Spike
11-29-2000, 05:37 PM
Who do you guys think is the best point guard in the N.B.A.?
A couple of years ago, I used to think it was Gary Payton mostly because of his great defense. He was called "The Glove" for a reason. He could just shut down everyone he was put on. When Michael Jordan was still in the league I thought Payton was the 3rd best perimeter defender behind him and Scottie Pippen.
And offensively Payton could score on anyone in any numbers of ways. When he first came into the league Payton couldn't hit an outside shot if his life defended on it either. But he kept on working on it and working on it until he was deadly from out there.
But now sometimes I think Payton's "negatives" in the locker room outweigh his positives.
Like just look at what happened between him and Paul Westphal these past 2 weeks. And him fighting with Vernon Maxwell last year in practice. That's why Horace Grant was glad to leave there. Payton's just too volatile, that he can hurt team chemistry any time.
Then then there's Terell Brandon. I remember a few years ago "Sports Illustrated" put him on the cover of one of their issues and proclaimed him the best point guard in the league because he too could do a lot of different things offensively and defensively.
But I think it really it's Jason Kidd now. Even though sometimes I think his outside shot is questionable. Even though his field goal percentage isn't where you want it to be.
The reason I think it's Kidd is because he's such a great passer that everybody loves playing for him because he's so unselfish and he'll get you the ball. And that also becomes one of perks that attacts free agents to Phoenix because if you play with Kidd you know you'll get the ball. He plays hard all the time and seems to always make great decisions on the fast break. And his teammates like him so he's no chemistry problem in the locker room. And he's also become a pretty good defender too.
A couple of years ago, I used to think it was Gary Payton mostly because of his great defense. He was called "The Glove" for a reason. He could just shut down everyone he was put on. When Michael Jordan was still in the league I thought Payton was the 3rd best perimeter defender behind him and Scottie Pippen.
And offensively Payton could score on anyone in any numbers of ways. When he first came into the league Payton couldn't hit an outside shot if his life defended on it either. But he kept on working on it and working on it until he was deadly from out there.
But now sometimes I think Payton's "negatives" in the locker room outweigh his positives.
Like just look at what happened between him and Paul Westphal these past 2 weeks. And him fighting with Vernon Maxwell last year in practice. That's why Horace Grant was glad to leave there. Payton's just too volatile, that he can hurt team chemistry any time.
Then then there's Terell Brandon. I remember a few years ago "Sports Illustrated" put him on the cover of one of their issues and proclaimed him the best point guard in the league because he too could do a lot of different things offensively and defensively.
But I think it really it's Jason Kidd now. Even though sometimes I think his outside shot is questionable. Even though his field goal percentage isn't where you want it to be.
The reason I think it's Kidd is because he's such a great passer that everybody loves playing for him because he's so unselfish and he'll get you the ball. And that also becomes one of perks that attacts free agents to Phoenix because if you play with Kidd you know you'll get the ball. He plays hard all the time and seems to always make great decisions on the fast break. And his teammates like him so he's no chemistry problem in the locker room. And he's also become a pretty good defender too.