4 replies to this topic

[NorEastern]

The assist first point guard is dead.

The bells ring an ominous sound around the NBA. The play maker pass first point guard is extinct. No longer is the assist and defense first point guard a welcome addition to NBA teams. Their death occurred suddenly last season when Rondo went down to injury and the Celtics won more games after he was gone. With Averly Bradley as the point guard. Averly Bradley???

Few point guards in the NBA do not score less than 150% than their assist total. Many are pushing 200% or more. Here is a table of the top 10 point guards and their assist numbers this season:

We see only two point guards here who do not score at a 150% rate above their of their assist total. And Rubio and Blake both play for marginal teams. Every other guard except Chris Paul scores at least 190% of their assist total.

This is simply NBA evolution in motion. With the rise of the combo guard at both the traditional point guard and shooting guard positions (and competent small forwards in many cases) the need for assist first point guards has decreased dramatically. NBA defenses are becoming more complex and nuanced every year. A player who is not offensively gifted gets ignored much of the time, allowing the defense to double team scoring threats. The result? Stagnant offenses which struggle to put points on the board. 

Rondo was the pinnacle of the defense and assist first point guard. His dRAPM rating has generally been positive throughout his career, a monumental achievement for a point guard. However his injury exposed the weakness of that type of player. Maybe we will see them return to the NBA one day. But for now R.I.P.

[2016Champions]

I hate how roles are defined by position. There are so many different ways to build a team, so many different ways a player can help his team. Like McHale said, this is a very simple game, you draw 2 or 3 defenders and pass. I love it when the best passer is also a scoring threat, and I love it when the best scorer is also a great passer, these 2 skills compliment each other so why in the world do people think the 2 skills should be separated?

[Sir Thursday]

It seems to me that while the scoring is important, it is not the key factor. The thing a point guard needs is the ability to shoot from the outside. Whether or not he shoots it very often is irrelevant. That is what Rubio and Rondo lack, and that is why their teams' offences don't work as well as they could do with them on the floor. But to say that 'pass-first' point guards are dying a death is just untrue.

 

Attributing the failures of the Lakers to Steve Blake's lack of scoring is a big and unjustified leap. He is actually a decent fit for that team offensively if he has a healthy Kobe alongside him. You probably do need some scoring from the back-court, yes, but it doesn't have to be from the Point Guard if you've got an offensive monster next to him. The only reason why point guards are being asked to score more is because they don't have high scoring wings to help shoulder the offensive load. But you can still pick out some rather good teams that don't have 'scoring PGs' if you want. Mario Chalmers wants to show you his championship rings. George Hill has his aspirations too. 

 

I mean, look at our own team! People were crying out for a less ball-dominant (ie. pass first) point guard to play alongside Harden instead of Lin not two months ago. What is Beverley if not the archetypical game-managing PG offensively? Are you telling me he's not welcome here? Because I beg to differ!

 

I object to your classification system as well. If you're going to say they're a dying breed, I'd like to see some point guards of old who met that criterion. Find me these point guards with less than 1.5 points per assist who were considered to be great. Show me some evidence of life before you give me an obituary.

 

ST

[NorEastern]

Sorry ST. I read your post just now and the Rockets game is now on. One has to assign priorities. Talk to you tomorrow.

[UBK]

  It seems you think this is very recent development. But ten years ago the ratio was even higher.

 

  Overall the 12 players you list have 98.1 SPG and 198.7 PPG for a 2.02 ratio

 

  What was this ratio 10 years ago:

 

   Kidd                 9.2 APG  15.5PPG

   Marbury           8.9           20.2

   Nash                8.8            14.5

   Davis                7.5            22.9

   Cassell             7.3            19.8

   Snow                6.9            10.3

   Williams            6.8            10.9

    Hinrich             6.8            12.0

    Francis            6.2            16.6

    Mcinnis            6.1            11.8

    Miller               6.1             14.8

    Stoudemire      6.1            13.4

 

TOTAL             86.7            182.7   Ratio 2.11