From: jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jazzy J )
Subject: Re: Hurley pro prospects (was Re: Were the coaches...)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 17:50:39 GMT

trradrx@canctr.mc.duke.edu (R.CLOUGH) writes:
>While Izzy has surprised, he's not as much as a pure point as Hurley. A
>backcourt of Hurley and Izzy would be rather odd.  

	Definitely.  2 5'11" white guys in the same backcourt?  Not since
	the 60's perhaps... :)

>Not if Hawkins plays at small forward, which is the lineup Philly is using
>right now.

	Hawkins is strong enough to play at small forward (he was a center
	in high school), but I can't see that sort of lineup with Doug
	Moe, and working in the pros.  I agree that Hornacek is not the
	answer at point guard, but U can't get too much better of a 
	backcourt than Hornacek, Hawkins, and Dawkins.  When Johnny is
	healthy, he'll be a great 3rd guard.  Greg Grant has served well
	as the backup point this season.

>I would call him mediocre.  As David J pointed out, he tends to play like
>he's more concerned with stats than winning.

	However, he is a quick defender, great at getting steals, and
	is a superb penetrator, and is always in the league leaders in
	drawing fouls.  Perhaps he just needs an attitude adjustment.

>I actually think that point guards in the league are now a rare commodity.
>I mean, look at San Antonio.  They have two guys playing (Del Negro and 
>Daniels) point who have never played it before.  Too many teams have guys
>playing point who are in reality off guards who have good ballhandling skills.

	Hmm... wasn't Del Negro the point at NC State (or were those
	the days of Drummond, Jackson, and Weems at the point)?  Daniels,
	I believe, could be a very good point guard given the time and
	experience.  This is a guy who never played college ball.  Anyways,
	let's take a look at some pro point guards:

	Atlantic
	Boston: Brown, Douglas, Bagley (if he ever signs)
	New York: Rivers, Anthony
	Orlando: Skiles
	New Jersey: Anderson
	Washington: Adams
	Miami: Coles, Smith
	Philadelphia: Hornacek, Dawkins

	Central
	Charlotte: Bogues
	Chicago: Armstrong, Paxson
	Cleveland: Price, Brandon
	Milwaukee: Murdock
	Indiana: Richardson
	Atlanta: Blaylock
	
	Midwest:
	San Antonio: Del Negro, Daniels
	Houston: Smith
	Denver: Jackson, Macon
	Dallas: Harper, Iuzzolino
	Utah: Stockton, Humphries
	Minnesota: Williams
	
	West:
	LA Lakers: Threatt
	Golden St: Hardaway
	Seattle: McMillan, Payton
	LA Clippers: Jackson, Grant
	Sacramento: Webb, Brown
	Portland: Porter, Strickland
	Phoenix: Johnson, Knight

	So, IMHO, next year, players I would take at the point OVER Hurley:
	Brown, Anderson, Adams, Smith, Hornacek, Price, Richardson, Smith,
	Harper, Stockton, Humphries, Threatt, Hardaway, M.Jackson, Johnson,
	Porter.

	Players I think Hurley would give a stiff challenge to, but would
	not surpass:
	Rivers, Anthony, Skiles, Adams, Bogues, Armstrong, Brandon, Murdock,
	Blaylock, Williams, McMillan, Payton, Brown, Strickland.

	Agreed, there are a lot of converted shooting guards out there
	(i.e. Hornacek, Smith, C.Jackson, etc...), but some of them are
	doing a great job at the point.	  

>This is all certainly true.  I think his offensive development will take longer
>than his development as a distributor, much as it did at Duke.  Only last 
>year did Hurley become a legitimate offensive threat with any consistency.
>But then, that's not what you would draft him for, anyway.

	Well, I think you're going to have to be able to keep those
	defenses honest.  One weakness of Charlotte is Bogues' inability
	to shoot from the outside.  However, I don't think Hurley has the
	assist/turnover ratio of Bogues.  He's great at the point, but
	considering some of the real gunners at the position (i.e. Porter,
	Hardaway, KJ), he's going to have to respond in some manner.

> Well, just a thought.  I've never liked Porter as a point guard.  But Portland
>could use a guy who knows how to distribute and make good decisions.  If they
>had Isiah or Stockton in their lineup, they'd have a couple of championships
>right now.

	Hmm... don't know about that.  While Porter has made some boneheaded
	moves in the past, he usually provides that great 3-pt shooting --
	something neither Isiah or Stockton are particularly great at (at
	least to Porter's degree).  Plus, there are always those bonehead
	moves by the likes of Duckworth, Kersey, and Cliff Robinson.  Even
	Buck Williams was caught "flopping" in that last Blazer loss in the
	finals last year.  It'll take more than 1 guy who can distribute
	and make decisions -- more like 4 or 5.

	Jazzy J

-- 
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|   " I try to discover a little something to make me sweeter..."   --Erasure |
|   Jazzy J               jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu         U-Illinois/Urbana |
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