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."


I agree with marbury....wit zeke helpin him and marbury playing like a team leader, i think its marburys time to shine

I don't like this. Don't just call yourself the best player; let your performance on the court show that you are. Then, people will catch on and call you the best PG.

I had already posted this on the other thread, so I'll post it again:

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.

i agree wit enyspree, marbury has to say he's da best, cause what would da point be if he said im up their with the elite??

silverfuel i agree, i also like steph’s comments, it shows me a vote of confidence steph could display in tonight’s match up.... go get’m star !

You never heard someone like Stockton call himself the best PG in the game. He simply KNEW he was and that was good enough. He'd verbally express modesty and probably say something like "Jason Kidd is a tremendous player and the game will be a challenge" while keeping his thoughts about being the best to himself

Posted by Bonn1997:

You never heard someone like Stockton call himself the best PG in the game. He simply KNEW he was and that was good enough. He'd verbally express modesty and probably say something like "Jason Kidd is a tremendous player and the game will be a challenge" while keeping his thoughts about being the best to himself

Different players, different personalities. Patrick used to guarentee a championship every year. None of this stuff matters. Just beat the Nets tonight.

Marbury is supposed to say: "I don't think about that kind of stuff, I just go out there and play the game, you know work hard, always give 110 percent, leave it all on the floor."

If he's already the best, he has nothing to strive for. Anyway, the article in the Star Ledger says something really incorrect as far as I'm concerned:

"Marbury, 27, is enjoying what is shaping up to be a career season. He is averaging 20.2 points and 8.6 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. And he has become more of a leader, who is improving the play of his teammates."

How is it a career season when he has had better scoring/rebounding/assist numbers in the past? Only his FG% and FT% are better than ever... but a couple of missed shots later, those two categories can both change.

If anything, Marbury is having about as typical a season as ever statistically-- all around he's right around his career averages.

He's had a hot stretch, true enough. You might even argue he was a better leader a few years ago when he led the Suns to the playoffs on two bad ankles...

IMHO, there's nothing revolutionary or unique about his game--- he's essentially like an extension of the Tim Hardaway/Isiah Thomas mold (not to say that's a bad thing).

Most of the other "scoring" PGs add a twist, like GP/Cassell have their post up games, Wade/Francis/BDiddy have their high flying athleticism... but Marbury's game is very straight-forward.

Posted by djsunyc:

tehcno - don't discount marbury's strength. he's probably the best finisher as a PG after contact is made with the defender. he's a bull and other PG's can't post him up.

he said what he said. so what? as long as the knicks keep winning, then i don't care if he's averaging 20 & 9 or 10 & 2. it's the total # of wins that determines how good a point guard is.

You beat me too it. He doesn't have the hops of Steve Francis although he does get up. He doesn't pass like Kidd, but no one does. He is 6'2" and attacks the basket like AI but makes contact, absorbs it and still scores. Even when he makes solid contact no foul is called because he is that strong. Most of the other points except francis who dunks, (I wont include wade he is a 2) try to find some creative way of laying the ball in high off the glass and avoiding the contact.

I have always called his game the Power-point game. He goes in the lane like he is a big man or something. If Pippen is/was a point foward, Steph is a power-point. Period. He thinks he is the best and so do I, and by the season's end, so will most of everyone else. Starting tonight.

H was like "Isiah Thomas is a winner." "Kevin Garnett is a loser, I'm a loser, Jason Kidd is a loser. Just because you won a playoff series doesn't make you a winner" It's not the defenite quote, but very very similar. It was a fun 40 seconds to watch on the Knicks Game Night Pregame Show.

I agree. He hasn't done anything yet in terms of winning. Not even close. He is an outstanding player who has yet to master making others better or learning how to play defense.