Billups definitely makes the cut.
They're not the flashiest or most exciting pair of guards, but you can't argue with their winning ways. The Pistons are once again one of the teams to beat coming out of the East, and you can bet the Lakers have memories of last year's Finals still in their minds.
Neither Hamilton nor Billups has made an All-Star team, but they've both made the Pistons the defending NBA champs and maneuvered Detroit into position to retain their crown with a 46-27 record and a solid grasp of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Since the two arrived in '02-03 -- Hamilton from Washington, Billups from Minnesota -- they've been the top two scorers on the Pistons. This year, Hamilton is the team's leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points and Billups isn't far behind, scoring 16.9 per game. When the Pistons need a bucket, there's a good chance Larry Brown is running the play through either Rip or Chauncey.
[B]Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili, Spurs
This is another tandem who makes the list in large part because of their winning ways. The Spurs, in return, have put a lot of money into the pair, signing Parker to a six-year, $66 million extension last offseason and Ginobili to a six-year deal worth $52 million. So far, the duo is paying dividends, and San Antonio only expects that to continue.
Parker is one of the quickest point guards in the game and has the talent to slice through most defenses to the bucket, evident in his .487 shooting percentage, which is even more impressive considering he only hits 27 percent of his 3-point attempts. Ginobili, known in the past more for his defense, has become a better scorer this season (up three points per game to 15.8) thanks to improved shooting (career-high 47 percent).
This is possibly the least flashy duo of the group, but one of the steadiest. Parker runs the offense, knowing that play runs through the big guy, Tim Duncan. Ginobili is the defensive stopper and all-around hustle guy, and together they have San Antonio ready for a title run when Duncan returns from his injured ankle.
Baron Davis/Jason Richardson, Warriors
The Warriors had a good backcourt with Derek Fisher and Richardson. When Davis arrived from Charlotte at the trade deadline, their backcourt became a great one.
"It's like night and day," Richardson said of the difference since Davis arrived. "Guys are just working hard. We had a lot of close games before Baron got here, but now he's here and it takes a lot of pressure off guys like myself."
The Warriors' playoff hopes have been slim almost all season, but Davis, a two-time All-Star point guard, has been a bright spot and has given the Golden State fans a glimpse at a potentially bright future. Since Davis arrived, the Warriors have gone 12-7 and have won eight of their last nine, but more important, they have played with emotion and renewed energy.
Should the the young Warriors find a way to consistently channel that effort, they could ride the backcourt of Davis and Richardson into the playoffs next season.
Honorable mention: Dwyane Wade/Damon Jones, Heat (Jones is underrated and Wade is one of the league's top point guards); Stephon Marbury/Jamal Crawford, Knicks (statistically one of the best, but inconsistency is a killer for this pair; one night they sizzle, the next they're sloppy and lackluster); Mike Bibby/Cuttino Mobley, Kings (they're still figuring each other out; once they do, I really like their potential); Allen Iverson/Andre Iguodala, 76ers (the stats stack up favorably, thanks to Iverson's scoring and Iguodala's hustle numbers, but give them a year); Kobe Bryant/Chucky Atkins, Lakers (Which backcourt would you rather have: a star and a mediocre player or two above-average players? If you prefer the former, this is your backcourt.)