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I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.
Tony Parker: The 3rd Best PG in basketball.
When people think of the point guard position in the NBA, they think of the popular ones - the Nash's, Paul's, Deron's, and Baron's. But one thing all four of those player have in common is that none of them have what Tony Parker has - 3 les.
The overlooking of Tony Parker over the years as an elite NBA PG might be one of the most egregious of any player this decade. How is it that Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, and Baron Davis get mentioned ahead of TP? For one, three of those four players, Parker has beaten on his way to a le consistently. As for Baron Davis, if your argument is that TP is not a disher, then what is Baron? He barely averages one assist more in his career per game and he isn't even a better scorer than Parker who's also much more durable.
Since the double-nickel and 10 assist game he put down on the "baby wolves" last night, I immediately flash-backed to the 2008 Western Conference playoff coverage on TNT during the Spurs-Hornets series. Charles and Kenny were speaking about the emergence of point guards like Deron and Paul and mentioned six other point guards before they mentioned Parker. I was like: "What the does this guy have to do to be mentioned among the best?" He's only 26 years old and has three les already and has been an intregal part of each of them.
I understand anyone saying that Deron and Paul are better than TP. That's not even an argument because they are better all-around players. But, two to three years ago, when Paul and Deron were out at Illinois and Wake, Parker was the best PG in basketball. Not Steve Nash or Kidd - both were still great players, Nash more than Kidd, but Tony Parker has absolutely shredded Nash in the playoffs and has led his team to victory and in scoring in all three playoff series between the teams. In the 2003 NBA Finals, Parker did the same to Jason Kidd in the six game series.
Flash to now - all the players mentioned may play in bigger media markets and are in the spotlight more often, but that shouldn't be a factor in ranking the best PG's in basketball. In addition, the Spurs aren't the most loved franchise in basketball and many seem to diminish the accomplishments of Parker because he has Duncan. Like Paul doesn't have West, Nash have Shaq, or Deron has Boozer.
In the end, if it comes down to leading your team to les, TP is the best point guard in basketball. If it comes down to assists per game, he's not even better than Ramon Sessions. But as an overall package, there are only two players on both the offensive and defensive end that are better than him and that's Paul and Deron. But if you think you can argue anyone after those two being better than a 26 year-old, three ring, could score 50 points if he wants point-guard, you're argument's as weak as the Nuggets defense.
I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.
until CP3 or D-will get close to his accomplishments he is nbr 1
Last edited by urunobili; 11-07-2008 at 02:01 PM.
Parker is still improving. be the best once he knocks down that 3 consistently. He gets overlooked alot due to the market he plays in and his style of play. Deron Williams is the go to guy on his team. So is Chris Paul. But with the Spurs, he shares that with 2 other guys, which takes away alot of the limelight that a PG of his caliber deserves.
A point guard is supposed to dish out assists; Parker might average 25-27 points a game but winning-wise its very hard for a team to live with a score-first PG. That's what separates him from Paul or Williams.
I've been a Spur fan since 92 and what PG have we really had to average a lot of assists. Our offense was never predicated on a lot of point guard involvement. Even Avery didn't average much.
Tony isnt overlooked at all. Guess who came down a couple of weeks ago and seen Tonys house. CP3, thats right the evil guard people think is better then Tony. Yall would be surprised what players think of each other. Its totally different then how fans see players. Believe that.
Avery averaged around 8 assists if I remember correctly.
I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.
We need more replies in this thread from people who have actually watched basketball. Seriously, one of the more idiotic takes I've seen from someone in this forum for quite some time.
wow even after a night at 55 10 and 7 there are some guys here to put TP down
I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.. unbelievable
Saying TP is lucky to be playing alongside TD is correct. Anyone who plays alongside TD is lucky. However, to say he wouldn't be as good as he is because he plays with Duncan is wrong. He would actually have a lot more 30 + points games if he didn't have someone like Duncan on his team.
He is not the best all around PG in the game right now, but he is close and he is still very young. I think the market he is in and the fact that he doesn't throw alley-oops, no look passes, and all that also counts against him. TP is the best at finishing at the basket as far as PGs go. His jumper is looking better. He would probably average more assists, but the team he is isn't the best at putting the ball in the hole and at transition offense.
If a team doesn't let TP get to the rim, and any good, well coached team can do this, he becomes mostly ineffective. even now, with his improved jump shot, do you want TP shooting jumpers all game long when teams go under the screen? I'm sure the opposition does
We need more replies in this thread from people who have actually watched basketball. Seriously, one of the more idiotic takes I've seen from someone in this forum for quite some time.
Good point Vander, but he is improving on that jumper and that is why he is becoming one of the best PGs. If he continues to improve and really get that jumper down, how do you defend him?
tp is just entering his prime people
chip said it would take 3-4 years
this is year 3
what will year 4 be like
I'm not quoting for disagreeing on your post or anything but when I read what I quoted I had the image of pop going crimson like he would be about to kill somebody that popped in my mind...
Parker is playing like the #1 pg in the league right now.
after how many seasons with pop?
and was it with david and tim?
We never have to worry about Tony Parker becoming overrated because Spurs fans are the first in line to take a hatchet to his accomplishments. Amazing.
I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.
Gotta love Spurs fans.
That's actually totally wrong.
Championship Starting Point Guard - Assists Per Game
2008 Rajon Rondo - 5.1
2007 Tony Parker - 5.5
2006 Jason Williams - 4.9
2005 Tony Parker - 6.1
2004 Chauncey Billups - 5.7
2003 Tony Parker - 5.3
2002 Derek Fisher - 2.2
2001 Derek Fisher - 4.4
2000 Ron Harper - 3.4
1999 Avery Johnson - 7.4
1998 Ron Harper - 3.5
1997 Ron Harper - 2.7
1996 Ron Harper - 2.6
1995 Kenny Smith - 4.0
1994 Kenny Smith - 4.2
1993 BJ Armstrong - 4.0
1992 John Paxson - 3.1
1991 John Paxson - 3.6
In the last 18 seasons, exactly one pass-first point guard has won a championship -- and most people (including Spurs fans) regarded Avery Johnson as a weakness rather than a strength. And who's second in the above list? None other than the supposed one-dimensional gunner Tony Parker.
With today's slower paced games and huge increase in scouting ability, having a pass-first point guard actually hurts in the playoffs. The most dangerous teams are the ones that don't depend on one singular player to orchestrate their offense.
You'd think Spurs fans would recognize why the Spurs were able to beat every playoff opponent in the Tim Duncan Era who has relied on a pass-first point guard. The Spurs regard such teams as "snake teams". You cut off the head of the snake and you win. That's why when AJ took over the Mavs, the first thing he did was make the team use isolation plays almost exclusively offensively. A team that comes at you with two or three points of attack is much more difficult to guard than a team that has only one person running the show - as we found out the hard way in the 2006 playoffs.
I agree that pass-first point guards are fun to watch. But wishing for the Spurs to have a pass-first point guard is stupid unless you don't care about championships. The fact that their offense has three playmakers who get about equal shares of touches is a big reason why they have three championships together. You turn Ginobili and Duncan into simply scorers instead of creators and the Spurs wouldn't be nearly as much of a force in the playoffs.
I never had looked at this stat.
Great one Timvp
Tony Parker IS the #3 point guard right now. Nash, Chauncey, whatever are nowhere close. And if you only talk about performance this season, Tony's been the best.
You have CP3, DWill & Tony, then you have the rest.
You know -- Sequ is Sequ, but he's way closer to right than wrong about TP.
This article is bogus. Tony is better than CP and D Williams. You can't prove me wrong. Have your opinion but I'll win any argument on that point.
There's no other PG I'd rather have, but it on the Spurs or any other team in the league. You can have either CP or Williams but Tony is more clutch and a better winner than either one of those two. Tony could lead utah to a ship. -- Williams won't. Are you kidding me!? TP running Sloan's offense? Please.
Good find timvp. To me its the fact the TP isn't all that flashy with his passing and the market he is in that gets him overlooked. The guy is only 26 years old and has three rings. He does a great job of getting his teammates involved even though his assists stat say he averages around 6 per game.
how the can we expect the media to give TP the proper respect, if even Spur fans themselves wont.
I love TP, but the guy is a one-trick pony, and has been very lucky to play alongside Tim Duncan.
TP on almost any other team would not be part of any top PG discussion.
Great work TiMVP.
Whether TP is #1 or #3 really doesn't matter and is infinitely debatable...BUT, he is playing the best basketball of his career and has improved steadily every season and he will continue to improve I predict.
How could TP be playing any better than he is?
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