<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Earlier this week, I was reading a story out of Los Angeles about the frustration and struggles of Lakers point guard Gary Payton -- which to me seems redundant, but that is another story. In any case, Payton, who has been benched in the fourth quarters of several games against the Houston Rockets, was quoted as saying about the Lakers' upcoming semifinals series with the San Antonio Spurs: "Hopefully I can shine in that series. I know I can play at another level. I can do a lot of things. It's not happening right now. Next series may be my series." And I thought: Against Tony Parker? Good luck. This is going to sound like an indictment of Payton, though it is not meant to be. Instead, it is a glowing tribute to the ever-improving Parker, who has become one of the top three point guards in the league and is on the verge of becoming the elite player at his position. In order to do that, I must go back to Payton, who still fancies himself as one of the best players in the league, only because he is too stubborn to consider the reality.</div> <div align="center"> Full ESPN Article </div>
That article makes it sound like Parker can shut down Payton on the other end of the floor very easily.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ANiMuS:</div><div class="quote_post">That article makes it sound like Parker can shut down Payton on the other end of the floor very easily.</div>Payton has been shutting himself down lately.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Payton has been shutting himself down lately.</div> I agree. The way Payton looks on that court, is not a pretty site. I don't know. But Payton might be doing this intentionally because he's unhappy with the role he's been given on the Lakers or he simply dosent have it anymore. And it might be time to take off the Glove. Either way, Payton needs to step up NOW! Their playing the Spurs and the Spurs don't play. Tony Parker outplayed him. Nah, thats to nice of a word. Parker literally KILLED him.
TP dominated Payton today and will do the whole series, as expected L.A have no answer for Tony Parker. They just can't find a way to slow the guy down or step up and guard him from the pick and roll. He can get to the basket so easily and why S.A struggled was because of the fact he wasn't attacking enough, once he got back to his style he took over the game. This is why Jason Kidd was not needed.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">This is why Jason Kidd was not needed.</div> The weird thing is, Payton probably wouldn't do nearly as bad as Kidd as he's been on Parker. It's not Parker's skills that are getting ahead of Payton, but pretty much just his pure speed that not even Jason Kidd, who's considered a better point guard, has.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">The weird thing is, Payton probably wouldn't do nearly as bad as Kidd as he's been on Parker. It's not Parker's skills that are getting ahead of Payton, but pretty much just his pure speed that not even Jason Kidd, who's considered a better point guard, has.</div>Parker knows how to execute the pick and roll better than anybody right now. That is skill.
Tony Parker has been playing stellar as of late and is way better in the playoff's that Gary'theglove'Payton. The Glove has got the love baby....... jus wait you guy's will see what them commercials mean to Gary. Gary will step up, a lot. Tony Parker has to be the best gaurd in the past 5 years to go to the spurs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Parker knows how to execute the pick and roll better than anybody right now. That is skill.</div> That's not Payton's problem. That's the Lakers' problem. Shaq and Malone need to do better at stepping up during the pick and roll. It's hardly the reason why Parker is playing so well over Payton right now. His advantage is mostly his pure speed and quickness, combined with his dribbling skills.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">That's not Payton's problem. That's the Lakers' problem. Shaq and Malone need to do better at stepping up during the pick and roll. It's hardly the reason why Parker is playing so well over Payton right now. His advantage is mostly his pure speed and quickness, combined with his dribbling skills.</div> you seem to forget that Glove is gettin' old...his natural abilities and reflexes are diminishing,and have been the last couple seasons(not to mention a sharp downturn this season.)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">That's not Payton's problem. That's the Lakers' problem. Shaq and Malone need to do better at stepping up during the pick and roll. It's hardly the reason why Parker is playing so well over Payton right now. His advantage is mostly his pure speed and quickness, combined with his dribbling skills.</div> And the fact the glove is the Mit. GP can't really talk anymore and just play ball. He and Malone may be old, but they have to play like they want a championship. Somehow GP can find a way to flow with this offense and have a + impact during the rest of their games. BTW, , I had that sig, but I stretched it out and it said <font color="Purple">Game! bbbbBlouses!</font> Surprised you still have that sig their.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Dre:</div><div class="quote_post">you seem to forget that Glove is gettin' old...his natural abilities and reflexes are diminishing,and have been the last couple seasons(not to mention a sharp downturn this season.)</div> I realize that. Waht I'm trying to say in the first place is that Jason Kidd wouldn't dominate Payton nearly as much as Parker has. He probably wouldn't dominate him at all. A few years ago, Payton would be able to keep up with Parker, but now he can't. He could keep up to Kidd though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">I realize that. Waht I'm trying to say in the first place is that Jason Kidd wouldn't dominate Payton nearly as much as Parker has. He probably wouldn't dominate him at all. A few years ago, Payton would be able to keep up with Parker, but now he can't. He could keep up to Kidd though.</div> TheGameShutDown, you're getting too worked up over Parker's playoff performance, just like Piston fans got worked up over Tayshaun Prince's playoff performance last year. Parker is a great point guard, and he's quickly becoming one of the league's best. However, there are still a lot of point guards who are better than he is. There's Jason Kidd, Sam Cassell, Stephon Marbury, Baron Davis, Steve Nash, and more. Parker has had better playoff performances than just about every one of them so far, but that doesn't mean he's the better player. Parker is just doing really well in the Spurs' system right now. If you put him on the Nets, he most likely wouldn't be able to do what Kidd has been doing. I do believe that Jason Kidd can, will, and has dominated Payton just like Parker has. You are saying that Parker's advantage is his pure speed along with his dribbling skills. However, you need to realize that Jason Kidd is widely respected as the quickest player in the NBA as well as one of the most skilled dribblers. Any Kidd/Parker comparisons are illogical, because Kidd is in a whole nother league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">However, you need to realize that Jason Kidd is widely respected as the quickest player in the NBA as well as one of the most skilled dribblers. Any Kidd/Parker comparisons are illogical, because Kidd is in a whole nother league.</div> lol...Kidd does not even compare to Parker's speed, atleast not now. Have you seen the first two games of this series? Parker not only dominated Memphis in the sweep, but has dominated the Lakers as well in only his third season as a 21 year old. This is why he is being mentioned as an ellite point guard. It is amazing what he is doing at such a young age. Keep hating and he'll keep producing.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">lol...Kidd does not even compare to Parker's speed, atleast not now.</div> The last year Kidd was in the skills competition (2003); he clocked a better time than Tony Parker's time this year. For further proof of Kidd's quickness, you could check out some of the tapes from the Knicks/Nets series. They were interviewing his teammates as well as some Knicks before the first or second Knicks game, and they all agreed that he's the quickest player in the NBA. His teammates and coach say that he dribbles the basketball faster than he sprints at practice. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Have you seen the first two games of this series? Parker not only dominated Memphis in the sweep, but has dominated the Lakers as well in only his third season as a 21 year old.</div> First of all, A few games in the playoffs and a career are two different things. You need to realize that there are always players who get hot in the postseason but are simply mediocre during the regular season. Second of all, Parker did not dominate Memphis. It was more like Tim Duncan and the rest of the Spurs dominating the Grizzlies. The Grizz would double Duncan, and he'd kick it out to Hedo Turkoglu or Tony Parker for the open shot. There were a few games where Parker hit most of his shots, but the major factor in the win against the Grizzlies was the offensive rebounding. Don't get too excited about Parker just yet. Comparing him to Kidd is a stretch. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This is why he is being mentioned as an ellite point guard. It is amazing what he is doing at such a young age. Keep hating and he'll keep producing.</div> In 1967, Gus Williams led the Supersonics to the national championship. He was almost exactly the same age as Parker, yet he led his team in points and assists during the playoffs. He went on to have a mediocre career. He's just one player; there are many more like him. If you want respect, you have to build a career off of being a great player. You can't just be a great player in the playoffs. I think Parker is great. He is likely to be an All-Star one day. He could even be as good as Kidd. However, right now it's not a fair comparison.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The last year Kidd was in the skills competition (2003); he clocked a better time than Tony Parker's time this year.</div> That proves nothing since it was Gary Payton who had the fastest time out of the four competitors. Wave, as a Gary Payton fan, I'm sure as hell not getting worked up about Parker's performance. I know that Jason Kidd is a better point guard and has more skills; I'm almost sure that Gary Payton has more skills than Tony. No one thought that Payton's decline in lateral quickness would lead him to getting dominated by an arguably lesser skilled point guard. Kidd wouldn't do any better than Parker because Payton's defensive disadvantages would show as much. Against Gary Payton this year, Kidd was held to 10 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds. On the other hand, Tony Parker averaged 19 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds, an obviously better showing, not because he's a better PG than Kidd, but because he's able to utilize Payton's weaknesses better.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post"> Against Gary Payton this year, Kidd was held to 10 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds. On the other hand, Tony Parker averaged 19 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds, an obviously better showing, not because he's a better PG than Kidd, but because he's able to utilize Payton's weaknesses better.</div>Great point. No one can match Parker's quickness. Wave- You keep saying Parker is a medicore player during the regular season but he is not. He is a very good PG but playing in SA he doesn't get the hype that some of these other guards do. Just like the Spurs don't get the hype and are a great quiet team during the regular season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post"> Wave- You keep saying Parker is a medicore player during the regular season but he is not. He is a very good PG but playing in SA he doesn't get the hype that some of these other guards do. Just like the Spurs don't get the hype and are a great quiet team during the regular season.</div> Rudeezy, there's Super-star, all-star, and then just plain mediocre. Parker is just plain mediocre. Are you telling me that during the regular season he was better than Kidd, Cassell, B.Davis, Nash, Marbury, Bibby, Billups, L.James, and more? Sure, he was probably the 15th or 16th best point guard during the regular season, but that doesn't mean he's great by any stretch of the imagination. I had him on my fantasy league team; he didn't do too much for me.
Parker is 21. He practically came into the league at the High school age. Comparing him to greats like the Glove and Kidd is a bit premature, but given time (and Tim Duncan by his side) Parker might become the premier PG in the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting UrbanLegend:</div><div class="quote_post">Parker is 21. He practically came into the league at the High school age. Comparing him to greats like the Glove and Kidd is a bit premature, but given time (and Tim Duncan by his side) Parker might become the premier PG in the league.</div> Exactly. I don't know about you, but I see a Stockton-Malone kind of partnership developing with the Spurs.
