Tony Parker the scorer or playmaker?

[Solid D]

That fact alone will increase his scoring average next year....

If Tony can increase his FT shooting, that would be a plus, but that's not a guarantee. I would just like to see Tony continue his aggressiveness and pushing the tempo. Last season TP finally became a Top 5 PG and a top scoring threat because he started out being aggressive from the very first game and he bailed the Spurs out of lots of games. Any time a team can get early offense before the defense has time to get set, that is a prime scoring chance. That gives a team a higher scoring % when that happens.

That's what Tony did last year, to go with his ability to finish...and his FG % soared.

I don't think Tony will ever have high assist totals the way the Spurs offense is set up and with the types of scorers the Spurs currently have. They only really have 1 catch-and-shoot guy and that's Michael Finley. The rest of the Spurs, unless they are open for a spot-up 3, like to score off the dribble or in the post with at least a dribble or two mixed in with post moves. Those dribbles eliminate assist opportunities.

[lilmads]

*sigh* this thread makes me realize how long its been since ive seen a spurs game...

[THE SIXTH MAN]

A quick translation of what he say today about his injury in his website :
" Everything is fine. My finger was broken and bones have moved a little. I wear a splint to straighten it. In ten days, I will remove the splint. I do some running and cycling for the moement to stay in shape."

BTW, Parker is in France and should be back at SA on september 15th.

Thanks Bruno

[Nikos]

I guess it is kind of like asking -- do you want Tony to be more like a prime Rod Strickland (minus the horrific pass as a Spur) in terms of playmaking versus being like a equal or better version of a prime Stephon Marbury?

If he were to be a mixture of these two and slightly improve in all areas, he would be similiar to a prime Isiah Thomas (before they won les).

I guess TP does not really need to improve much -- but it still is troublesome that he has been erratic in past playoffs. This previous playoffs is more annoying because he was injured and it is tough to really gauge if he turned the corner or not.

He did improve drastically from 05 to 06. So maybe that will manifest itself in terms of consistency in future playoff appearences?

Not that Tony hasn't had his share of awesome playoff games, it just that he has had some real stinkers mixed in and that cannot happen in the future to the degree it has happened in the past (not so much last playoffs, but in 03, 04, 05).

For someone whose main asset is scoring the inconsistency cannot happen in the future with Manu possibly declining and the supporting cast sort of shaky and old.

I find it hard to beleive that just closing down the lane and daring perimeter players to take open 3's is enough to completely take TP off his game (even if his jumper is off). I think he is capable of rising above that, regardless if his perimeter mates are off. He has become an elite offensive PG who should find ways to score consistently and efficiently come playoff time.

Maybe he has been unlucky? But if Tony plays as well in the playoffs as he does in the regular season -- the Spurs are good enough to stomp pretty much any team (provided Duncan and Manu are themselves, and they get decent supporting cast play).

Has TP just been unlucky? Maybe he just needs to slightly improve each year in ALL areas to turn into an elite player that his calibur seems to suggest at times. Right now he is sort of on a Marbury like path. An elite PG scorer who is overall an excellent guard in the league. Can TP sustain his excellent play, improve slowly, and become a beast in the playoffs?

I sure hope so. I like to think he has just had some bad luck and if he improves all the little things slightly -- he should be able to turn his playoff luck around and become the 1st and/or 2nd offensive option and be EFFICIENT at it.

[hendrix]

the option ball-hog is missing

[bdictjames]

He should both score and give a decent amount of assists. He's the PG that's his job.. much like JKidd