Alson Wong
2009-03-11 22:25:19 UTC
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
PER Diem: March 11, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
We love to celebrate little guys in this game, and in particular, pure
point guards who make the guys around them look so good.
So it's weird to me to see that we probably have the best player ever
of his kind playing right now … and yet he's weirdly gone unheralded.
We couldn't wait to throw MVPs at Nash and Iverson and darn near gave
one to Jason Kidd, too. But Chris Paul? Somehow, it doesn't seem
everyone is totally on board with him.
To an extent, it's understandable. He hasn't played in June yet, he's
in a small market and his game, in many ways, isn't as spectacular as
the highlight Holy Trinity of LeBron, Kobe and Wade.
So once again, I feel a certain responsibility to remind everyone of
just how good Chris Paul has been these past two years, and how
unprecedented it is for a point guard to dominate the game on this
level.
It's worth noting, for instance, that Paul is about to set the mark
for the best PER ever by a player at this position since the ABA-NBA
merger … and that he's breaking the mark set by none other than Chris
Paul, in 2007-08.
Yes, it's easier for a small guard to dominate today's game than it
was for John Stockton and Isiah Thomas to dominate in the '80s, and
it's true that we don't know if Paul will have the longevity that the
players above enjoyed.
Nonetheless, compare Paul's first four seasons to any point guard from
the post-merger era, and one conclusion becomes evident really fast --
the only player who can even plausibly compare to him is Magic.
This year, CP has been better than ever. Despite earning hardly a
whisper in this year's MVP discussions after coming in second a year
ago, Paul is actually having a better season on several fronts.
"I'm a little surprised by it as well," said Hornets coach Byron
Scott. "I would think Chris would be in the conversation somewhere
because of the way he's played all season long, with the injuries
we've had, and to be where we are right now is pretty remarkable."
Top PG PERs since ABA-NBA merger
Without an all-star supporting cast, Chris Paul is on pace to break
his own record for the highest PER among point guards.
Player Season PER
Chris Paul 2008-09 29.1
Chris Paul 2007-08 28.4
Magic Johnson 1986-87 27.0
Magic Johnson 1988-89 26.9
Magic Johnson 1989-90 26.6
Where they are is only a couple of games back of where they were a
year ago, even with center Tyson Chandler missing 22 games and
struggling when he's taken the court, wings Peja Stojakovic and Morris
Peterson dealing with injury problems of their own and a bench
comprised of a role call of other teams' castaways.
Monday's loss in Atlanta was a good example. Paul hardly had his best
game -- he finished with 24 points and 10 assists, but shot 8-of-19
and committed six turnovers -- yet what stood out more was the glaring
absence of any help. New Orleans got seven points from its bench and
two from Chandler in an 89-79 loss.
But they're still on pace to win 51 games, and the reason they're
hanging in the race has been Paul. He's looking to lead the league in
steals and assists for a second straight season, and ranks a close
third behind James (31.29) and Wade (30.51) in the PER race after
finishing second behind James a season ago.
Which takes us back to the historical comparisons. Paul already is on
a trajectory that would stamp him the best player under 6-foot-4 in
league history -- if he comes anywhere close to matching his career
numbers for a few more seasons, Stockton's longevity would be the only
counterargument left -- which I alluded to more than a year ago.
But with this year's performance, we're left to consider even loftier
heights -- like whether he can rival Magic in the pantheon of great
point guards.
And despite their obvious differences -- Magic was 6-9 yet the most
dangerous open-court player in league history, while Paul is barely
six feet yet may be the best half-court pick-and-roll player in eons
-- Scott says he sees more than few similarities between his current
point guard and his former Showtime backcourt mate.
"The obvious difference is the height," said Scott, "but they are so
much alike in so many ways.
"Number one, both of them were extremely competitive, neither one
could stand to lose. Both of them were the most giving guys I've ever
seen on the basketball court; that was their whole thing was being a
true point guard. They look for their teammates first, [especially]
the first two quarters.
"Chris has taken a page out of Magic's book, as far as most of the
time in the second half I tell him, 'You have to be more aggressive.'
Earvin was great at that, getting everybody involved in the first half
and then being a little more aggressive in the second half and trying
to take over, and Chris is starting to do that."
Of course, there's one huge difference between Magic and Paul, and
it's something that may be tough to rectify as long as he's in New
Orleans -- Magic won five championships, while Paul's team hasn't gone
beyond the second round of the playoffs.
There are good reasons for this -- Magic not only had Scott as a
teammate, but also Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy
and Bob McAdoo. Although Paul has two teammates who have made the All-
Star team (David West and Peja Stojakovic), his cohorts pale by
comparison.
As a result, Paul may stay a cult hero for a while longer. Yes, he
gets a few scraps of national TV exposure and the occasional
endorsement, but he remains mostly a "League Pass" legend known best
to TiVo junkies and his small band of admirers on the Bayou.
Thus, I must implore you again -- watch this guy, and appreciate him
while he's in his prime. Those in the know are seeing the best point
guard since Magic Johnson, and arguably the best little man of all
time … and the lack of attention to his exploits continues to bewilder
me.
John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.
PER Diem: March 11, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
We love to celebrate little guys in this game, and in particular, pure
point guards who make the guys around them look so good.
So it's weird to me to see that we probably have the best player ever
of his kind playing right now … and yet he's weirdly gone unheralded.
We couldn't wait to throw MVPs at Nash and Iverson and darn near gave
one to Jason Kidd, too. But Chris Paul? Somehow, it doesn't seem
everyone is totally on board with him.
To an extent, it's understandable. He hasn't played in June yet, he's
in a small market and his game, in many ways, isn't as spectacular as
the highlight Holy Trinity of LeBron, Kobe and Wade.
So once again, I feel a certain responsibility to remind everyone of
just how good Chris Paul has been these past two years, and how
unprecedented it is for a point guard to dominate the game on this
level.
It's worth noting, for instance, that Paul is about to set the mark
for the best PER ever by a player at this position since the ABA-NBA
merger … and that he's breaking the mark set by none other than Chris
Paul, in 2007-08.
Yes, it's easier for a small guard to dominate today's game than it
was for John Stockton and Isiah Thomas to dominate in the '80s, and
it's true that we don't know if Paul will have the longevity that the
players above enjoyed.
Nonetheless, compare Paul's first four seasons to any point guard from
the post-merger era, and one conclusion becomes evident really fast --
the only player who can even plausibly compare to him is Magic.
This year, CP has been better than ever. Despite earning hardly a
whisper in this year's MVP discussions after coming in second a year
ago, Paul is actually having a better season on several fronts.
"I'm a little surprised by it as well," said Hornets coach Byron
Scott. "I would think Chris would be in the conversation somewhere
because of the way he's played all season long, with the injuries
we've had, and to be where we are right now is pretty remarkable."
Top PG PERs since ABA-NBA merger
Without an all-star supporting cast, Chris Paul is on pace to break
his own record for the highest PER among point guards.
Player Season PER
Chris Paul 2008-09 29.1
Chris Paul 2007-08 28.4
Magic Johnson 1986-87 27.0
Magic Johnson 1988-89 26.9
Magic Johnson 1989-90 26.6
Where they are is only a couple of games back of where they were a
year ago, even with center Tyson Chandler missing 22 games and
struggling when he's taken the court, wings Peja Stojakovic and Morris
Peterson dealing with injury problems of their own and a bench
comprised of a role call of other teams' castaways.
Monday's loss in Atlanta was a good example. Paul hardly had his best
game -- he finished with 24 points and 10 assists, but shot 8-of-19
and committed six turnovers -- yet what stood out more was the glaring
absence of any help. New Orleans got seven points from its bench and
two from Chandler in an 89-79 loss.
But they're still on pace to win 51 games, and the reason they're
hanging in the race has been Paul. He's looking to lead the league in
steals and assists for a second straight season, and ranks a close
third behind James (31.29) and Wade (30.51) in the PER race after
finishing second behind James a season ago.
Which takes us back to the historical comparisons. Paul already is on
a trajectory that would stamp him the best player under 6-foot-4 in
league history -- if he comes anywhere close to matching his career
numbers for a few more seasons, Stockton's longevity would be the only
counterargument left -- which I alluded to more than a year ago.
But with this year's performance, we're left to consider even loftier
heights -- like whether he can rival Magic in the pantheon of great
point guards.
And despite their obvious differences -- Magic was 6-9 yet the most
dangerous open-court player in league history, while Paul is barely
six feet yet may be the best half-court pick-and-roll player in eons
-- Scott says he sees more than few similarities between his current
point guard and his former Showtime backcourt mate.
"The obvious difference is the height," said Scott, "but they are so
much alike in so many ways.
"Number one, both of them were extremely competitive, neither one
could stand to lose. Both of them were the most giving guys I've ever
seen on the basketball court; that was their whole thing was being a
true point guard. They look for their teammates first, [especially]
the first two quarters.
"Chris has taken a page out of Magic's book, as far as most of the
time in the second half I tell him, 'You have to be more aggressive.'
Earvin was great at that, getting everybody involved in the first half
and then being a little more aggressive in the second half and trying
to take over, and Chris is starting to do that."
Of course, there's one huge difference between Magic and Paul, and
it's something that may be tough to rectify as long as he's in New
Orleans -- Magic won five championships, while Paul's team hasn't gone
beyond the second round of the playoffs.
There are good reasons for this -- Magic not only had Scott as a
teammate, but also Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy
and Bob McAdoo. Although Paul has two teammates who have made the All-
Star team (David West and Peja Stojakovic), his cohorts pale by
comparison.
As a result, Paul may stay a cult hero for a while longer. Yes, he
gets a few scraps of national TV exposure and the occasional
endorsement, but he remains mostly a "League Pass" legend known best
to TiVo junkies and his small band of admirers on the Bayou.
Thus, I must implore you again -- watch this guy, and appreciate him
while he's in his prime. Those in the know are seeing the best point
guard since Magic Johnson, and arguably the best little man of all
time … and the lack of attention to his exploits continues to bewilder
me.
John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.