Sorry, but you can't "learn" to be clutch. Guys like Horry, Reggie, Kobe, Billups, etc just have it in them. He may be able to handle the pressure better in the future, and not fold like a deck of cards, but you don't go from Parker level clutch to Billups level.
Billups is a true floor leader, where as Tony isnt (he probably won't ever have to with Duncan and Manu by him).
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Last edited by FreshPrince22; 09-12-2011 at 02:05 PM.
Once TP becomes a "dollar player" (good for four quarters) he will be a top 5 pg. The good thing is that he is only 23 and still has room to grow. I think playing with Manu and Tim is good for him because he can grow and progress at his rate and not have to have the pressure of being the #1 guy all the time.
Billups was nothing until aout 3 years ago. I'm not saying that I disagree with your statement that Billups>>Parker nor am I disagreeing with Billups and his clutchness and ability to hit big shots in the postseason. However, let's be honest, until Billups got under LB's wings and took the Pistons to the Finals, who had EVER described Billups as a "true floor leader?" As for his clutchness, I never heard much about his "clutchness" until 03-04.
My point is that all these comparison stats are moot. Guys like Billups, Nash, AI, etc. have been in the league for far longer than Parker, and have already had that "one season" or turning point in their careers where they've turned their games around and raised it to the next level. It's too premature for these comparisons.
A 6'2" Tony Parker scoring the game-winning shot against a 7'0" Dirk Nowitzki and a 7'6" Bradley with 2 seconds to go.
Apparently, Parker has already "learned" to be clutch for a while now. Just because we have Tim and Manu to be clutch, and now adding Van Exel to the threat, doesn't mean Tony can't still do it.
OHHHHHHHHHHH, that was a sick shot! I still remember that game!
Was that the game where he made the hilarious comment about having balls?
In the POST SEASON of 2002, when Terrell Brandon was out with injury, Chauncey Billups averaged something like 23 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds for the Timberwolves. That's part of the reason the Pistons signed him to a long term contract. He was also an overall #3 pick in his draft (1997, same draft class as Duncan), after a great sop re year at Colorado.
His tour at Boston was a problem because the way Rick Pitino ran his players like college players. His time in Denver was tumultous in large part because in retrospect Dan Issel didn't know what he was doing. His first true opportunity came when Terrell Brandon got injured in the 2001-2002 season.
Chauncey being a "clutch" player is overstated. In the last few years, he has just been fortunate enough to have hit some big shots in big playoff games. He is also an excellent free throw shooter, which allows him to "ICE" games as a "clutch" player. Most starters in the NBA have the talent and at ude to be "clutch" players.
Comparing stats is not "moot." If we are having a discussion to rank players, we are ranking players as they are NOW, or as of the LAST SEASON. We can say Amare Stoudemire is better than Kevin Garnett because Amare will be better than KG in a few years. We are talking about the here and now.
As for Tony Parker, I think it's fair that he is one of the quickest guards in the league. I think he is one of the best point guards in driving to the hoop using his quickiness and his tear drop floater. He is a decent defender, and better than average play maker. He has a nice but inconsistent jumpshot. BUT, one definite negative thing you can say about Tony Parker is that in each of the last post seasons, he has had mental breakdowns and defensive lapses or turnovers that really hurt his team, so much so, that sometimes he didn't finish close playoff games. This past finals run, there were times that Manu or Brent Barry had to man the point guard in clutch fourth quarter situations because Tony Parker was not performing well.
TP may very well become one of the better point guards in the league. But, not only does he have to get a little stronger and a more consistent jumpshot, he also has to gain the mental toughness to lead this team. Since both Manu and Tim are in their late 20s, and Tony Parker is only 23, ask yourself this: When both Manu and Tim are retired, say in 8 years when Tony is still in his prime, do you honestly see him leading a team to another championship as the number one option?
In 01-02 Parker as a 19 year old rookie went out there and schooled Gary Payton....he had struggled against the Lakers...but Fisher is a tougher defender than he gets credit for and Pop had him on a short leash.
Overall...I'd say he exceeded the expectations of a 19 year old PG.
In 02-03....Parker had the toughest assignment in just about every series...Marbury, Nash, Kidd...
He held his own against Jason Kidd...so much so that the Nets had to pull Kidd off of him defensively. Everyone acts like he tanked and was saved by Speedy..but he had 4 good games in that series...including game 5...and Speedy didn't really do anything other than game 6 when he was left wide open and dared to shoot.
He did okay against Nash...He got food poisoning but earlier in that series Nelson put Raja Bell on Parker to go out there and throw elbows.
Marbury has always been Parker's toughest matchup..but by the late games of that series Parker was playing up to his nomral level.
Overall...he didn't suck...he held his own against the guy the Spurs were looking at replacing him with...arguably the best PG in the NBA.
In 03-04...
Well through the first two games of that Laker series...Parker wasn't just playing spectacular...he was the best player on the court...for either team. Phil Jackson started doubling him...and that is still the only time I have ever seen Phil double a PG...
Parker sucked for the last 4 games of that series...but so did everyone else...and Parker was the focus of a major defensive adjustment.
But still..you cannot deny that he was totally phonomenal in the first 2 games of that series...the best player on the court..on a court that had Duncan, Shaq, Malone, Kobe, Payton and Manu.
In 04-05...
Parker again had the toughest assignment in nearly every series...Dre Miller...the MVP Steve Nash, and the Finals MVP Billups...
Parker played as good as could be expected against Nash...he was pretty damn good...Against Miller he struggled...but he did hit a clutch shot in an OT game against them. Against Billups...well he didn't match up well with Chauncey...but he made the game winning defensive play in game 5 and Pop credited Tony with starting the defensive stand in game 6 that lead us to victory.
I don't think there is anyone that can claim Parker has been a post season disappointment based on the challenges he has had...He has shownhe can play a higher level against the toughest compe ion...at the same time...he hasn't quited adjusted to how to play against a team intent on denying him penetration with multiple defenders...
Over all he has been above average...has legitmately earned his 2 rings...and he's just now 23 years old.
And Parker has hit a ton of late second shots and he's hit game winners too...this year he showed a nack for hitting big shots in OT.
Parker is a stud PG...and we haven't seen the best of him yet...In this thread he's being put up against some of the best PG's ever...and he's just now beyond the age of most rookies at the hardest position to master in the NBA.
Wow, nice job, whottt.
For some people, including me, Tony is going to have to overcome the perception given by 03 Finals and the 04 Lakers series. He took some steps toward that in the 05 Finals. As pointed out by the people around here who actually know basketball, he was good to above-average against the toughest defense against point guards in the L.
For others on this board, he is forever going to have to live them down no matter what he does the rest of his career, just because they want to have it in for him.
You must have slept through the 02-03 season then. That was easily his best "clutch" season. During the regular season he lead the league in lead-changing shots in the final 2 minutes, and had 7-8 game winning, last second shots. When LB got here though, he seemed to like to mix it up a bit since going to Billups became predictable (though I still think I'd rather have him take a half-court shot than Rip do what he did in game 5). So Sheed and Rip got a few shots at it this year. The team also probably would have gone to the finals in 02-03 if it weren't for Chauncey's sprained ankle in the playoffs, but that type of thing happens.
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Last edited by FreshPrince22; 09-12-2011 at 02:06 PM.
I think he's owned Nash plenty.
Always said this.
Parker is under-rated...but hey...he's only 23 still the age of a many college rookies...let's see if he establishes himself as one of the truly elite PG's in the NBA this year.
I think by the end of this season he will have proved himself an All Star/All NBA PG...
Yep.
Artest...
All i can say is...
Scoreboard you fan choking .
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