<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">AUBURN HILLS -- Let's, just once, not talk about the play of Chauncey Billups as it relates to a possible All-Star spot or Most Valuable Player award candidacy. Let's not compare and contrast him to other great point guards in the NBA. Let's just set it out and admire it for what it is -- mature, efficient, brilliant and winning point-guard play. "He's just got great poise because he's got confidence in his teammates, and confidence in the system," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "He understands it. He's like a quarterback on the floor. He understands what other teams' weaknesses are. He makes good adjustments. "He makes good decisions." Case in point, the Pistons' 106-102 overtime victory Wednesday against Milwaukee. The numbers shout efficiency -- he had 23 points on 11 shots. He didn't even attempt a shot in the first half, yet he engineered a 50-point half for his team. He had 15 assists and just two turnovers for the game. He scored 11 of his 23 when the Pistons needed them most, in overtime. But there was so much more going on. "He went through most of the game getting the ball to Rip (Hamilton) because he knew Rip was hot," Saunders said. "Defensively, we had him on Michael Redd some, on Bobby Simmons some (neither is a point guard). He made a key steal on Andrew Bogut in overtime when we were down one and hit a three-pointer on the next play to put us up two. Then we make another stop and he gets fouled and clinches the game from the free-throw line." On display were the five tools essential to successful point-guard play -- smart decision-making, distributing the ball, leadership, clutch scoring and defense. "There isn't another guard in the league who does all five things as well or as consistently as Chauncey has," Saunders said. Look closer at Billups' game Wednesday. He set the tempo with seven assists in the first quarter. He saw Hamilton's advantage over the 5-foot-10 T.J. Ford and exploited it. Hamilton scored 10 of his 35 in the first quarter. When the Bucks adjusted and sent help on Hamilton, Billups found Rasheed Wallace for two three-pointers and a layup. "I was just breaking down the defense and things were opening up," Billups said. "That wasn't the plan (not to take any shots), that's just how it worked out. We were in a good rhythm, but I knew in the second half I would have to get more aggressive with my scoring." The five things essential for a point guard to be successful: 1. Smart decision-making 2. Distributes the ball 3. Leadership 4. Clutch scoring 5. Defense </div> Source
