From: yzhou@void.ncsa.uiuc.edu (Yan Zemisk)
Subject: Re: Paxson sucks (was Re: Phoenix is absolutely scary...)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 16:49:33 GMT

koehnema@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Harry Koehnemann) writes:

>Paxon, what's a Paxon.  Please play him so KJ can eat him up.  Do you
>really want Paxon in your starting five - he's a defensive liability.

  The Bulls played the Suns twice every past season, and I didn't see
  Paxon got eaten by KJ...  Most people think that Paxon is a better
  defender than BJ. Phil has played Paxon & BJ together in a lot of 
  occasions this year, I didn't see them got eaten by other teams.

*I find it really amusing how people don't understand basketball.  There
*are dozens of guys that could look great next to Jordan.  Paxon just
*happens to be that lucky guy.  Whoever guards Paxon will almost every
*time down the court pay as much attention to Jordan as they will Paxon.
*You'd rather have Paxon taking outside shots (hell, he's not even a
*threat to drive) than have Jordan destroy someone 1-on-1.

  So what's your point? It's the shame for Paxon to be THE guy? Every team
  in NBA has the player(s) can draw double team, but not every team has the
  guy like Paxon to hit the jumper. Paxon is a unique player, fits his
  position well, period.
  
+Same thing (only worse) would happen to Paxon if Jordan left the Bulls.
+In fact, the Bulls would probably be an average team struggling to make
+the playoffs without Jordan.

 No body knows before Jordan retire. 

#Yup.  That's because it's true and noone I know would argue it.  What's
#the Bulls record in games without Jordan?  Is it even .500?
#So, what are we arguing about?  The rest of the Bulls (minus maybe Pippen)
#are a bunch of average players.  End of discussion.  Therefore, claiming
#that the Bulls current "slump" is because Paxon is injured (the reason all
#this shit got started) is bullshit.  They're not playing up to potential
#because they don't have that focus they had in the past and Jordan and
#Scotty "I want my own team and my own identity" Pippen are unhappy, for
#whatever reason.  Jordan comes around, they win another title.  Jordan
#doesn't, it's up for grabs this year (and therefore a good year for the
#Suns to be playing well).

 Pippen is an all-star, one of the top players in the NBA.
 Grant is a great rebounder and defender, he runs the floor like a guard,
 and he just passed Rodman, moved into first place with 132 offensive rebounds.
 Tunker(sp?) & BJ are among top ten in 3 points %. 

 Are these guys "a bunch of average players" in your league? Certainly, not
 NBA. 

#It's kindof funny, but that's what got this thread started.  I said it was
#a good thing for the Suns to be playing well this season since everyone else
#looks a little flat.  Some Bulls fan jump in with "Hey, Paxon's still hurt",
#which I replied "who cares, it's Paxon.  There's bigger problems to fix".
#Then, everyone jumps all over it.  I guess I'm just amazed that anyone would
#think that Paxon is anything special.  He's a spot up shooter that can't
#drive and plays below average defense (Jordan/Grant cover his ass there too).

 First of all, you changed your own words....
 Second, Paxon is special. He is a deadly outside shooter, plays good D (not
 great), know how to feed the ball the the right person. Hell, what else do
 you want him to do with Jordan & Pippen aside?

 yan