Not sure if you mean the season that began or ended in 1977. Either way, though, it was Hollins: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1977.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1978.html
We didn't really have a true PG. David Twardzik was our starting PG. I can't remember for sure but I think Johnny Davis started when Twardzik was injured. The ball mostly went through Walton when we ran our motion offense.
Back in the '60s and '70s, there wasn't the same sense of a clear-cut "point guard" and "shooting guard." There were just guards (which is why Jerry West is hard to classify when it comes to lists of "greatest ever" at positions). But Hollins had the highest assists per game and Assist Rate of the two starting guards.
Twardzik and Hollins were the two starting guards for most of the year. Neither was designated as a "point" due to the fact that the game didn't have that specialization at the time to have designated guys bring the ball up the court, it was just a matter of which backcourt guy was in the most convienent spot to do so. So it depends what you're trying to ask here since it is like asking who the best 3-point shooter was when they didn't have a 3-point line to really measure. We could tell you what guys shot best from 20-25 feet out, but it doesn't really translate since there was no point to it back then compared to today when it is worth an extra point.
I'm going to disagree with some of you here: Dave Twardzik was a TRUE point guard and started for Portland in that position. He did injure his wrist, at which point, rookie Johnny Davis replaced him for a series or two. As the Finals began, Twardzik was back to the starting role. Lionnel, while having great assist stats (hard not to with Walton in the middle and Bobby Gross on the wing) was our 2-guard. Twardzik, a.k.a. "pinball wizzard" had a great knack at pennetrating and spinning the ball up and off the glass. He was uncanny at it. Maurice Lucas was clearly the PF as was Walton a C and Gross a SF. I would have to say that the lines are less clear today than they were back in the day!
Fair enough. I'd agree that Twardzik was more of a Sergio type of guy who had a certain size and skillset that is very similar to today's modern PG. I was just trying to say that in the modern era of backcourt press, having designated guys stay back after a basket to have someone pass the ball into them while they walk the ball up the court and hold their fingers up and call out plays, that really didn't apply back then so it just wasn't quite the same. But if there were a point, I'd agree that the Pinball Wizard was much more the PG than Hollins.
Agreed. Hollins got most of his assists in the same manner Roy does, as the middle-man between the PG and the scorer. I don't know what those other guys are talking about. Back then you always had either your PG or your C running the show. Nowadays it could be a SF, SG or even a PF. And while they rarely walked the ball up the court, the PG usually called the plays. Ironically the defense was much tougher and the pace was much faster.
I always considered Twardzik the PG and Hollins the SG. No other interpretation ever crossed my mind, until now, regardless of the fact both handled the ball. I agree it was the norm though for both guards to bring the ball up in those days.
