Best fast break scorer ever

[Blame Rasho]

James Worthy...

[tsherkin]

Worthy is in the same category as Marion... a finisher, not a creator. That ranks him lower, I think, than guys who actually created on the break on-ball as well as off-ball.

[TheOUTLAW]

I really was never that impressed with Worthy's finishing ability. Was he ever even contested? It seemed that he was more the recipient of Magics brilliance than he was a great fast break scorer himself. I don't think he ever led the break or for comparison to the others being mentioned he never pushed the break himself (or at least not that I'd noticed).

[Malinhion]

Well, I believe Carmelo and Amare have been mentioned in this discussion. They are both finishers in the way that Shawn Marion and Richard Jefferson are. But they are still incredibly effective on the break. You need finishers otherwise it gets harder for the guy pushing the ball to find the right man. And a finisher has a harder time pushing the ball than the smaller guards with quick hands who are so deft at passing and finishing on the break.

I think that's part of what makes Arenas' fast break so great. He can push the tempo, and does it every posession. He can finish inside with agility, or pull up for the outside shot if the team is heating up. He's also great at finding teammates on the break, which is where he gets more of his assists since he doesn't play the traditional PG role. Though, he's not nearly the off-ball player of these other finishers. You wouldn't see Arenas run down the court and spot-up behind the arc for a kick-out trey. He's better taking it off the dribble.

Then you have the guys who are mostly better at pushing it, and not so great at finishing themselves. Nash is more in this category. He has Arenas' shot, but will only pull up for it if he's already driven under the basket and found no options for a kick-out. His layup skills are great but he will generallyy defer to a stronger finisher on the break. He is not as quick but is equally, if not more skilled at pushing the tempo.

The ideal would be to have a guy who is a combination of the above. That's why Charles and LeBron top my list. They can finish with contact in the lane. They have the option of taking a j, but their finishing is so strong that it makes no sense. If they are left with a jumper instead of a dunk, they have the passing skills and courtvision to deliver the pass with the proper precision and timing to result in a very close shot. The point of the fast break is to get an easy basket. These two guys leave you with a layup every time.

[tsherkin]

Carmelo pushes a lot on his own and scores of his own accord more than does a Marion or anyone else you've mentioned (including Amare, of course), so I don't feel that's an appropriate categorization. Amare, I'll give you, most of his own offense in transition is created for him and he creates a lot of O in the half-court but that's obviously different.

Nash is of course more suited to creation than Arenas; I brought him up only because I feel he's a more reliable offensive weapon in transition because he's so much higher percentage (while scoring some 11 fewer ppg, of course).

Lebron is certainly up there and Charles too, absolutely. I'm just saying, over Arenas I'd put Carmelo if we're looking at fastbreak scoring. Denver has been an extraordinarily fast-paced team for several years now and it hasn't just been Dre or AI creating for him on the break, he scores a lot that way on his own after an outlet pass (which isn't the same as having his offense created for him).

[TheOUTLAW]

I admit that I don't get to see Denver play often, but it seems that Carmelo gets alot of easy fast break points because he's running as the shot is taken (which is also why his rebounding numbers are often so poor). He just ends up with the easy run out.

[tsherkin]

He does, but he creates for himself as well.

And his rebounding numbers were outstanding all year, in the main because he started making the extra effort on the glass.

[A.J.]

Nate Archibald.

[Sephiroth]

Magic Johnson.

[mojomarc]

He does, but he creates for himself as well.

This is sort of a frustrating thread. The title isn't "best at creating on the fast break ever," but best fast break scorer. Players who can fill the lanes and score every time the ball gets in their hands are just as valuable as those who can take it coast-to-coast here. At least, I would think so.

[RJM]

Pierce is terrific; he and LBJ are great on the break. Jordan and Dr. J historically. It's harder to tell today...teams don't run as much as they did in the 80s, although the trend seems to be moving toward more fast break play again. I'm glad.

But driving to the hoop is only one part of fast break scoring. Overall, I'd have to go with Jerry West. Went to the basket like an animal--somebody pointed out recently that West is the only true perimeter player in the top 10 of all time FTA/minute. Had a deadly pull-up jumper in case you did get back. And, just to burn you more, he was an elite three point shooter and was always frosty out there. You can't get a better combo than that, IMO.

Great points, but West retired before 1980. In other words, he never shot a three point shot in his life. That line didn't come until the 80s.

[L&H_05]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ_x_RKUY3s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfhp7LiZaVs