HoopsAnalyst

Top 25 guards in BPM (minimum 500 games, since 73-74): stathead.com/tiny/wyq79

From Ken Shouler's NBA Top 50 book, here are his top guards survey circa 1996:
-MJ was top even before his second 3-peat
-Magic was 2nd
-Oscar edged West
-Gervin was ranked a bit higher than I'd put him
-A lot of new names could jump ahead of this group in the ensuing 30 years

YouTube video by LamarMatic Don Buse (5pts/3asts) vs. Nuggets (1976 ABA All-Star Game)

Buse in the All-Star game: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCc4...

Bonus Hollander POTD Don Buse. Evansville PG signed w/IND in 72 as defensive specialist. Not a scorer but was solid starter, won apg & spg title 2x. Peaked at 12.5 ppg, 8 apg, 4 spg in 75-76. Also play w/PHO, POR & KC thru 85. Per Mel Daniels, has "got hands like a ghost."

Hollander POTD John Starks. OK St SG was undrafted, made GS in 89 but sent to CBA. Made NY in 90 & stuck this time. Streaky shooter w/a ton of energy & was a bit chippy. All-Star in 94. Had many battles w/MJ & Reggie. Missed some shots but never afraid to take 'em. Retired in 02.

YouTube video by slam40dunk Chicago's Marcus Fizer SIX Dunks (3/26/04)

Fizer, dunking on a lot of people: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBf5...

Hollinger POTD Marcus Fizer. Iowa St star PF was drafted 4th in 00 by CHI. Bad as rook but was developing into a good bench scorer when a knee injury in 03 basically ended his NBA career. Also played w/MIL & OKC thru 06. Played abroad from 06 thru 2015.

Knicks’ Quiet Leader William (Red) Holzman (Published 1973)

A NYT write up on Holzman after his second title in 73: www.nytimes.com/1973/05/12/a...

Bonus Hollander COTD Red Holzman. CCNY PG played w/ROC in early 50s. Coached STL from 54-57 & in Puerto Rico before getting NY job in 67 & winning 2 titles. Fired in 76, rehired in 77 lasted til 82. Per bio ate "scotch & steak if they win; scotch & steak if they lose." RIP.

YouTube video by Kent Blazemore Hot Rod Williams Cavaliers 24pts 10rebs vs Celtics (1987)

Young Hot Rod v the Bird Celtics: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4OH...

Hollander POTD Hot Rod Williams. Tulane PF was drafted 45th by CLE in 86. Due to betting scandal spent 2 yrs in USBL before getting a chance. Was good immediately as pro. Peaked at 17 ppg 8 rpg in 89-90 & got huge contract but never quite a star. Retire in 99. Died in 2015. RIP.

YouTube video by Kent Blazemore Rashard Lewis 34pts 11rebs 7asts (2009 NBA Finals Game 2)

Lewis dropping 34 in the 09 Finals: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6IL...

Hollinger POTD Rashard Lewis. HS star declared for the 98 draft but fell like a rock to 2nd round, picked 32nd by SEA. Barely played at first but developed into all-star scorer. ORL gave him a huge deal in 07 & was still good for first 2 yrs. Became bench guy from 2011 to 2014.

YouTube video by Basketforum.gr Vinny Del Negro Italian Finals 1992

Vinny in Italy....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6x6...

Bonus Hollander POTD Vinny Del Negro. NC St combo guard was drafted 29th by SAC in 88. After 2 meh yrs, played in Italy til 92. Signed by SA in 92 & played much better as SG, peaked at 14.5 ppg. From 98-02 played w/MIL, GS & PHO. Coached CHI (got into fight w/Paxson) & LAC.

YouTube video by Philadelphia 76ers Clint Richardson & Moses Malone Visit the White House

Clint's Moses story: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB6f...

Hollander POTD Clint Richardson. Seattle G drafted 36th by PHI in 79. Was 3rd guard for early 80s 76ers & had good moments in 83 Finals. Traded to IND in 85 (peak 9.7 ppg). Left for Greece in 87 & retired in 90. Fun tidbit in bio here about beating out Billy Ray Bates in camp.

YouTube video by VCF Macedonia Alvin Williams on Raptors - Knicks Game 5 in 2001

Williams put the dagger into the 90s Knicks in The Garden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Dz...

Hollinger POTD Alvin Williams. Villanova G was drafted 47h by POR in 97. Made the team and looked solid but was traded 41 games into rookie season to TOR & started at PG from 99-04, peaking at 13 ppg. Not a natural PG but effective. Hurt knee in 05 forcing retirement by 07.

Bonus Hollander POTD Fred Brown. Iowa SG drafted 6th by SEA in 71. Struggled as rook but was starter by 72. Scored 14.6 ppg for 12 yr career w/SEA, peaking at 23.1 ppg in 75-76. 1x All-Star & good all around. Known as "Downtown" for range. Led NBA in 3% in 79-80 (39-88, .443%).

YouTube video by LamarMatic Dale Ellis (53pts) vs. Bucks (1989, 5OTs)

Ellis' 53-point game: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l56...

Hollander POTD Dale Ellis. One of the 1st great volume 3-pt shooters Drafted 9th by DAL in 83 & was bench guy on a deep Mav team. Traded to SEA in 86 & became star, averaging 25.6 ppg from 86-90. Slowed down after 90 but was solid thru age-39 in 2000. Was 3-pt king before Reggie.

Nique's stats took a huge tumble from 93-94 to 94-95 and it might've been worse if he hadn't shot a career best 39% from three.

Athlon's 95-96 NBA preview sums up the 94-95 attempt to contend with older free agent Dominique Wilkins. He could still score but the efficiency and effort were not great, though he was great v ORL in the playoffs. That summer he took a buy out & played 95-96 in Europe.

YouTube video by Ryan Van Dusen Otis Thorpe Dunks on Toni Kukoc Pretty Darn Well (Christmas 1996)

Thorpe posterizing Kukoc: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Ri...

Bonus Hollander POTD Otis Thorpe. Providence PF was drafted 9th by KC in 84. Hard worker was double-double machine in SAC. Peaked at 20.8 ppg in 87-88. Traded to HOU in 88-89, he was a perfect bookend for Hakeem. Made 91-92 all-star game. Spent 1994-2001 as roaming big.

Hollander POTD David Robinson. The Admiral was Navy star drafted 1st in 87. After serving 2 yrs, came to NBA & was absolute star immediately. Won ROY in 89-90, DPOY in 91-92 & MVP in 94-95. Had early playoff frustrations but getting Duncan certainly helped, winning 2 titles.

Ewing went 3-0 v Hakeem their final season against each other, though neither one of them was exactly lighting it up: stathead.com/tiny/fA7x6

Hollinger POTD Patrick Ewing. G'Town star played out his twilight w/SEA in 00-01 & ORL in 01-02. There was talk that he would put GP over the top but Pat was too slow at that point. Played better w/ORL but still slow. Last great game: 22 pts 15 rebs v PHO on 11/14/01.

YouTube video by Ryan Van Dusen Frank Brickowski Kinda Punches Greg Kite in the Face

Kite scrapping w/Brickowski: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJDq...