Shoot-First Guards Are Missing The Point
A few of the NBA’s high-profile, look-at-me guards are missing the point, some of their predecessors said, perhaps costing themselves a spot on this year’s All-Star team.
Although Allen Iverson, Damon Stoudamire and Stephon Marbury produce impressive scoring totals, their shoot-first, pass-later mentality is preventing them from joining the league’s elite. None of them will be on the floor for Sunday’s All-Star game.
“More than anything else, the point guard is a mindset,” said Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy. “You have to come over halfcourt looking to create something for one of the other four people and not yourself.”
That seldom happens when Iverson brings the ball up the court for the 76ers. Iverson has taken 711 shots this season, 221 more than his closest teammate, shooting guard Jim Jackson.
It’s not much different in Toronto, where Stoudamire has attempted 782 shots, 253 more than his shooting guard, Doug Christie, who’s second.
Both teams are in last place in their divisions.
In Minnesota, Marbury distributes the ball more than his counterparts in Philadelphia and Toronto, although he’s still launched a team-high 720 shots.
“When it’s a point guard doing all the shooting, guys stop cutting and setting picks because they don’t think they’ll ever get the ball,” said Doc Rivers, whose NBA career spanned 12 seasons beginning in 1983. “In order for you to win, usually at the point, you have to sacrifice points.”
Stern testifies in Sprewell case
In a high-profile ending to the eight-day Latrell Sprewell arbitration case, commissioner David Stern testified for almost 4 hours Thursday in an effort to uphold the harshest non-drug penalty he has ever imposed.
“I’m very comfortable with our action,” he said of Sprewell’s one-year suspension. “My job is to protect this league and the 400-plus players who never get involved in activity like the kind we are litigating, and I feel comfortable that I’ve acquitted myself the way I’m supposed to.”
Post-hearing briefs are due by Feb. 13, and closing arguments will be made on the morning of Feb. 16 in New York.
Nuggets fire Bristow
Allan Bristow, the Denver Nuggets’ vice president of basketball operations, was fired by Charlie Lyons, president of the company that owns the Nuggets.
No successor was picked immediately, but Nuggets assistant coach Mike D’Antoni was chosen interim general manager while a search is conducted.
Jordan fires back at Krause
Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause have called each other’s bluffs.
After the Chicago Bulls lost 101-93 to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, Jordan reiterated the position he has held all season: He won’t return next year unless his coach, Phil Jackson, returns as well.
“I won’t play. I’ll retire. It is that simple,” Jordan said. “It is totally simple. I won’t play anywhere else, I won’t follow Phil. I will totally retire. That clears up every question. What management is saying, if Phil is out, then this is my last year.”