Re: Billups as a 2 Guard?

["smishra" <smishra@ix.netcom.com>]

- -----Original Message-----
From: Cecil Wright <nocw1@nsh.library.ns.ca>

>Billups may not be a resounding success at the moment as a pg but it
>would only be conjecture for anyone to say he won't be more than adequate
>2 yrs from now.  Who does he have to learn by example from?  Brown?
>Barros?  Only Edney has the instincts of a pg on this squad.

Don't knock Dee & Dana, at the moment they are playing fantastic ball, both
are put into the game at crucial time and they are contributing. Yesterday's
rally was triggered by  them hitting back to back three's when others
couldn't hit anything.

>Concerning Stoudamire, he did have the opportunity to work with one of
>the best pure pg of all-time in Isiah, which is probably a little bit
>better guidance at the position than what Billups is receiving, with all
>due respect to RP.  Nobody wants to win more than me, but I know Rome
>wasn't built in a day.

I don't think that matters stoudamire was a good PG right from the get go,
now look at Brevin Knight who does he have for guidance? but he outplayed
Marbury yesterday.

>Billups does have some strengths that I have noticed.  We definitely are
>not averse to discussing his weaknesses on this list, but I want to know if
>I am the only person who has seen any of his decent skills?

Sure he has skills, he is physical, can take the ball to the hoop but he
also has fundamental weaknesses in his game. Observe the way he brings the
ball up..and distributes it
a) he walks it up..consuming valuable time..got to be driving every body
nuts
b) he doesn't protect the ball
c) he doesn't recognize when the passing lanes are blocked and ends up
making a bone-head pass like

>Does Billups have any talent?

I think he has, but boy is he struggling, he almost lost the game before
Pitino yanked him out in the fourth quarter.  I am glad RP signed Edney.
                                                                       -
Mishra