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Stephs no Kidd anymore
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Killa4luv
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12/31/2004  12:31 PM
December 31, 2004 -- IT WILL HAVE a big-game feel, a rock-'em, sock'em Saturday night at a sold-out Garden.

Vince Carter plays the World's Most Famous Arena for the first time in his new role as Air Jersey. But tomorrow's Knicks-Nets showdown will be decided by the marquee point-guard showdown between Stephon Marbury and Jason Kidd. Isiah Thomas has called New York a "guards' town" — and tomorrow the region becomes point-guard capital of the world.

With Marbury amidst of his career year, the Coney Island Kid is on the verge of flying into the stratosphere occupied by the Nets' demigod. They will scoff at the comparisons over in the Swamp. Across the Hudson, they still look at Marbury as a loser, Kidd a champion.

But if you were a GM, whom would you rather build your team around at point guard: Marbury, age 27, or Kidd, 32 in March and coming back from microfracture knee surgery.

Kidd's basketball IQ is higher than Marbury's and always will be. Kidd sees the floor better, sees two passes down the road.

But Marbury has closed the gap in the cerebral department. As Knicks captain, his maturity and leadership is on the rise this season, evidenced by his taking Jamal Crawford under his wing.

How do you gauge Kidd's leadership anymore when he's spent the season avoiding the topic of whether he wants to stay a Net?

Marbury's physical gifts now are clearly superior to Kidd's. You don't stop Marbury from getting into the paint. Marbury has always been the better outside shooter, and now he's blending other qualities such as his explosiveness to the hoop.

That's why the Knicks are 16-13 and the class of the Atlantic Division, with even better days lying ahead. Marbury's numbers are wonderful, a 20.2 scoring average on efficient 45.5 percent shooting. He's averaging 8.6 assists and gotten to the line for 169 free-throw attempts, 74 more than Crawford.

"I see a guy who's matured mentally and wants to win, as opposed to letting all the outside crap get into his game, all the individual stuff of who's better," said an NBA scout who's seen the Knicks multiple times this season. "Sometimes he doesn't do the right thing — but that's because he wants to win, not because of ego or being selfish. I like him more now than I did. I've always loved his tools more than [Kidd's]. But his head wasn't where it should be."

Marbury's ascension began on Day 1 of training camp, when he walked into Lenny Wilkens' office and asked for the captaincy. Or was it in August, when Marbury phoned Crawford several times from Athens?

"Every year in the league he becomes a better leader," Jerome Williams said.

Wednesday's victory over the T'wolves was another breakthrough, when he carried the Knicks home with a 15-point fourth quarter. Latrell Sprewell is completely out of the Garden's system, washed away by the thunderous standing ovations the Knicks and Marbury received in the final two minutes.

A recent lashing from Isiah Thomas has spurred Marbury into taking defense more seriously during the team's three-game winning streak. "He's been able to get into the paint and be efficient," Allan Houston said. "He's so decisive. He makes his mind up and gets where he wants to go."

The Knicks start their new year tomorrow. And they ring it in with a new Marbury, who knows where he wants to go.


Kidds B-Ball IQ is higher, but it wont always be. Steph has consistantly improved so I see no reason he makes this statement. SSteph was been consistantly good except for a few games, but know that he has decided to turn it up a notch, watch out.
AUTOADVERT
Marv
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12/31/2004  12:50 PM
IMO there's just a very different quality they both bring to the game. Both great, but different. So far, Kidd's had the opportunity to be the recognized leader of a really good team (and they were - that fast break was a thing of beauty). Hopefully Marbs is going to be getting his shot starting now and extending into the next several years.

Btw on a sidenote, I watched the McDonald's All-American game when Kidd was a HS senior. I have NEVER seen a HS player perform like that. It was as if Magic Johnson took a day off from the NBA to go perfom in a HS All-Star game. THere were all sorts of 6'10" guys skying and jamming but you could not for a second take your eyes off this guard who owned the court like a pro.
Silverfuel
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12/31/2004  1:15 PM
hey Killa4luv, can I get the link please?
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
teslawlo
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12/31/2004  1:35 PM
cool article, good to see some Knicks love
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MaTT4281
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12/31/2004  1:36 PM
Posted by Silverfuel:

hey Killa4luv, can I get the link please?
from the post... on the UK front page

http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37476.htm
Silverfuel
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12/31/2004  1:59 PM
thanks MaTT4281.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
newyorknewyork
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12/31/2004  2:59 PM
Marbury isn't Jason Kidd and shouldn't try to be. Thats what sometimes slows him down. How he played the last 2 games is what Marbury is cappable of being every game. Drive to the basket and get his then when they break down on him have others feed off of it. But make sure he gets his first. Don't wait until late in the game to get his. Get his early. Take control of the game early. Set the pace early. Thats playing to his strengths.
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teslawlo
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12/31/2004  3:32 PM
Posted by newyorknewyork:

Marbury isn't Jason Kidd and shouldn't try to be. Thats what sometimes slows him down. How he played the last 2 games is what Marbury is cappable of being every game. Drive to the basket and get his then when they break down on him have others feed off of it. But make sure he gets his first. Don't wait until late in the game to get his. Get his early. Take control of the game early. Set the pace early. Thats playing to his strengths.
I completely agree. I remember last year, everyone was like, why can't Steph be like kidd, and use his court vision and leadership to dominate the game? How many Jason Kidds are out there? You gotta play to your strengths, and sometimes in the past Marbury looked to pass rather than shoot, which was wrong of him. If he averages 20 and 8 and plays good defense, he'll be a Hall of Famer just like Kidd! I don't see Shaq tweaking his game trying to include a midrange jumper just because he doesn't HAVE it. Marbury playing the way Marbury should is what's best for the team.
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Killa4luv
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12/31/2004  3:35 PM
Posted by newyorknewyork:

Marbury isn't Jason Kidd and shouldn't try to be. Thats what sometimes slows him down. How he played the last 2 games is what Marbury is cappable of being every game. Drive to the basket and get his then when they break down on him have others feed off of it. But make sure he gets his first. Don't wait until late in the game to get his. Get his early. Take control of the game early. Set the pace early. Thats playing to his strengths.

I dont know if trying to be Jason Kidd slowed him down. I think he had to find a balance. Early on he just didn't shoot at all. If we run more we could create more easy oppuirtunities. I don't think he got his early. He created for others early. Nazzy had 15 and 5 at the half. H20 was like 1 for 7. KT was bounding and astounding. I can't get the box score quarter by quarter, but I think he paced himself early, did a lot of passing and some scoring.
MaRbUrYiSaKnIcK
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12/31/2004  10:45 PM
http://www.nba.com/knicks/inthepaint/newyear_041231.html

Read the last sentence

marbury "I¡¯ll just say that I am the best point guard in the NBA. Period.¡±
Marbury is finally home at MSG!
Killa4luv
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1/1/2005  3:56 AM
WOW.
Thats is so gangsta for him to make that statement. He has to continue to prove that from here on out starting tommorow in the garden.
Killa4luv
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1/1/2005  3:56 AM
WOW.
Thats is so gangsta for him to make that statement. He has to continue to prove that from here on out starting tommorow in the garden.
Rich
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1/1/2005  5:45 AM
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/story/267177p-228884c.html
Steph's point loud & clear

No Kidding, says he's best

By DARREN EVERSON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Jason Kidd has taken two Nets teams to the NBA finals. Stephon Marbury hasn't taken anyone anywhere. But asked yesterday to compare himself to the Nets' point guard, Marbury took on the entire league.

"I know I'm the best point guard in the NBA," said Marbury, whose Knicks play the Nets at the Garden tonight. "I don't need nobody else to tell me that."

Marbury's claim came in response to questions about Kidd, to whom Marbury has been constantly compared since the Nets and Suns swapped the pair in July of 2001.

"The way he sees basketball and the way I see it, they're not the same things, so you can't compare us," Marbury said yesterday. "Don't get me wrong: I love Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd is a great point guard."

But when it comes to who's better, Marbury's mind is made up.

"How am I going to compare myself to him?" Marbury said. "How am I going to compare myself to him and not think I'm the best point guard to play basketball? That doesn't make any sense. How can I stand here and compare myself to somebody else if I already think I'm the best?"

As far as this season, Marbury may be right. He is averaging 20.2 points and 8.6 assists for the Atlantic-leading Knicks (16-13).

Kidd (8.3 points, 6.0 assists) is 12 games into his comeback from knee surgery and just getting accustomed to the new faces on the Nets (10-18), including just-acquired Vince Carter.

"I think right now, (Marbury), Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade are playing at an extremely high level," Nets forward Richard Jefferson said. "J-Kidd is still getting his feet underneath him."

But Kidd has a lot of history to fall back on, having led the the Nets to NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, and a sweep of Marbury's Knicks in the first round last season. Marbury, who has yet to win a playoff series, has a 4-14 postseason record.

What's more, the last two teams that traded Marbury have flourished since he left. Besides the Nets, who did not make the playoffs in Marbury's 2-1/2 seasons in Jersey, the Suns (25-4) have vastly improved since dealing Marbury to the Knicks last season.

The Knicks are nowhere near that level, but they are three games over .500 for the first time since April 2001, largely because of Marbury, who has scored 32 and 34 points in the last two games, victories over the Timberwolves and Magic.

"(Stephon's game) works with the Knicks," Penny Hardaway said, "because he's our guy. He's the man of the team. As he goes, we go."

One place Marbury may not be going - as a starter, anyway - is the All-Star Game, with Allen Iverson and LeBron James blocking his way at guard. Marbury said he isn't bothered by that.

"Like I said, I already know who I am in my mind," he said. "That's the most important thing."

NEW PENNY: Hardaway (right hamstring) practiced yesterday and will be activated from the injured list for tonight's game. Jamison Brewer will go on the injured list to make room. Hardaway, who last played Dec. 3, will have to work his way into Lenny Wilkens' bench rotation. "We've had a good rotation going and we're winning, so I don't see any reason to change that," Wilkens said, "but certainly I'll look to see where I can get him involved because I certainly feel he can help us." ... Jerome Williams said he has to "wait and see" whether Carter makes the Nets a factor in the Atlantic, but Hardaway is convinced he will. "I just laughed at people talking about how he doesn't have it anymore," Hardaway said. "That's a great player." ... The Knicks are 3-0 without injured Jamal Crawford (turf toe).

Originally published on December 31, 2004

MaTT4281
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1/1/2005  10:03 AM
I would have liked to see Marbury show a little modesty, but I can't really argue.
If he keeps playing the way he has been recently, he IS the best point in the league.

As long as he keeps it up, I suppose it's justified.

[Edited by - MaTT4281 on 01/01/2005 10:38:07]
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