Re: NBA thread
this really sucks that I can’t watch the playoffs at the moment, too many exams.
year of the point guards/assistmen it is: tmac, kidd, carter, lebron, paul, baron davis, hinrich, and of course steve
out of all those "assist men" that you mentioned, Kidd, Nash, and Davis are a notch ahead of the others.
Lebron is a good passer, but he's more effective as a shooting guard as opposed to a point guard. You can't force a "scorer" to "pass" at the same time, it's one or the other, not both.
Chris Paul is good, but I cannot predict whether he will be as good as any of the "trio" above, although he has potential. I remember how good and poised he was when he played at Wake Forest. His team was guaranteed to lose the game (because they were down a lot and there was not enough time), but he handled himself so well as a leader, he continued to be agressive, distribute, and drive to the basket, showing no fear...he's mature beyond his years. And he demonstrated this as a Rookie of the Year. That's why I'm an advocate of young players staying in College the whole 4 years. Paul could have left early out of college, but he chose to stay. And now look how college has benefited him.
Same thing with Heinrich, he's good and he has a good court vision, although I'm not sure if he will be as good as those "trio", but he does have potential.
A note about Baron Davis, if you've seen him at full health, he's almost unstoppable. He's like Nash, but stronger. Unfortunately, he's been plagued with too many injuries, and I doubt he will ever be the same player as he was. Davis may not be as good a shooter as Nash, but he can rebound, score more baskets, and dish the ball just as effectively. I guess he's like Kidd, but Davis could have been better if only he was healthy. We'll see how popular he remains, now that he's finally received recognition. He's still quite young, so he's got a long way to go.
I have a feeling this Golden State team will be a powerhouse in the West for the next few years, and they have some young talent in that team, such as Ellis, Richardson, Pietrus, and Barnes. This is a very young basketball team. Ellis came straight out of High School, and he won this year's most improved player award. So watch out for this Warriors team, this is only the beginning. And Nelly is a great coach, so hopefully he stays longer and help mentor these young players.
About Tmac, I agree, he's a great player, and he's facing a similar issue that Garnett and Kobe has been going through for quite some time...lacking the necessary players around him that will lessen the burden of "carrying a team" all by himself.
About Carter, he's good, but I honestly think he is second rate, compared to what he used to be. Without Kidd, he wouldn't look this good. Don't get me wrong, before injury, he was an MVP type of guy, but after that, he's just a mere All Star. Plus, he has already passed his peak years, and he's getting older. So don't expect any more from him, this will be as good as he gets.
EDIT:
oh crap, I forgot to mention Chauncey Billups. He belongs to the "great category" above (point guards). This guy is not only a great defender, but is also Mr. "clutch". He knows how to play under pressure.
And I just saw the replay of the Nash-nose-collision with Parker on the news last night. Ouch, that must have hurt. Wow, the Spurs definitely needed that win. This series is already very interesting, I hope it extends to game 7, and remain highly competitive throughout.
). For way too many reasons to list, the Suns have no chance at beating the Spurs. Or should I say, they have about as much of a chance as the Lakers had at beating the Suns. I mean, I'm a huge Lakers fan, but we have to face reality sometimes. 
, if nash was still playing without that bloody nose, clutch time! (im thinking a three or a smooth layup)