SikHandlez24

Rashard Lewis:
40mpg
18.5ppg
7.7rpg
1.9apg
1.6spg
.62bpg
1.51topg

Desmond Mason:
38mpg
14.6ppg
5.5rpg
1.7apg
1.1spg
.42bpg
1.64topg

Sir I Gotta Go

Guess what. Brent Barry is a starter. That means Desmond comes off the bench. Bench players do not get 38 min per game.

SikHandlez24

Guess what. I'm betting Desmond Mason is gonna start over Brent. He averaged 32.2mpg off the bench last year and is destined or a starting job this year. Just watch.

robyg1974

You guys ROUTINELY destroy yr credibility around here with statements like this! Brent Barry had a MONSTER year last year, HE IS THE STARTER!

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Roby G.

SikHandlez24

"Destroying your credibility" LOL. Brent Barry did not have a MONSTER year. He had an average year; 14ppg 5reb 5ast. Just watch Mason will start.

tenkev

Brent Barry shot GREAT last year, a .508 shooting percentage considering he took 387 three point attempts is incredible. He also played great D, got alot of assists, and a good amount of rebounds for a 2 guard. Of course he will start. He did have a monster year. Just because he didn't take a million shots, you don't see it when you look at 14-5-5, but he HAD a monster year.

robyg1974

Thank you, sir!

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Roby G.

SikHandlez24

14ppg is not a monster year. It's an average year. I'm predicted Desmond Mason will start over Brent Barry. If you don't agree, I could really care less. I don't agree with your "Darius Miles wil start at power forward" but you don't see me throwing a hissy fit. Just watch Mason will start.

robyg1974

... and try looking beyond the points/game. The dude filled up the stat sheet every single night.

I understand that nobody agrees with me that Darius Miles will be a POWER forward for Cleveland, not a SMALL forward. And maybe I'm wrong! But I'm NOT wrong about this Barry thing--there's just no way that Mason starts over Barry. Like I said, take another look at the stats.

If you had played fantasy basketball last season, you'd KNOW what kind of stats Brent Barry put up! I mean, the dude was INCREDIBLE! That's all there is to it!

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Roby G.

SikHandlez24

The Sonics plan is that Lewis and Mason will mature into superstars to carry the team in the future. How else to help Mason mature then having him start??? Barry would probably do a better job on the bench any way. They could actually score when Payton and the other starters are on the bench. But anyways I guarantee Mason will start.

robyg1974

First of all, you think the Sonics plan on Desmond Mason maturing into a SUPERSTAR? How about they HOPE he turns into a NICE STARTER (in a few years)? I mean, jesus, what is your definition of a SUPERSTAR? Somebody who averages over 10 points/game? Rashard Lewis won't even be a SUPERSTAR--a STAR, yeah, probably, but a SUPERSTAR?

Anyway, here are the stats of Brent Barry (signed on through the end of the 2003-04 season) and Desmond Mason (who is an unrestricted free agent after the 2003-04 season) from last season:

Brent Barry

81 games played (81 starts)
37.5 minutes/game
50.8 FG% (10th in the league; only John Stockton shot better among all NBA guards)
2.0 threes/game (8th in the league)
42.4 3Pt% (14th in the league)
84.6 FT%
14.4 points/game
5.4 rebounds/game (only T-Mac, Kidd, Bonzi, Posey, and Kobe did better among all NBA guards)
5.3 assists/game (only Stackhouse and T-Mac did better among non-point guards)
2.0 turnovers/game
2.58 assist-to-turnover ratio (only Anthony Mason & Robert Horry did better among non-point guards)
1.81 steals/game (13th in the league)
0.46 blocks/game (12th among all guards)

Desmond Mason

75 games played (20 starts, all at SF)
32.3 minutes/game
46.4 FG%
0.2 threes/game (for a SHOOTING guard?)
27.1 3Pt% (TERRIBLE for a SHOOTING guard!)
84.8 FT%
12.4 points/game
4.7 rebounds/game
1.4 assists/game
1.4 turnovers/game
1.00 assist-to-turnover ratio
0.89 steals/game
0.36 blocks/game

I mean, JESUS! Look at those stats! That is a MONSTER SEASON! Period!

Barry is superior IN EVERY SINGLE WAY to Mason, except in FT% (where they have almost EXACTLY the same percentage) and turnovers (although who cares, Barry has a significantly better assist-to-turnover ratio, which is what matters). You can think whatever you want, IMX--Brent Barry IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO HOLD ONTO HIS STARTING JOB!

Now, at the end of the 2003-04 season, when both dudes are eligible for free agency, WE'LL SEE which direction the club decides (or HAS decided) to go in. My guess is that, NEXT OFFSEASON, if Barry has had another MONSTER YEAR, and if Desmond Mason's development has continued according to plan, ONE of the two dudes gets traded (since they won't be able to re-sign both of them). And MY guess is that, unless Desmond Mason suddenly turns into a good outside shooter, HE'LL be the one to go, NOT Brent Barry!

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Roby G.

SikHandlez24

That's not a monster year. It's a solid year. You can say what ever you want but I'm gonna stand by my statement. Desmond Mason will start.

robyg1974

JESUS, that's NOT a MONSTER YEAR? Define "monster year!" You have no problem predicting that a guy like Desmond Mason is going to be a "superstar," but you're unwilling to acknowledge a monster year when you see one? WHAT? Take ANOTHER look at the stats, and make sure you read the notes in parentheses. Only TWO NON-POINT GUARDS averaged more assists/game than Barry. Only ONE GUARD had a higher field-goal percentage. Only FIVE GUARDS averaged more rebounds/game. Only TWO NON-POINT GUARDS had a better assist-to-turnover ratio. He was 8th among ALL PLAYERS in threes/game. He was 13th among ALL PLAYERS in steals/game. He was 14th among ALL PLAYERS in three-point percentage. AGAIN, it doesn't matter whether or not you THINK that's a MONSTER SEASON--it IS a MONSTER SEASON, that is a FACT, it's not my OPINION, it's a FACT, period!

AS FOR DESMOND MASON: maybe he does start, but he AIN'T gonna beat out Brent Barry for the starting job, maybe he starts at SF and Rashard Lewis starts at PF, maybe they go with a small lineup, who knows. Brent Barry starts, regardless.

BOTTOM LINE: Who cares? Desmond Mason, whether he started or not, averaged 32.3 minutes/game last year, which are STARTER'S MINUTES. He averaged more minutes/game than Vin Baker--only Payton, Barry, and Lewis averaged more minutes/game. If you're playing 30+ minutes/game, what can you possibly complain about?

AND, if Rashard Lewis DOES sign with the Mavs or Rockets or whoever else, well, Mason's obviously going to start at SF. But, if that happens, don't come in here and say, "I told you so!" Because YOU'RE saying that Mason is going to start AHEAD OF BARRY, which AIN'T gonna happen!

Incidentally, all you've said so far are things like "I guarantee you that Mason will start over Barry"--but you have provided NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT SUCH STATEMENTS. Don't you know that, in order to give one's argument some validity, one has to back up that argument with facts, with evidence? You haven't done that yet.

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Roby G.

colossus735

Damn, did I walk into the people's court? I thought this was a forum for posting our own views. We discuss them, and go back and forth. Not belittle each other. Thats not a discussion, that just someone who isnt open minded to the views of others. If he feels that Mason will start then he entitled to that opinion. You say Brent Barry had a MONSTER YEAR? I'll agree that in a fantasy league he had a monster year, but in the real world those numbers are great for a role player. He did have great stats, but that just shows he fundamentally sound. With numbers like that, it just showed how the coaching staff misused him during the season. Monster year? Not really. Solid year? Yes. Looking at his stats I guess you can say he had a monster year since he went from 8.8 pts a game to 14.4 and started all 81 games.

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