<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ly_yng)</div><div class='quotemain'>
Without a good point guard, you're going to struggle to get optimum efficiency out of your offensive players. The Spurs get away with starting Parker because Duncan has the mind of a point guard, being able to run an offense extremely effeciently. I would even say that this is what doomed Dallas in the playoffs - with Dirk forced into a decision-making role, he ultimately floundered. Meanwhile, Baron Davis was doing a great job of setting a pace that used the obviously inferior talent level of Golden State much more effectively. It might explain why Houston consistently can't win in the playoffs. Point guards are why Toronto is as good as they are, and why Atlanta can't get out of the basement. It's why Rajan Rondo is going to be the really critical factor in how good the Celtics are offensively.</p>
Basically, what I'm saying is you've got a lot of potential offensive talent on your team BG7, but it's going to go to waste. </p></div>
Ben Gordon can do a pretty masterful job at point guard. </p>
Like looking at the games where Hinrich got in major foul trouble, and Gordon got thrust into the point guard role, here are his #'s.</p>
Nov 6. MIl- 37 points 9 assists WNov 19. LAL- 9 points 4 assists LDec 6 PHI- 31 points 2 assists WDec 19 LAL- 22 points 2 assists W Dec 23 CHA- 23 points 2 assists WDec 30 CLE- 21 points 7 assists WJan 2 PHO- 41 points 4 assists LFeb 22 CLE- 16 points 6 assists WMar 8 ORL- 25 points 2 assists WApr 10 NYK- 23 points 7 assists WApr 15 WAS- 30 points 3 assists WApr 21 MIA- 24 points 11 assists WApr 24 MIA- 27 points 5 assists W</p>
Don't know about you, but I'll take the point guard that averages 25.3 points and 4.9 assists. Bulls were 11-2 in these games, 69-13 over the course of a season.</p>
2 factors in here as well. Bulls have A.) A good pass first guard in Duhon. I will bring in another point guard to play with Gordon for stretches, and B.) Ben Wallace, a good passing big man. Tyrus Thomas should be able to replicate Wallace's passing in the high post.</p>
One thing for sure is though, with the ball being in Ben's hands more, the Bulls' offense definitely became more deadly, with an average margin of victory in those games of 19.8 in those games, averaging 102.6 in the wins. Average margin of loss of 5.5 (Phoenix by 1 point, LAL by 10).</p>
Like I said, DUhon/Wallace helped the Bulls be successful in that, but a traditional point guard who dominates the ball like a Kidd or Nash is definitely not needed imo. Just a point guard who could take some pressure off of Gordon if the pressure cooker gets heated up. From waht I've seen of Thomas so far, he is perfect apt at being able to have the high post offense run through him. Especially if he develops that jumpshot (800 shots per day this summer) he will be additionaly deadly. He is kind of like Lebron James, in terms of the quickness advantage he has over pretty much every player in the league. He doesn't have the strength of James, but he is just as deadly of a finisher in the lane. The whole thing with Tyrus Thomas is just playing under control, and being smart. He has a high basketball IQ, but he doesn't use it enough. I actually wanted Joakim Noah with my last pick, because he's a finished product who can run the high post, but Thomas has the potential to be so much better at it than Noah. Redick/Durant are pretty much just shooters. Not asking them to create too much on this team yet, but Durant definitely has the potential to be that. </p>
Gordon and one of Deng/Nocioni, and Hinrich have been enough to carry the Bulls to the playoffs the past three years. So with Gordon being better than ever (in his 4th season), Durant being comparable to better to what Deng/Nocioni being, and now I guess I have to take Bynum as my 3rd best player? (or Thomas?...or Redick?), but one thing to keep in mind, that talent gets stacked on certain teams, and the distribution of talent isn't equal in the NBA, but in this draft, the distribution of talent is more so equal, which I makes you need less top heavy talent to be successful imo. I think my team is good enough to make the playoffs this year, and then take huge steps towards a championship in the not so distant future. </p>
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