23 August 2008

John Stockton tribute

For this week's Saturday NBA highlight, we've got John Stockton dishing 24 assists in a single game, May 5th, 1988. Enjoy.



Note that this is against the Lakers. Beautiful.

How amazing is it that just a couple years after losing the best pure point guard of all time, the Jazz manage to draft Deron Williams? As much as I loved Stockton, I haven't lamented his retirement since early in Deron's second season.

Oh, and the Redeem Team (sick of that name) is one win away from winning the gold at these Olympics. Despite my pessimism, Team USA hasn't been seriously threatened by anyone since that game against Australia.

I was partly correct in my doom-and-gloom attitude; these guys can't shoot from deep worth beans. Outside of LeBron (44%, 11-25)and Prince (something of a surprise at 55%, 6-11), the 3-point percentages are just sad.

Kobe the Chucker leads the way, shooting 14-45 from deep, or an embarrassing 31% for a "shooter" working with a 3-point line over three feet closer to the rim that it is in the NBA.

Even Redd's been terrible, going 5-18, or 27% from 3.

Basically, Team USA is playing terrific defense and creating turnovers, which means their poor outside shooting isn't hurting them. Also they lucked out in facing an Argentina team without Ginobili.

On a related note, did you see Luis Scola torch the U.S. for 26 and 11? Made me feel a little better that he was so effective against the Jazz in the first round last spring.

So the Redeem Team should destroy Spain in the gold medal game tonight at 12:30 a.m. and everyone will be happy. I'm glad Deron will get a gold medal, but other than that, I don't care much about the game.

3 comments:

Nicholas G. James said...

Ugh whatever. But Scola did that cause Emmanuel wasn't there

Josh said...

Well, we know one thing. Manu has taught his fellow Argentinans how to flop

Nicholas G. James said...

Nah no one is as bad as Manu.


Except Vlade Divac.

Well maybe not hahaha