There’s something funny about point guards in professional basketball. The best ones in history are, in some order, Magic Johnson, Steph Curry, and Oscar Robertson. And yet, none of them really represents a good example of a “classic” or “prototype” or “pure” point guard. Like, if Webster’s had a picture by the definition of “point guard,” it would be none of those guys. Magic was too big; able to play every position on the floor. The Big O, also too big, was too much of a scorer and rebounder. He was functionally more like LeBron or Luka than a true point guard. Robertson basically averaged a 30-points triple-double for his first five seasons as a pro — anyone doing that is not a classic point guard. And Steph, while a great ball handler and very good passer, will be forever known for his ability to launch three-point shots from anywhere, the ultimate gravity-puller who would never need traditional point guard skills to be a dominant pro.
If there was that dictionary definition of point guard, the picture next to it might be Chris Paul or John Stockton. Or, it might be a famous college guard — somebody like Bobby Hurley or Mateen Cleaves. It would be a smaller player; one better known for dribbling, passing, leading, orchestrating even, than for all-around dominance of the game. (Eds note: I had this piece half-drafted before the Sunday game versus Tyus Jones and the Phoenix Suns. During the broadcast, Jim Pete touched on this theme of “floor generals,” Jones being one of them. Jim Pete finds it to be a dying breed.) It’s just interesting that the best versions of the position don’t fully represent what the position means to most people.
Another funny thing about point guards is how some of the greatest NBA dynasties had such forgettable ones. The first three-peat Bulls had John Paxson and BJ Armstrong. The second three-peat Bulls had no starting point guard at all; they opted for Ron Harper’s size and defense instead of whatever offensive boost might come from a better playmaker. Kobe’s 5 championships came with Derek Fisher at point. Much like the Paxson/Armstrong Bulls guards, Fisher was more focused on spot-up shooting than setting up open shots for teammates. Over the course of LeBron’s career, he’s played in the Finals with point guards like Daniel Gibson, Mario Chalmers, and Alex Caruso. (And, of course, Kyrie Irving.)
Many of the best “pure point guards” in league history, failed to win a ring. Steve Nash, John Stockton, Chris Paul. Jason Kidd and Gary Payton each won rings, but way past their respective primes, and playing secondary roles next to bona fide superstars.
The Timberwolves have a point guard issue.
It’s too early to call it a problem. But it’s an issue.
The issue is threefold:
First, Mike Conley shows signs of decline. Perhaps playing a bit better the last few games, Bite Bite is shooting under 32 percent from the field. His turnovers are not excessive, but the ones he’s committed look sloppier than in the past. My 5th biggest preseason question was “Does Conley still have it?” He was so vital to last year’s success, it is hard to imagine this team repeating it without a strong version of Mike. He’s reportedly playing through a wrist injury. The hope would be that rehab and recovery from that, plus whatever adjustments he just has to figure out himself, can keep him around for another season as a sage veteran; a calming influence on an often-chaotic offensive team. So far, however, he’s generally looked worse for the 17 prior seasons of wear.
Second, the only backup point guard on many nights is Rob Dillingham. Daishen Nix is on a two-way contract, and Finch never plays him even if he is in uniform. Ditto Jaylen Clark, basically. It isn’t even clear that Clark is a point guard, but we aren’t about to find out any time soon.
Third, Finch often chooses “no point guard at all” over the Dillingham Option. For the season, the Wolves as a team have played 677 minutes. Conley has only played 325 of those, leaving 352 minutes ostensibly available for the “backup point guard.” Dillingham? He’s played 37 of those 352 minutes. Rather than play a backup point guard, Finch has basically erased the position from the lineup sheet, figuring that his off guards and combo guards — bigger guys like Ant, DiVincenzo, and NAW can collectively handle it. The Wolves were blitzed by an undermanned Miami Heat team (playing without Jimmy Butler) with so much full-court pressure and inbounds-pass contesting that they really needed a “floor general” point guard to help out. They blew that game, in what remains the worst loss of the season – the two Blazers Blunders that followed it included.
What needs to happen?
Right now, if you try to pull up awolfamongwolves dot com on your web browser, it redirects you to a website for iPhone wallpapers with intense wolf artwork. (Eds note: Some of them are pretty cool looking, actually.) Wherever it is out in the ether, I once wrote a post for AWAW under a postgame spell of energy. Riding the high of acquiring the last two number one draft picks (Wigs & KAT) and then hiring Tom Thibodeau to be the coach, the team had put together a masterful performance at Target Center against the Lakers. In particular, Andrew Wiggins turned in one of his best games as a pro. Wig was slashing and scoring all night. He dropped 47 on a Laker group that included future Wolves D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. The Wolves won by 26. The season still very young (after a shaky start, the win brought them to 3-6) it seemed like a corner was being turned and we were safely heading into the “We now have a superstar wing player to handle the playmaking responsibilities for the next decade” phase of team building.
The post I wrote, as I remember it now anyway, was in part focused on what Wig’s prospects as a slasher and playmaker would mean for the team’s point guard position. The way I saw it — and really, what could go wrong? — if Wig was gonna be a Jordan/Kobe/LeBron type of wing, then the team could save its money on point guard, because that player wouldn’t really need to do much, anyway. They could try to find their Derek Fisher, John Paxson, Mario Chalmers. Leave the heavy lifting to Wig, and find somebody who can get the ball up the floor and get out of the way. Some spot shooting and defensive effort could be added bonuses.
Of course, that post was one of many I wrote that were heavy on youthful naivete and low on patience and good sense. I got excited, it is what it is. I never sold my real estate on Wiggins Island, but it sure lost a lot of its market value. He was not able to sustain as a primary playmaker. Relatively quickly, Thibs shifted primary duties heavily onto Ricky Rubio that year, and then Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose, after that. While there are certain types of big perimeter players who can serve as de facto point guards in the half court, the list is pretty short and teams usually do benefit from having an adept point guard to organize sets and respond to increased backcourt defensive pressure. When you think of the “big point guards” of significance, a common denominator is an ability to handle the ball with their back to the basket. Luka does this. Jokic, sort of a point guard himself!, does this. Penny Hardaway did this. Jalen Rose did this. Before any of them, they named the back-to-the-basket dribbling drill “The Magic Johnson Drill.” That was for a reason. Anthony Edwards, phenomenal as he is, is much more of a square up player than any of these guys. He’s a scorer who should play next to a real point guard.
Stephon Marbury said that point guards are born, delivered by God. They cannot be made. That quote gained traction when he said it here in 1996, and again when he played for the Knicks later on. (Eds note: In the State of Minnesota in 1996-97 we had Marbury new to the Wolves, we had Bobby Jackson leading the Gophers to the Final Four, and we had Khalid El-Amin leading the North Polars to their third straight state title. What a time to be a kid who enjoyed watching great point guard play.) In some respects Starbury is right. There cannot be too many examples of good NBA point guards who didn’t play the position growing up. Anyone who played hoops as a kid can remember those first youth teams they’re on, where there are basically two positions: point guard; and not point guard. Someone is in charge of handling the ball and leading. In the NBA game, with so much talent and such a short shot clock, there is less time and necessity for a small guy to dribble the air out of the ball. But nevertheless, there is defensive ball pressure and there is a need to break down defenses and initiate ball movement in some fashion.
This year’s Timberwolves team needs a point guard.
Enough screwing around, I think we can say that now.
In recent years, we had Jordan McLaughlin coming off the bench for a minimum type salary and sometimes seeming like one of the most important players on the team. J-Mac is a point guard described by Marbury — I’d have to believe it says “point guard” somewhere on his birth certificate. Playing for Finch and its player-empowered “flow” system, J-Mac would check into games and Make Defensive Scrambling Happen. In his extremely limited opportunities, Rob Dillingham sometimes does the same thing. Tim Connelly invested heavily in Rob, and he should probably have a sit down with Finch about this situation. Are rookies often bad or unready? Sure. Is it some kind of historic impossibility that a rookie point guard can contribute to a contender? No. Magic Johnson was Finals MVP as a rookie. Okay fine, Rob Dillingham is not Magic Johnson. How about this one: Sam Cassell was the backup point guard of the 1993-94 Houston Rockets, NBA Champs. Scored double figures 3 times in the Finals, including 13 in Game 7. If it fails miserably with Rob, then pull the plug. But the team needs a real point guard coming off the bench. On nights when Conley rests — there’s already been one, and there will be more — it needs a point guard to take his place. It doesn’t need a heliocentric do-everything point guard, but it kinda/sorta does need some type of point guard. Ant and DDV are too big and too important of shooters to wear down with rudimentary ball handling. NAW is best at maxing out his intensity on defense, and scoring in the seams of an already-scrambling defense; not initiating those scrambles.
This isn’t time to reinvent positions or any other sort of wheel. The Wolves have a great roster – they have scoring and defense. But they need a point guard, now and in the future. Let’s let Rob Dillingham begin to be that guy.
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Addendum: apropos of this point guards discussion, Happy Birthday to Jason Williams. Enjoy his epic highlight reel here:
2 responses to “On Point Guards”
Tyus is playing for the minimum, he should’ve been back to us
I get why Finch doesn’t want to insert a rookie into the rotation of a championship contender. A rookie PG is typically careless with the ball and will lead to turnovers. Finch is rigid in his offensive system and refuses to accept turnovers. He yanks any player out who commits them……wait. Yea, why don’t we play Rob again?