Selfishness: How and Why

Why am I having this feeling that you are thinking about Francis & Mobley on the Rockets?... If players want to get more attentions by not playing team ball, it's time for them to see Van Gundy's sorry face & ride the pine... (Isn't that what JVG & his dull face is for?)

 

Jason Kidd gets paid pretty damn well for a set up man. Plus he has been to two consecutive NBA finals.

 

There's a line you don't cross.

Hit a tough shot against opposition. Few people can - props to you. Everyone applauds your ability.

Take same tough shot against opposition when a 7'5" teammate is open directly under the basket. What are you, stupid? How can you pass up the easy bucket just to get yours?

Selfish is ignoring what's best for the team to get yours. Do it a little, your team can still win. But handicap your team - you get a ticket to palookaville. Jim Jackson almost played his way out of the league. J.R. Rider earned his exit. Club Ced cherrypicked his way to the minimum. Ricky Davis is on the watch list.

Imagine Otis Thorpe taking Hakeem's spot on the left block and waiving him out of the way. Move over, Olajuwon. It's O.T. time.

 

The problem is, Iverson is good enough to score 30 ppg. So he gets away with his selfishness.

Steve is nowhere near as good a scorer. So his selfishness is more of a downfall.

 

How do you describe a player who is locked in a perpetual mis-match against anyone who guards him - yet too often doesn't attack that mismatch, instead passing to players who are not in similarly favorable situations?

 

I'm not going to argue who is better, but Steve has never taken as many shots as Iverson, so you just can't flat out make that claim. The most shots Francis has ever averaged for a season, is the least amount of shots Iverson has ever averaged, which is around 17.6. Iverson averaged 22 points that year, Steve averaged 21.6 averaging the same amount of shots.

 

But there is a reason Steve has taken less shots- he can't create for himself as well as Iverson can. One of the main areas is the fastbreak. Iverson probably gets 5 shots a game simply running the break every game, while Steve is usually slowing it down. Also, Iverson shoots fadeaways and comes off picks, which opens things up more for him.

If Steve could learn these things, I would be all for him taking those shots. But he is playing 40mpg and controls the ball most of the time, he's had his opportunities to score 30 a game.

 

There's another reason why Steve doesn't take as many shots, he's also asked to play point, If he took more shots, Moochie Norris would have to be starting along with him in the backcourt. Eric Snow goes to Philly, Allen Iverson's shots go way up, coincidence???.

If Steve could learn how to come off picks???, Maybe if he had a coached that coached this type of offense, he would get more shots.

 

Maybe, although AI at the point still scored more than Steve. I don't see Steve being able to score in as many ways. You have to admit that running the break is lets AI get more good shots off.