Register | Login | Forgot Password | RSS |
Home       |       Video       |       TheHoopsForum Radio       |       Ron Campbell       |       Marlon Benjamin       |       Harold       |       Steis  
  
RoundTable

1/15/2008
Topic: "Who should go to the Bench Allen Iverson or Richard Hamilton"

Last night Rip Hamilton returned to action after missing eight games with a groin injury, Rodney Stuckey is playing the best basketball he has ever played but after a loss to the Bobcats last night, a game the Pistons should have won it is obvious that a starting lineup featuring both Richard Hamilton and Allen Iverson along with Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, is not going to work. I hate to be Coach Michael Curry and have to make such a decision of who who should come off the bench, I asked myself this question along with my colleagues Zoo and the Godfather:

Ron Campbell: The Pistons have to bench Allen Iverson and not because Richard Hamilton is a superior player but because Hamilton is the inferior player. Despite the selfish player tag that hovers over Iverson's head he has a career average of 6.3 apg. Iverson will be better able to set up plays for Antonio McDyess Jason Maxiell and Aaron Aaffalo the Hamilton ever would. Iverson coming in with the second unit, he will be able to give the Pistons a real spark off the bench, Iverson will be able to look for his own shot more as he is averaging a career low 15 shots a game. The Pistons have nobody who can create for themselves off the bench, Iverson will be able to create plays for himself and his teammates. Richard Hamilton cannot create his own shot, he is better suited coming off screens and going thru picks to get his shots.

Zoo: Since 2001-02 an Allen Iverson team has made it to the playoffs a total of 5 times in 7 years and have made it out of round 1 just one time. His career field goal percentage in the playoffs is 40%, the last 2 years in Denver it was 38% including 24% from 3 point range. His teams are 2-14 in his last 3 playoff trips and his exaggerated career assists per game total is even lower in the post season than it has been in the regular season. Meanwhile Rip Hamilton has been the leading scorer on a team that has made it to at least the Eastern Conference Finals in 6 straight seasons. Not too tough of a decision if I'm coach Curry. A.I. can take and miss as many shots as he would like playing with McDyess and Maxiell while Hamilton can work effortlessly in unison with the starting unit who should give the Answer a lead whenever he enters the game which should be somewhere around the 4 or 5 minute mark in quarter number 2.

Godfather: For the last three years we all have watched the Detroit Pistons get eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. Before the trade, that was the furthest that team could possibly go. The reason they couldn't get past the conference finals, was their personal and team style of play. The Pistons were a jumping shooting unathletic team that rarely got to the line. They ran alot of high screens and down screens to create open shots. In a 7 game series, by game 4 the opposing team would have them completely figured out, Boston took care of them in 6, Cleveland took care of them in 6 and Miami took care of them in 6. Is that a coincidence, I think not. When the fourth quarter comes, you need a player that can create his own shot off the dribble or who can get into the paint and to the free throw line.

Give Dumars credit, he had to make the tough decision and that was to move Chauncy for the younger more athletic Stuckey.

Now the question is who should go to the bench. It is a no brainer, Rip Hamilton has to go. He struggles creating his own shot and needs all four of his teammates to set him up for a jump shot that may or may not fall. Iverson doesn't need that much assistance and seems to be comfortable in the Pistons offense. Have the bench unit that struggles to score set those screens to get good shots up for Hamilton. Hamilton will provide an immediate boost to the bench and he will have a higher margin of error playing with the second unit. Iverson at the end of day is still one of the best scorers and with a point guard like Stuckey at his side, sky is the limit for the Pistons. The Pistons are big a way from a championship.

Name
Comment
Insert Cancel
NameComment
Stu Parkerwow. after reading this blog....You are spot on. I do not deny Kevin Garnett's ability as a player but HATE the BS stuff he does...All negative crap.
 This is a very unfair article. Garnett is an Olympic Gold Medalist, an MVP, an ALL STAR MVP, an ALL NBA member and an NBA Champion... you know how many current players can say that? 2 others (Shaq & Kobe) and they are all considered among the best players at their respected positions in the HISTORY of basketball. The same should be said for K.G.
 This is a very unfair article. Garnett is an Olympic Gold Medalist, an MVP, an ALL STAR MVP, an ALL NBA member and an NBA Champion... you know how many current players can say that? 2 others (Shaq & Kobe) and they are all considered among the best players at their respected positions in the HISTORY of basketball. The same should be said for K.G.
RaThis is blasphemy. I hope a Celtics fan did not write this article.
KWAPTHow old is that clip of KG? C'mon..of course that was a punk move, but what was that, 10 years ago? It's simple: KG is a fierce competitor who uses intimiadation and mental toughness to strike fear in the heart of his opponents. If he is on your team, you LOVE him. If he is not, you may loathe him. But either way, he is a great player. You cannot deny that.
AlexWow, now we are going to call an Olympic Gold Medalist, an MVP, an ALL STAR MVP, an ALL NBA member, an NBA Champion, a player that has more 20-10-5 seasons than Larry Bird, Defender of the Year (2008 and most likely, this year) overrated? Hmm, right now I'm kind of smelling a bit of jealousy mixed with stupidity in this article.
TweedsterThis blog is poorly written, scattered and incoherent. Thankfully, someone else already tackled the inconsistencies and leaps of logic. Check it out hear: http://celticshub.com/2009/10/22/did-you-hear-kg-is-overrated/
TweedsterSome actual statistics, and not just conjecture and strange conclusions based on the number of 'chips KG has. http://www.celticstown.com/is-kevin-garnett-clutch.html
SPron campbell must love the Lakers. Or the Cav's. Or the Magic. but he doesn't know @$@@ about basketball!
Ed The Sports FanI'm sorry, there's no way in life Allen Iverson isn't in the starting 5, especially ahead of Nash. Give a damn about MVP's, Iverson's done more with much much MUCH less and totally revolutionized the game. Other than that, I think your decade team is cool. -Ed.
BOSTON CELTICS
2008 NBA Champions
Young Phenoms
Shabazz Napier Class of 11'

Blog Roll
  • Purpl Ninja
  • The No Look Pass
  • Atypical Sports
  • Black Sports Online
  • InsideHoops
  • TheHoopsForum On Twitter
       Twitter NBA Roll Call
    Aaron Brooks

    Adonal Foyle

    Al Harrington

    Allen Iverson

    Amare Stoudemire

    Andre Iguodala

    Andrew Bogut

    Austin Daye

    Baron Davis

    Blake Griffin

    Bostjan Nachbar

    Brian Cardinal

    Bruce Bowen

    C.J. Miles

    Cartier Martin

    Chris Bosh

    Chris Douglas Roberts

    Chris Paul

    Daequan Cook

    Dahntay Jones

    DaJuan Summers

    Danny Granger

    Deandre Jordan

    DeJuan Blair

    Demar DeRozan

    Derek Fisher

    Deron Williams

    Donte Greene

    Dorell Wright

    Drew Gooden

    Dwayne Wade

    Dwight Howard

    Eddy Curry

    Eric Maynor

    Fabricio Oberto

    Francisco Garcia

    Glen Davis

    Hasheem Thabeet

    Jack McClinton III

    James Harden

    Jared Dudley

    Jarrett Jack

    Jason Richardson

    Jason Terry

    Jason Thompson

    JaVale McGee

    Jermaine O'Neal

    Jerome Henderson

    Jerryd Bayless

    Jodie Meeks

    Joe Crawford

    Joe Johnson

    Johan Petro

    Jon Brockman

    Josh Howard

    Julian Wright

    Kevin Durant

    Kevin Love

    Kyle Lowry

    Lamar Odom

    Mario Chalmers

    Mark Madsen

    Michael Beasley

    Mike Conley

    Mike James

    Mike Miller

    Mo Williams

    Morris Peterson

    Nate Robinson

    Nazr Mohammed

    Nick Collison

    Patty Mills

    Paul Pierce

    Quentin Richardson

    Randy Foye

    Rashard Lewis

    Rashard McCants

    Rasual Butler

    Robin Lopez

    Roger Mason Jr.

    Ron Artest

    Royal Ivey

    Rudy Fernandez

    Rudy Gay

    Russell Westbrook

    Ryan Gomes

    Sasha Vujacic

    Sean May

    Shaquille O'Neal

    Shelden Williams

    Speedy Claxton

    Stephen Curry

    Stephon Marbury

    Steve Nash

    T.J. Ford

    Terrance Williams

    Thabo Sefolosha

    Travis Outlaw

    Trevor Ariza

    Troy Murphy

    Tyreke Evans

    Tyson Chandler

    Wayne Ellington

    Opportunites | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Site Disclaimer | Mission | Terms of Use