From: martyp@engin.umich.edu (Martin Pochmara)
Subject: Re: BEST POINT GUARD IN NBA
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 16:23:41 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor


> STOCKTON
> - leads league in assists every year
> - lead league in steals in 91-92
> - scores about 15 points a game
> - team leader
>
> HARDAWAY
> - scores more than Stockton (about 22 a game)
> - not as many assists
> - more turnovers
> - less steals
> - not as good defensively
> - but penetrates the lane better than Stockton (with that "killer" UTEP 2 STEP)
> - more of a flashy point guard than Stockton
> 
>                    I need as many replies as possible
>

You are an idiot if you think statistics can rate a player. Everyone
here on the net seems to think that how many points, rebounds,
assists, (other useless stats), can somehow rate a player. There
are so many intangible factors that people don't think about
when rating a player. Off the top of my head, how about:
(In General) the west scores higher than the East; therefore,
players from the west should have higher averages. BUT, people
here don't take that into consideration, player X is a better
scorer because he scored 15.7 points to player Y's 14.9. 
That's BULLSHIT! There are so many other factors that people
here on the net have not mentioned, like: 1) What is player
X's role on the team 2) Is team X a offensive team or defensive
team? 3) How much talent is on the team? 4) How well does
he match up when guarded by other players? 5) How smart does
the player play,6) How much heart does the guy have?
, and a zillion other factors....

An example of reason 1) would be Scottie Pippen. Would he
be a better scorer on another team? I think yes, because
on another team he would be the GO-TO guy instead of
playing second notch behind Jordan IMHO. 

Reason 2) The Pistons are a defensive team and not known for
their offensive aggresiveness(sp?), but Denver is a offensive
team not known for their defense, but do you think Woolridge
when he played there was a better scorer than Isiah Thomas?
The stats said so, but I don't think so...

Reason 3) In 1986 the Celtics had many All-Stars on their team.
If everyone of them was an All-Star, and they played so well
together. They all put up great stats, but don't you think
Bird might have had more assists if he played on a team with
lesser talent, or Dennis Johnson may have scored more
if he played somewhere that needed a go-to guard. Parish
could have had more rebounds if McHale and Bird didn't
steal so many of them. The point is, stats didn't tell
half the story about how good some of the players
on the team were. Many examples of this with scoring,
rebounding, assists, etc...

4) If Jordan was guarded by (Joe Dumars, Ritchmond, or any
other player that Jordan said was the best player to ever
guard him) every night, then Jordan wouldn't score
as many points. Jordan said Michael Cooper was the best to
guard him, but Michael Jordan only plays(ed) him twice
a year. What if Cooper was in the same division as Jordan...
That could affect his scoring average.... Again,
many examples of this....

5) How does the player react when something happens that
he doesn't expect? Will he catch a ball that bounced off
his head? Dive for a ball dribbled off his foot? Keep
driving to the lane even though his ankle turned on a 
players foot? Not panic when the other team hits a 
miracle three-pointer with 2 seconds left, but somehow
inbounds a full-court pass to a player for a
go-ahead lay-up as time expires....

6) How bad does the guy want to win? Will he pass up a shot
in the big game for a victory? Will he sit on the
bench for two mintues in the fourth because a bench-
role-player is doing well? Does he play over an
injury? Does off-the-court problems follow him onto
it? IMHO this is the key to a winner....

There are so many factors to deal with that it becomes
nearly impossible to evaluate a player, especially
based on a few simple stats. All I know is that
I try to take everything I see, know, and read into
consideration and then evaluate a player. 
I think Magic and Bird are better than Jordan as of
now because of all the intangibles. If Jordan keeps      
playing like he is, in a few years, I will consider
him as good or better than Magic/Bird....But, as for
point guard...that is the best point guard in the NBA,
I have to go with Isiah Thomas for all the stats
plus the intangibles. NOBODY HAS MORE HEART FOR THE
GAME....

			MHO,
				Marty Pochmara

Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro