from Richard Justice Kevin Martin is 9th in pts, 2nd in FTs made, 8th in FT% and 3rd in 3-ptrs made. Last Rocket in Top 10 in 4 categories was Dream in '94-'95
nice job Kevin! he does it all so quietly, so consistently, that I think his efforts tend to be taken for granted
Agreed with the injury free stat being his best stat. I don't think Martin is a piece to build around, but he is a special player in his own way. Simply don't understand why all the local hatred for the guy. Even the lakers with the best player in the galaxy,kobe, went through a stretch of 38 wins, 45wins, and 42 wins. In 2007, 42 wins got you in the playoffs. Anyways, I have faith in the organization that they will get their center and an above average small foward to contend in the west.
In terms of production, Martin's a lot like Reggie Miller and Miller got his team to the ECF and Finals. The thing difference between Miller's Pacers team and Martin's Rockets team is, of course, a serviceable center (they had Smits) and size (the Davis boys).
We should have got rid of him in the name of tanking. Guards who can put up the second most points in the league per 48 with extremely high efficiency come a dime a dozen.
Oh no doubt. Martin doesn't have Miller's "clutchness" and killer mentality but their production is very similiar. It's more of a statement trying to see the positive side of having Martin as the Rocket's best player--that a team can be successful with a player like Martin/Miller if the pieces around him are good. Granted, saying that Smits was just a "good" player is downplaying how effective he was at center for the Pacers.
MIller and KM are different animals. KM isn't really a catch-and-shoot player in the sense that you have to keep running screens for him. He's more of a "throw the ball to him and watch him flop" kind of playe, he's really great for soaking up possessions and carrying the offense during the game. I don't think you can depend on players like Miller and Ray Allen for tasks like that, those guys are better as supplementary perimeter options while KM can be your main offensive option.
It usually seems quiet mainly because his scoring, free throws, 3 pointers etc are done during non crucial points of the game.
I didn't say their style of play was similiar. I said their production is similiar in that both are very good perimeter shooters and can get to the FT line almost automatically. As far as Allen and Miller not being able to carry an offense like Martin, did you not watch basketball in the mid-late 90s when the Pacers' offense was pretty much revolving aroudn screens for Miller or the Bucks' offense that revolved around Allen despite a revolving door of sidekicks (Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell) or when he WAS the Sonics' offense?
Martin, to me, has been the biggest surprise of the year. I think he has played very different than as advertised. He was considered very weak, injury prone, fades out in the fourth quarter and so on. I remember him playing through a couple injuries/sickness this year. I have seen him hit some clutch shots this year and drive it in to the paint during key moments. He has played a large majority of the games. Don't get me wrong, he is not elite in these categories, but far from a wuss. His defense has done fairly well also.
