[DaBobZ]

http://dimemag.com/2008/03/31/how-good-is-tony-parker/

How Good is Tony Parker?
By Austin Burton

We’ve seen a shakeup in the NBA’s point guard hierarchy this year. Back in October/November, if you’d asked anyone who the top two PG’s in the League were, it would, in some order, undoubtedly be Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. Four months later, Chris Paul has taken over #1 on most lists, with — depending on which day you ask — anyone from Nash to Deron Williams to Baron Davis to Chauncey Billups to Kidd taking the #2 and #3 spots.

Here’s my question: Where does that leave Tony Parker? Whether it’s blind hatred of the Spurs or not, most people I’ve talked to put Parker firmly at the back of that first pack, only slightly above Rajon Rondo and Jose Calderon on the second tier. To me, that’s crazy.

From a pure talent standpoint, Parker (18.5 ppg, 5.8 apg) deserves at least first-tier mention. He might be faster than any starting PG in the game (Paul and Kidd come close), he runs his team’s system almost to perfection, he finishes in the lane probably better than any small guard, and he has one dependable go-to move (the floater). And the most important part: Parker has three championship rings and a Finals MVP trophy to his name.

The knocks against Parker that I hear most are that he plays with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili (and plays for the best coach in the League), his jumper isn’t reliable, and his assist numbers are low. The counter-arguments? Coattail-riders don’t win Finals MVP’s or take over games when Duncan is out or having a bad night; Parker’s mid-range J is money, even if his three-ball isn’t Michael Redd-ish; and the Spurs system isn’t one that makes for a lot of assists from the point guard. Put Nash in Gregg Popovich’s system and he tops out at 7 or 8 dimes a night. Likewise, TP could average 10 dimes per easy if he played in Phoenix.

Whenever I’m asked for a Top-5 or Top-10 list of point guards, I can never put Parker any lower than 5th because of his overall success. Those six aforementioned players? One ring between them (Billups), and Kidd is the only other one to even make a Finals appearance. At the end of the day, this whole thing is about winning, and no active point guard one has won more than Tony Parker.

[ballistixxx]

Allen Iverson

[dastrey]

Parker started off the year on fire. That was one of the reasons the Spurs got off to such a great start. Then he got injured and hadn't been the same since. He is finally back at 100% and the Spurs are rolling again. With the combination of speed, handles, finishing ability and improved jump shot he is deadly. He deserves to be ranked as a top 5 point guard.

[CaliCool]

Yes exactly. A lot of people discount Tony Parker's talent because he plays with the defending champions but I don't blame them at all. Last year he did take over in the Finals but still people remember him as the ultra-quick PG who has low assists total and cannot stretch the floor. That was the advantage of most of the PGs in front of him in the ranking (Nash, Billups, Deron, etc) but he has improved this year. I personally thought he would have too much to celebrate over the course of last season with his marriage and Finals MVP and give us Diawsque (overweight, lack of aggressiveness the next season) type of a performance but he raised his game along with his confidence level. IMO:
1) Paul
2) Nash
3) Deron
4) Billups
5) Parker

Deron and Billups are obviously still interchangeable and no, I haven't forgotten how good really Kidd is but he is no longer in his prime. He still poses a triple double threat but like Tony said himself, he may not be the offensive threat Devin Harris was during his Dallas days and many quick guards can punish him this season. He still plays best when his back is against the wall so let's see about that this season but my main point is Parker has improved, he can read the defense better and attacks it so well and IMO the Spurs are still the best team this season. Let's see how Tony will punish Rondo and teach him about playoffs.

[Prolific Scorer]

Parker has great explosiveness off the dribble, but to me he's just a average playmaker in a great system.

You could plug in about 10 other PGs and the Spurs would still be dominant.

SMH @ 1st Tier PG.

Child Boo, Please...

[croco]

It's very hard to judge him because of reasons mentioned above, it seems like he is either underrated or overrated for a while.