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Nice article. Arenas is a hoss, but he's a shooting guard. And when he plays next to Larry Hughes, he is able to play that position.
Parker isn't a pure, pure point guard, but he's close.
Arenas, Parker: point-counterpoint
JOHN MARKON
POINT OF VIEW Feb 10, 2005
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet...=1031780745476
WASHINGTON -- Aside from the fact that one of them grew up in Paris and the other in Oakland, Calif., a case can be made that Gilbert Arenas and Tony Parker started life on even terms.
They were born in the same year (1982) and achieved approximately the same height. Arenas is 6-3 and Parker, the Franco-American, is 6-2. They entered the NBA in the same season and play the same position.
Parker was taken with the 28th pick in the 2001 draft, Arenas heard his name called on the 31st pick.
A scout would note that Arenas is, and always has been, bigger and stronger. Parker is a more natural point guard and seldom plays elsewhere. Even when he's theoretically directing the Washington Wizards' offense, you often can catch Arenas thinking and playing like a shooting guard.
So, if you could only pick one for your mythical NBA roster, which one would you pick?
Based on last night's results at the MCI Center, it's still a tough call. Arenas outscored Parker, 24-22, as the Wizards defeated Parker's San Antonio Spurs, 95-87.
The Spurs, of course, played without injured center Tim Duncan. With Duncan last month, they took a 21-2 lead and laid a 101-73 lump on Washington that Wizards coach Eddie Jordan has taken to calling "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
"In terms of those two players," Jordan said, "watch for perceptions. This is the first year Gilbert's played on a winning team. Tony's already won a championship and has never played on anything but a contending team.
"Some people will perceive them differently. They'll see Tony as a 'winner.' Until this year, they couldn't see Gilbert that way."
Arenas was drafted by a bad team (Warriors) and joined another (last year's Wizards) as a free agent. He's been asked for big minutes and big points since he first displayed the ability to produce them.
He's currently rolling along at 24 points per game, but he's aware his team might be better off if he didn't need to do quite so much.
"Teams where the guards do everything don't go real far in the NBA," Arenas said last week. "As our team develops, our bigs [big men] will grow into larger roles, and the guards will adjust."
Parker's choice was to adjust immediately or seek employment elsewhere. Anyone playing the point for the Spurs starts every play by looking first toward Duncan. Guards who can't get the ball to Duncan when and where he wants it aren't helping the Spurs win.
"Tony still finds ways to let you know how good he is," says Sean Elliott, the former NBA All-Star who's a member of San Antonio's broadcast team. "He's the best in the league at driving into the lane, drawing a defender and making a play. If he needed to score 25 a game, he could do it."
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich joked last night that Parker might feel so liberated by Duncan's absence that, "I'll probably close my eyes on offense while Tony does all those things we know he's not supposed to do because we need him to score."
With the Spurs leading early, Parker sat back and ran the offense as if Duncan were on the court. When the home team rallied, Parker finally deigned to score with 2 minutes left in the first half. He came close to a triple-double with nine assists and eight rebounds and scored 13 fourth-quarter points as he kept San Antonio in the game.
Arenas, of course, fills that role almost every night. Against the Spurs, he was on the court for 44 minutes and, thanks to Parker's defense, needed to hoist 28 shots to put his 24 points in the books.
Arenas was the first to make the NBA All-Star Game. Parker is by far the better defensive player. Arenas has a better 3-point shot, or at least uses it more frequently.
Arenas plays with more responsibilities. Parker plays under more pressure.
"Tony was a starter before I was," Arenas said. "I remember asking him when we were rookies, 'What do I need to do to be where you are? What do I need to learn?'"
Parker didn't really know how to answer.
"We came in together, so it's fair to compare us," Arenas said. "My all-star game doesn't mean a lot, because he's a great player who probably belongs in the game, too. "He's got a le. When I get mine, we'll be even again."
Nice article. Arenas is a hoss, but he's a shooting guard. And when he plays next to Larry Hughes, he is able to play that position.
Parker isn't a pure, pure point guard, but he's close.
okay that article just made me happy.
I'm not biased being a Spurs fan on picking TP over Arenas.
I say even. Sorry Spurs fans. But I'm a major Zona' fan as well, and Arenas is from there in college.
Seriously dude, MJ, and possibly lebron in a few years.
Good to see Arenas with the nice quote at the end, pretty humble.
Denis Rodman ^, Zedrugus Illgalsgus? ^
This alone is why Parker is better and more deserving to be in the all-star game than Bibby. Offensively it's a push between the two but defensively Arenas even is much better than Bibby. People for some reason usually totally take defense out of the equation when comparing players.Parker is by far the better defensive player.
My very own thread? Kori, you shouldn't have.
Seriously though. Good article. Some very good points.
good article
Solid article. Parker plays in a system that is less conducive to amassing stats, and Arenas is given freedom to play his game on offense.
Arenas used to be a very good defender in Golden State, he played with a chip on his shoulder on both ends. Today in Washington he is less focused on defense.
He is absolutely a short shooting guard. A very good one though. He can score and make plays that is for sure. I am interested to see how he might play if he had big men on his side who demand the ball on a consistent basis. I would venture to say his stats would take a dip as well. He would need to work more on his playmaking skills and defense to compensate. Much like Parker does today as a Spur.
I think its close right now. They are both on the same talent plain. But as mentioned, Parker is the more pure PG, Arenas is more of a scorer.
The Bulls didn't do anything until Jackson convinced MJ to let go of the ball on occasion. They also didn't do anything without a quality big. In the first 3peat it was Ho Grant, and in the second it was Rodman.Seriously dude, MJ, and possibly lebron in a few years.
You don't have to go any further than Tim Duncan. He could average 30 a night. In this offense it is not necessary.
I watched tons of GS games when Arenas was there. He was never a good defender. I don't know why. It seems like he has the skills to be a good defender but lacks the discipline and focus to get it done.Arenas used to be a very good defender in Golden State, he played with a chip on his shoulder on both ends. Today in Washington he is less focused on defense.
I have read a few reports and boards who used to watch Warrior games with Arenas and all said he was a good defender in GS. Strange. I know for a fact he has the tools to be very good, and that he did make a better effort in GS than he does today.
That GS team had a lot of talent, Murphy, Dampier, Foyle, Richardson, Arenas, Jamison, but they underachieved in a big way. Musselman must have done a bad job or they had a lot of guys with bad at udes/immatury that were uncontrollable and he got caught up in the wash. Richardson and Arenas paired up to cause a lot of distractions. Arenas seems to be slowly maturing but he strikes me as a guy with ADD. Ultimately I don't think he's got the brains to ever be a good playmaker.
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