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[Yahoo Sports] The 10 best point guards of the last decade

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by GRENDEL, Sep 25, 2009.

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  1. GRENDEL

    GRENDEL Contributing Member

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    Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:00 am EDT

    The 10 best point guards of the last decade

    By Kelly Dwyer

    OK, we know the first decade of the 21st century doesn't really end until 2011. We think. But we also know there have been 10 full NBA seasons played since the phrase "Y2K" was on all of our lips (1999-2000), and here at Ball Don't Lie we've decided to use this as an offseason excuse to rank some of the best and not-so-brightest of the 10 campaigns in question. The result? Why, top 10 lists!

    You didn't invent the position, Bob Cousy, but ... well, yeah, you invented it.

    Invented the showmanship. That's, at least, what you're best known for. But you should also be appreciated for inventing the ability to dominate the game in a way that kept others involved, not nearly in a style that reminded of football quarterbacks or pitchers in baseball, but in one that still made the point guard position a step above the rest in terms of on- and off-court importance.

    It's a damned near-impossible position to run. Run it too accurately, exactingly and people tire of you. Run it too efficiently and fans become dubious. They'll call you a product of the system. Shoot too much and you're a gunner. Try to entertain and you're a hot dog. You're too street. You're just all wrong. All wrong! All of you!

    Every player on this list has had to deal with major, major criticisms of their game along the way. Every one of them. And I've repeated some of them, even in this list. And you know what? They're brilliant! Every one of them. And we still nitpick. Even when Shaq and Dwight Howard(notes) have 4.5 offensive moves, between them.

    So it goes. Even Red Auerbach took years to appreciate Cousy's brilliance. Let's not wait as long to learn to love the 10 best point guards of the last decade.

    http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...t=Ak2SgGOxCa_P9ajVzFYctg45nYcB?urn=nba,191685
     
    #1 GRENDEL, Sep 25, 2009
  2. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    I can't argue with the 10 PGs he selected, though the order is debatable:

    10. Sam Cassell
    9. Baron Davis
    8. Deron Williams
    7. Andre Miller
    6. Tony Parker
    5. Chris Paul
    4. Gilbert Arenas
    3. Chauncey Billups
    2. Steve Nash
    1. Jason Kidd

    Any glaring omissions I'm not seeing?
     
    #2 durvasa, Sep 25, 2009
  3. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    allen iverson?
     
    #3 pgabriel, Sep 25, 2009
  4. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    I think he was technically a shooting guard in his most successful years.

    Mike Bibby had some good years in Sacramento.

    Stephon Marbury ... ok, may not.

    Oh ... no Steve Francis.
     
    #4 durvasa, Sep 25, 2009
  5. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    Marbury, Stockton, Francis, Gary Payton.
     
    #5 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  6. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    If you're going to put Arenas on the list, then you should probably put iverson
     
    #6 pgabriel, Sep 25, 2009
  7. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    KD giving Sam some deserved props!


    10. Sam Cassell(notes)

    Any list that would have ended after the 2005-06 season would see Cassell closer to the top, but he didn't play last season, wasn't much of a factor the season before that, and struggled through injury-plagued campaigns in 2004-05 and 2006-07.

    When the man was on, though, he was on. His stats from this particular season won't blow you out of the water (though 19.8 points on 49 percent shooting, 7.3 assists and a 22.8 PER is nothing to sneeze at), but Cassell's turn as Minnesota Timberwolves point man in 2003-04 was about as good as I've ever seen a point guard play. Ever, ever, ever.
     
    #7 tinman, Sep 25, 2009
  8. desi tmac91

    desi tmac91 Member

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    Gil started point guard for most of his career. Iverson saw minutes mostly at the 2.

    I'm sure he'll include AI in the shooting guard edition.
     
    #8 desi tmac91, Sep 25, 2009
  9. smoothie

    smoothie Jabari Jungle

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    not to derail this thread, but i'd be very interested to see the shooting guard list. where would tmac rank? what about yao on the center list? (on which im sure shaq goes #1)
     
    #9 smoothie, Sep 25, 2009
  10. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    ****ty ****ty list.
     
    #10 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  11. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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    Make a better one.
     
    #11 Ziggy, Sep 25, 2009
  12. mcmo2789

    mcmo2789 Member

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    Steve Francis?
     
    #12 mcmo2789, Sep 25, 2009
  13. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    Gary Payton

    1998-1999 21.7ppg 8.7apg 4.9 rpg All NBA team 2, All NBA Defensive team
    99-00 24.2-8.9-6.5 all nba team 1, all nba defensive team, lead league in assists
    00-01 23-8-5 defensive team NBA team 3
    01-02 22-9-5 NBA team 1, defensive team
    02-03 20-8-4
    15-6-4 NBA finals
    05-06 NBA Champ

    4 All star appearances this decade.

    5 Great years and a NBA champ. Easily top 4 on this list. As high as number 2 in my book.

    Stockton played every game from 1998-2003 sure his stats were on decline but it was still 5 solid years of production (averaged 8-9 assists each year).

    Davis and Marbury are similar players, Marbury has had significantly more consistency with better stats. Francis isn't much behind stat wise from these guys.
     
    #13 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  14. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    Cassell should be higher than Miller
     
    #14 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  15. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    NBA champ doesn't count, because he was a small-time role player on that team.

    Payton had some good years at the start of the decade, but on middling teams that couldn't advance past the first round. Definitely a top PG of the 90s. Don't think he's top 4 for 00s.
     
    #15 durvasa, Sep 25, 2009
  16. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    Him being in the top 10 isn't even a question in my mind. Especially with this lists of young guys like Deron and CP3 with only 2-3 solid years under their belt.
     
    #16 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  17. MingMingDynasty

    MingMingDynasty Member

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    Can't really argue with the names except the exclusion of Matt Maloney from this list. Gilbert Arenas is way too high on this list, gotta win something before you can be ahead of Tony Parker.
     
    #17 MingMingDynasty, Sep 25, 2009
  18. Francis 4 ever

    Francis 4 ever Member

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    Billups is too high i think too. Just a guy who has a lot of talent around him, if he is number 3 then Fisher should be on this list.
     
    #18 Francis 4 ever, Sep 25, 2009
  19. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    Where's Rafer, Kelly?
     
    #19 Clutch, Sep 25, 2009
  20. BrooksBall

    BrooksBall Contributing Member

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    She must have Skipped over him.
     
    #20 BrooksBall, Sep 25, 2009
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