Miller is the 2nd best PG in the East
Posted: Wed Apr 2, 2008 5:16 pm
Is Andre Miller the best point guard in the Eastern Conference?
When the deal first went down, I thought the 76ers were ripped off when they traded away Allen Iverson.
Andre Miller is proving me dead wrong.
Miller himself was expected to do big things from the moment he entered the league. Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers eighth overall, Miller had a very impressive rookie season where he was named to the All-Rookie first team. His improvement continued in his second year he led the Eastern Conference in assists per game and by his third, the entire league. Everything was pointing towards Andre 7000 being one of the league's best points for the next decade. Then things started to go bad. LA Clipper bad.
Yep, Miller got traded to a place where all good things NBA (Tim Thomas' comeback and Elton Brand's knee being two more recent examples) go to die, Clipperland. The Clip hailed him as a savior to their point guard problem but the season was a complete disaster. His shot abandoned him as his FG% dropped to a shade over forty percent. And it wasn't just his game that was being tarnished, but his reputation as a teammate as well. The Clipper environment was poisonous at that point. Namely, all the players hated each other. Despite a roster that had Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Miller and Lamar Odom, the team only won 27 games.
The Denver Nuggets called with a contract offer that the Clip refused to match and Miller's game returned, although by then the novelty had worn off. He was no longer viewed as one of the leagues up and coming stars but rather as a former malcontent putting up decent, not great, numbers on a team clearly led by Carmelo Anthony. Despite the team's turnaround with him as the lead point, the media had forgotten about Andre Miller.
It seemed like the front office forgot about him too when he was traded along with a few picks for Allen Iverson. It was a risky move for the 76ers as Miller couldn't co-exist with a young rebuilding team in LA, what would be different in Philadelphia?
The difference is that Miller has matured a lot as a person and a player; he truly is the leader for this 76er team. He has good size at 6-2 and the bulk to bully his way into the lane past smaller point guards. His passing skills are superb and his decision making is crucial for this young and athletic team.
Meanwhile, Iverson's Denver squad seems a bit disappointing considering the team's talent. Both Iverson and Anthony's defining characteristic on the court is their ability to take over a game offensively. While it's a huge advantage to have two players capable of doing that, their skills are still a bit redundant.
Unlike Iverson, Miller has a team in front of him that compliments his skills perfectly.
Samuel Dalembert's improvement this year is a big story. His rebounding and block numbers are both up from last year while he has also cut back on his fouls. Maybe it was playing for the Canadian National team? While playing internationally it seemed like Big Sam realized what kind of effect a true big man can have on a team.
Thad Young and Reggie Evans are two solid options to have at the power forward spot. Evans is a energy player with a bit of a dirty streak in him. He's relentless on the boards and will pull down some of the most impressive rebound per 48 minute numbers in the league. However, his game is completely devoid of skill. Rookie Thad Young on the other hand is nearly the opposite player. He's young and athletic and has legitimate range on his jumper.
Andre Igoudala is one of those players whose skills could integrate into any team in the league. His athleticism is spellbinding, he creates for teammates and his defensive skills are among the best in the league at his position. His turnovers are high but that's because he's miscast as a team's primary scoring option. He's not a number one guy, but would be an amazing number two.
All of these players have a role that compliments Miller's game nicely. I still think Billups is still the best point guard in the Eastern Conference with Andre at a close second. Of course, Jose Calderon supporters would have something to say about that bronze medal...
When the deal first went down, I thought the 76ers were ripped off when they traded away Allen Iverson.
Andre Miller is proving me dead wrong.
Miller himself was expected to do big things from the moment he entered the league. Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers eighth overall, Miller had a very impressive rookie season where he was named to the All-Rookie first team. His improvement continued in his second year he led the Eastern Conference in assists per game and by his third, the entire league. Everything was pointing towards Andre 7000 being one of the league's best points for the next decade. Then things started to go bad. LA Clipper bad.
Yep, Miller got traded to a place where all good things NBA (Tim Thomas' comeback and Elton Brand's knee being two more recent examples) go to die, Clipperland. The Clip hailed him as a savior to their point guard problem but the season was a complete disaster. His shot abandoned him as his FG% dropped to a shade over forty percent. And it wasn't just his game that was being tarnished, but his reputation as a teammate as well. The Clipper environment was poisonous at that point. Namely, all the players hated each other. Despite a roster that had Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Miller and Lamar Odom, the team only won 27 games.
The Denver Nuggets called with a contract offer that the Clip refused to match and Miller's game returned, although by then the novelty had worn off. He was no longer viewed as one of the leagues up and coming stars but rather as a former malcontent putting up decent, not great, numbers on a team clearly led by Carmelo Anthony. Despite the team's turnaround with him as the lead point, the media had forgotten about Andre Miller.
It seemed like the front office forgot about him too when he was traded along with a few picks for Allen Iverson. It was a risky move for the 76ers as Miller couldn't co-exist with a young rebuilding team in LA, what would be different in Philadelphia?
The difference is that Miller has matured a lot as a person and a player; he truly is the leader for this 76er team. He has good size at 6-2 and the bulk to bully his way into the lane past smaller point guards. His passing skills are superb and his decision making is crucial for this young and athletic team.
Meanwhile, Iverson's Denver squad seems a bit disappointing considering the team's talent. Both Iverson and Anthony's defining characteristic on the court is their ability to take over a game offensively. While it's a huge advantage to have two players capable of doing that, their skills are still a bit redundant.
Unlike Iverson, Miller has a team in front of him that compliments his skills perfectly.
Samuel Dalembert's improvement this year is a big story. His rebounding and block numbers are both up from last year while he has also cut back on his fouls. Maybe it was playing for the Canadian National team? While playing internationally it seemed like Big Sam realized what kind of effect a true big man can have on a team.
Thad Young and Reggie Evans are two solid options to have at the power forward spot. Evans is a energy player with a bit of a dirty streak in him. He's relentless on the boards and will pull down some of the most impressive rebound per 48 minute numbers in the league. However, his game is completely devoid of skill. Rookie Thad Young on the other hand is nearly the opposite player. He's young and athletic and has legitimate range on his jumper.
Andre Igoudala is one of those players whose skills could integrate into any team in the league. His athleticism is spellbinding, he creates for teammates and his defensive skills are among the best in the league at his position. His turnovers are high but that's because he's miscast as a team's primary scoring option. He's not a number one guy, but would be an amazing number two.
All of these players have a role that compliments Miller's game nicely. I still think Billups is still the best point guard in the Eastern Conference with Andre at a close second. Of course, Jose Calderon supporters would have something to say about that bronze medal...
