|
|
|
Monday, November 27, 2000
On Guards: Nash, Miller and more
ESPN.com
|
Ric Bucher has a thing for guards, and now ESPN.com has a thing about guards, too: We're calling it "Ric Bucher On Guards" and it's about, well, guards. Look for this feature each Monday. Better yet, be on guard for it.
| |  | |
| Miller |
| |  | |
| Nash |
This week's feature guards: The Mavericks' Steve Nash vs. the Cavaliers' Andre Miller.
Creating competition and securing depth at the point-guard position without
undermining the floor leader's confidence is a fine line every GM and coach
walks. Both the Mavs and Cavs added free-agent point guards over the summer,
Dallas luring Howard Eisley away from Utah and Cleveland convincing Bimbo
Coles to leave Atlanta. The incumbent point guards, Steve Nash and Andre
Miller, publicly welcomed the challenge, but they haven't fared quite the
same. Here's the skinny on what's happened so far:
|
RIC'S GUARD RANKINGS
|
| |
THE WEEK'S TOP 10
| |  | |
| Miller |
1. Reggie Miller -- Nearly shooting as well beyond the arc (46.3) as he is
overall (51.1)
2. Jason Kidd -- a league-record 14 turnovers costs him the top spot
3. John Stockton -- first in 3-pt pct., third in assists and FG pct.
4. Stephon Marbury -- Anybody notice he's averaging 29 while shooting 52 pct?
5. Gary Payton -- Turning it up but isn't doing much collective good
6. Kobe Bryant -- took over to pull out OT win at Sacramento
7. Allen Iverson -- Hasn't made a trey in four games but making the effort on D
8. Rod Strickland -- On one of those nightly triple-double threat rolls
9. Jerry Stackhouse -- Shot over 50 pct. (twice) for the first time this season
10. Steve Francis -- outplayed Kidd to edge out Ray Allen for last spot
|
Movin' up: Nash
(11 games, 13.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.6 apg, .7 stls, .447 FG, .865 FT)
Consistently slowed by nagging injuries and dogged by erratic shooting,
Nash isn't one of GM/Coach Don Nelson's favorites and had to be alarmed when
the Mavs pulled out the stops to land Eisley, who had been considered the
Jazz's heir apparent to John Stockton. But whatever effect that acquisition
had on Nash's confidence, a summer leading the Canadian Olympic team to the
quarterfinals in Sydney more than restored it. I honestly wondered if he could
withstand the challenge from Eisley, who is quicker and therefore potentially
better suited for the Mavs' up-tempo style.
Eisley, however, has struggled to
adapt to the Mavs' looser style after years in a Utah system that relies more
on precise execution. Nash also has exploited his familiarity with the Mavs'
primary guns, Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki. Unlike Eisley, Nash can go
one-on-one without worrying about Fin and Dirk getting upset; and if he gets
jammed, he instinctively knows where those two will be for kick-out passes.
Perfect example: nine assists, 1 turnover, 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting
against the Sonics, including the game-clinching jumper with 12.3 seconds
left. Eisley also had the luxury of playing pick-and-roll with Karl Malone
and the Mavs don't have anything close to him; Gary Trent is the nearest
semblance and he's been out with injury. Nash, meanwhile, has demonstrated
the confidence and mental toughness gained by being the focal point of Team
Canada, making more SportsCenter highlight reels already this season than all
of last year. He has learned that change of speed is more important than pure
speed when trying to get to the basket. The Mavs' decent start is due largely
to improved team defense, and Nash has contributed by pressuring the ball and
staying involved even if his man gets by him. Nash will be forever
underestimated because he's not particularly quick, big or acrobatic, but if
he can stay healthy -- unfortunately, a big if -- he could make Eisley regret
his decision to move south.
Movin' down: Miller
(9 games, 12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.9 apg, 1.3 stls, .460 FG, .791 FT)
Being "on the slide" is relative, and Miller fits in this category only
because he evolved so quickly as a rookie and hasn't made the same progress
this season. There are several reasons, the first being that the Cavs made
some significant roster changes and coach Randy Wittman is taking a
significantly different approach. There are six new faces on the roster --
seven if you count Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who missed the entire season with a
broken foot -- and the Cavs are much more utilitarian, resulting in the
players selecting back-up point guard Coles and Clarence Weatherspoon
as co-captains.
In the long term, Miller will learn some valuable lessons in
toughness and leadership from Coles; but, in the short term, it diminishes
his authority and gives Wittman an easy alternative when Miller is
struggling. The Cavs' lackluster effort last season, Brevin Knight's injuries
and Wittman's more accommodating style allowed Miller to play through
mistakes without having to look over at the scorer's table, but he doesn't
have that luxury now. Wittman has been much quicker going to his bench, which
means Miller has less margin for error and more varied combinations to
direct.
The Cavs have simplified their offense but Miller's decisions have
become more complex; last year he had to feed Shawn Kemp and Lamond Murray
and look to score when those two went into their habitual funks. Now he has
four different big men -- Weatherspoon, Robert Traylor, Chris Gatling and
Ilgauskas -- to keep happy along with Murray, while still taking and
making his own shot at the appropriate times. That resulted in consecutive
six-turnover performances last week in losses to Philadelphia and Cleveland
and a 1.5-1 assist/turnover ratio, not up to last year's 2.9-1 ratio. (Coles
isn't much of a penetrator so he doesn't have to worry about that part of the
equation; and the experience of playing 10 seasons for three different teams
makes him better suited to play with a variety of players.) Then again, it
could be worse -- imagine what Knight faces when he comes off the injured list.
| |  | |
| Strickland |
This week's guard to watch:
Rod Strickland, Wizards -- Still has stretches where he can dominate like few
others and he may be entering one of those epochs. Had back-to-back games of
26 and 24 points, shooting 50 percent or better, dishing 8 and 9 assists
while grabbing 5 and 4 rebounds, respectively. Also had a strong all-around
game against Boston in limited minutes. If he doesn't get arrested or eat too
many hotdogs right before tipoff, we could be in for a treat for the next
couple of weeks.
|
|
ALSO SEE
On Guards (Anderson, Billups), Nov. 13
|
|
