duncan228
10-26-2007, 05:26 PM
http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_7290141
Terrific twosome
Utah Jazz: Duncan, Parker still quite a pair
Williams, Boozer are not yet at the same level as their counterparts in San Antonio
By Steve Luhm
The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are the best young point guard-forward combination in the NBA.
For a while longer, however, the best 1-2 punch in the game is still thriving in San Antonio.
This week, the Spurs' Tony Parker and Tim Duncan begin their seventh season as teammates. In that span, they have made San Antonio a perennial 50-win contender and carried the Spurs to a pair of championships.
If Utah's John Stockton and Karl Malone were the NBA's best point guard-power forward combination during the 1990s, Parker and Duncan have taken the baton from them and proudly ran on with it.
Why has their partnership worked so well?
"Both of them are so versatile," said veteran Jazz center Jarron Collins.
Utah coach Jerry Sloan compares the ability of Parker and Duncan to simplify the game to the way Stockton and Malone played during their 18 seasons together in Utah.
Said Sloan: "I remember what John always said that he had a very good receiver. [Parker] has a good receiver, too. . . . San Antonio has a good guy to pass the ball and a good guy to catch it. That makes it kind of simple, doesn't it?"
As the 28th pick in the first round of the 2001 draft, Parker wasn't an immediate star in the NBA. His development is what has made his partnership with Duncan one-of-a-kind.
"He's worked on his shot," Sloan said, "and the guy can get on top of the basket. You know, he's a fearless guy, and guys who are fearless can get on top of the basket. That's tougher to do than people realize. But he makes it look easy because he's clever, talented and tough."
Collins agrees.
"Tony Parker does an excellent job for them," he said. "Most people might not know it, but he consistently leads the league in [field-goal] attempts in the key. . . . He has a knack for driving and slashing to the basket. And his jump shot, he has worked on it and improved it."
Still, Duncan's longevity, consistency and dominance on the defensive end has been the key to the success of the Spurs' dynamic duo.
"It all starts with him," Collins said. "Tim is one of the best power forwards to ever play the game . . . and they have the championships to back it up. With all their experience, talent and success, Tony and Tim are the best and will be until someone goes out and beats them."
Said Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor: "Great players, in order to be classified in that category, have to pass the test of time. Guys who make the Hall of Fame - guys who we talk about as having successful careers - they have done it for years. Those two guys have done it consistently for a long time, and they've won."
Among the emerging point guard-power forward twosomes that might replace Parker and Duncan as the NBA's best are Toronto's T.J. Ford and Chris Bosh, Charlotte's Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor, Minnesota's Randy Foye and Al Jefferson and New Orleans' Chris Paul and David West.
None of them, however, seem to have the potential of Utah's Williams and Boozer.
"Deron is special because of his ability to dish the ball, create shots for his teammates and, when it's needed, take over a ballgame," Collins said. "That's what he did in the playoffs for us last year."
And Boozer?
"He has such a great ability to score and rebound," Collins said. "There are guys who are just walking double-doubles, and he's one of them."
Pts. Rebs. Asts.
2001-02
Tim Duncan 25.5 12.7 3.7
Tony Parker 9.2 2.6 4.3
2002-03
Tim Duncan 23.3 12.9 3.9
Tony Parker 15.5 2.6 5.3
2003-04
Tim Duncan 22.3 12.9 3.9
Tony Parker 14.7 3.2 5.5
2004-05
Tim Duncan 20.3 11.1 2.7
Tony Parker 16.6 3.7 6.1
2005-06
Tim Duncan 18.6 11.0 3.2
Tony Parker 18.9 3.3 5.8
2006-07
Tim Duncan 20.0 10.6 3.4
Tony Parker 18.6 3.2 5.5
Terrific twosome
Utah Jazz: Duncan, Parker still quite a pair
Williams, Boozer are not yet at the same level as their counterparts in San Antonio
By Steve Luhm
The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are the best young point guard-forward combination in the NBA.
For a while longer, however, the best 1-2 punch in the game is still thriving in San Antonio.
This week, the Spurs' Tony Parker and Tim Duncan begin their seventh season as teammates. In that span, they have made San Antonio a perennial 50-win contender and carried the Spurs to a pair of championships.
If Utah's John Stockton and Karl Malone were the NBA's best point guard-power forward combination during the 1990s, Parker and Duncan have taken the baton from them and proudly ran on with it.
Why has their partnership worked so well?
"Both of them are so versatile," said veteran Jazz center Jarron Collins.
Utah coach Jerry Sloan compares the ability of Parker and Duncan to simplify the game to the way Stockton and Malone played during their 18 seasons together in Utah.
Said Sloan: "I remember what John always said that he had a very good receiver. [Parker] has a good receiver, too. . . . San Antonio has a good guy to pass the ball and a good guy to catch it. That makes it kind of simple, doesn't it?"
As the 28th pick in the first round of the 2001 draft, Parker wasn't an immediate star in the NBA. His development is what has made his partnership with Duncan one-of-a-kind.
"He's worked on his shot," Sloan said, "and the guy can get on top of the basket. You know, he's a fearless guy, and guys who are fearless can get on top of the basket. That's tougher to do than people realize. But he makes it look easy because he's clever, talented and tough."
Collins agrees.
"Tony Parker does an excellent job for them," he said. "Most people might not know it, but he consistently leads the league in [field-goal] attempts in the key. . . . He has a knack for driving and slashing to the basket. And his jump shot, he has worked on it and improved it."
Still, Duncan's longevity, consistency and dominance on the defensive end has been the key to the success of the Spurs' dynamic duo.
"It all starts with him," Collins said. "Tim is one of the best power forwards to ever play the game . . . and they have the championships to back it up. With all their experience, talent and success, Tony and Tim are the best and will be until someone goes out and beats them."
Said Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor: "Great players, in order to be classified in that category, have to pass the test of time. Guys who make the Hall of Fame - guys who we talk about as having successful careers - they have done it for years. Those two guys have done it consistently for a long time, and they've won."
Among the emerging point guard-power forward twosomes that might replace Parker and Duncan as the NBA's best are Toronto's T.J. Ford and Chris Bosh, Charlotte's Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor, Minnesota's Randy Foye and Al Jefferson and New Orleans' Chris Paul and David West.
None of them, however, seem to have the potential of Utah's Williams and Boozer.
"Deron is special because of his ability to dish the ball, create shots for his teammates and, when it's needed, take over a ballgame," Collins said. "That's what he did in the playoffs for us last year."
And Boozer?
"He has such a great ability to score and rebound," Collins said. "There are guys who are just walking double-doubles, and he's one of them."
Pts. Rebs. Asts.
2001-02
Tim Duncan 25.5 12.7 3.7
Tony Parker 9.2 2.6 4.3
2002-03
Tim Duncan 23.3 12.9 3.9
Tony Parker 15.5 2.6 5.3
2003-04
Tim Duncan 22.3 12.9 3.9
Tony Parker 14.7 3.2 5.5
2004-05
Tim Duncan 20.3 11.1 2.7
Tony Parker 16.6 3.7 6.1
2005-06
Tim Duncan 18.6 11.0 3.2
Tony Parker 18.9 3.3 5.8
2006-07
Tim Duncan 20.0 10.6 3.4
Tony Parker 18.6 3.2 5.5