| | The political Decision 2000 is down to just two guys, but we're continuing our successful NBA Decision 2000 series and moving to the lunch-pail guys who so often don't get the credit. There are no awards for these guys. And it's not like MVP, where there were obvious choices. We picked our 10 choices of hard-working overachievers and want to hear from you.
This forum is just for the users. We don't give our opinions (for a change), we just give you the options and let you vote and flood our e-mail box. The poll is at the right and the place to send mail is at the bottom of the page.
Check out our Decision 2000 results file to see what you thought the last two weeks, and check for the results of this week's topic, lunch-pail players, next week. The players are listed in alphabetical order. Enjoy.
Who is the best lunch-pail player in the NBA?
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JON BARRY
Key Stats: 8.7 pts, .482 FG, .913 FT
Age: 30
Team: Kings
One of only two guards on this list, Barry is a very fundamentally sound player. He can pass, shoot and defend and is often seen on the court at the end of Kings games because he hustles. A great sixth man who is playing exactly the right amount of minutes (21.5).
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P.J. BROWN
Key Stats: 10.4 pts, 8 rebs, .485 FG
Age: 30
Team: Heat
Alonzo Mourning gets the credit for playing D, but Brown holds the Heat together. Why do you think every team wants to get him? Pat Riley keeps him around despite other needs because Brown does all the dirty work. He can defend any frontcourt player well.
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DALE DAVIS
Key Stats: 10.5 pts, 9.9 rebs, 1.3 blks
Age: 30
Team: Pacers
Hey, the guy's an All-Star! OK, so that might not happen again, but Davis has been recognized for what he brings to the Pacers. He really has stepped up this season, even on offense, where he doesn't demand the ball. Also, he's no longer a liability at the line.
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JAMIE FEICK
Key Stats: 9.6 rebs, 6.3 pts
Age: 25
Team: Nets
Nobody wanted this guy. Drafted and cut by Philly, he's played with the Hornets, Spurs and Bucks and in the CBA and Spain. At 6-8 he manages to outrebound 7-footers. It's possible that no other NBA player has gotten more out of his ability than Feick.
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A.C. GREEN
Key Stats: 6 rebs, 5.3 pts, 61 games
Age: 36
Team: Lakers
Part of being a lunch-pail guy is being durable. Green hasn't missed a game since George Mikan was playing. No, really, the streak is now at more than 1,000 games, and Green still contributes on the boards and takes charges from bigger, quicker power forwards.
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GEORGE LYNCH
Key Stats: 9.6 pts, 8.1 rebs, 1.7 stls
Age: 29
Team: 76ers
Who knew the North Carolina product could be this good? By being a top-notch defender and reliable scorer, Lynch is a key man for Philly. The former Lakers and Grizzly is among the league leaders in steals and repeatedly shuts down guys like Grant Hill.
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DAN MAJERLE
Key Stats: 8 pts, 5 rebs, 90 threes
Age: 34
Team: Heat
Once upon a time he was a big scorer. Now he scores almost entirely off of 3-pointers. But Majerle, who can often be seen diving for loose balls, earns his money by shutting down two-guards and playing aggressive defense. Even when he's banged up, he's formidable.
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CHARLES OAKLEY
Key Stats: 7.2 pts, 6.7 rebs, 3.4 asts
Age: 36
Team: Raptors
Lifetime achievement award? Oak's current numbers aren't impressive, but he's averaged more than 10 points and boards for his career. You might not like him, but you definitely don't want to face him. Plays with a constant snarl and shows off underrated passing. Still a defender at heart.
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BO OUTLAW
Key Stats: 6 rebs, 1.9 blks, 1.3 stls
Age: 25
Team: Magic
Doesn't care about scoring, but underrated jumping jack does everything else. Hits his field goals, has a 2-to-1 assist-turnover ratio and consistently accrues impressive totals in blocks and steals, while being able to defend any player on the court. Perfect team guy.
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JEROME WILLIAMS
Key Stats: 8.2 pts, 9.8 rebs, .585 FG
Age: 26
Team: Pistons
Has come out of nowhere to be among the league leaders in rebounds and field-goal percentage. Is a mere 6-9, but on a team with no center, has to bang with the big guys. Pistons don't run plays for him, but Williams gets 3.4 offensive rebounds and is always hustling.
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Sound off on the top lunch-pail player in the box provided below. Be sure to fill out the form completely. If you omit your name or city, we'll ignore you. Just hit the "submit" button to send your comment to us.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Decision 2000 Results
NBA Decision 2000 Results: It's Shaq
MVP Watch: Who do you like?
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