National Basketball Association

Iverson takes on new role in Philly

Published Jan. 8, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Game time: Raptors 108, Sixers 106

In announcing that Allen Iverson's contract would be guaranteed for the duration of the season, the Sixers also proclaimed he was "an excellent teammate." But, in the twilight of his career, how does AI rate as a player?

Most coaches greatly appreciate a player who can create and make his own shots at the beginning of a game — some instant offense to take the pressure off his teammates, allowing them time to get loose and settle into their own game-time rhythms. After a couple of early miscues — a missed 18-footer from the baseline and an awkward shot taken (and blocked) in heavy traffic in the lane — Iverson filled this particular role to perfection.

Playing the shooting-guard slot, he dropped a jumper-plus-one after dribbling against the grain, stopping and popping.

Caught, shot and made the net flinch from 19 feet.

Plunged into the middle in an early-offense sequence, getting fouled, and hitting both freebies. Then repeated the same procedure with the same result.

Took a handoff from Samuel Dalembert and sank a triple.

Dropped a pair of extraordinary assist passes into Dalembert.

Zipped another assist pass that enabled Lou Williams to hit an open trey.

Executed a perfect, lead bounce pass to Williams for a layup on the run.

Set the tone by making snappy reversal passes and attacking the bosom of Toronto's defense.

After the first quarter, Iverson had 12 points and four assists, and the Sixers had a nine-point lead.

When Iverson was on the bench — or keeping the blood flowing in his aging legs by riding a stationary bike — Philadelphia's offense lost its zing. One pass and shots were hoisted. Two guys playing and three guys watching.

AI was on-court for the last six minutes of the second quarter and was mostly an afterthought — a missed three-ball taken as the shot clock was poised to buzz, a driving righty hook that also missed and a catch-and-shoot 17-footer that split the net.

Luckily for Philadelphia, Iverson's notoriously poor defense was virtually ignored. For most of his minutes, AI was defending DeMar DeRozan, a rookie who is 7 inches taller and 55 pounds heavier. On only two occasions, DeRozan overpowered Iverson with baseline crosscuts — scoring an easy layup and then inducing a no-shot foul. DeRozan also converted a 15-foot springer under Iverson's watch.

And the home-standing Sixers extended their halftime lead to 60-48.

So far, so good. Indeed, almost excellent.

During the third quarter, Iverson functioned primarily as a facilitator. However, his assist total never increased because nine precise passes were for naught as various teammates either missed open shots (eight) or were fouled in the act (one).

The Sixers' margin was reduced to two as the last quarter commenced.

Iverson tried to unilaterally reinvigorate his teammates by reprising his aggression with the ball: shooting an air ball from 18 feet when he couldn't shake his defender, stumbling as he missed a brace of short floaters, but also converting two mid-range jumpers and unloosing a perfect lead pass to a fast-breaking Thaddeus Young — who missed the ensuing layup.

Eddie Jordan called Iverson's number in the do-or-die play at the end of the game: Toronto was ahead by a deuce with eight seconds left.

The designated play was an up-top iso for Iverson, but the result highlighted exactly how much his 34-plus years have negatively affected his game. All game long, Iverson was simply too slow to get to the rim. Tricky? Yes. Quick? Not anymore.

So, after Iverson's deft dribbling managed to open a mere half-step on his defender, he wasn't quick enough to gain entrance into the paint before a double teamer blocked his path. Stumbling once again, Iverson was barely able to unload the ball before being whistled for traveling. The play, and the game, ended with Williams missing a desperate long ball at the buzzer.

So, then, on the basis of this game, it's clear Iverson is certainly not as excellent as he used to be. His shot is still there — 6-for-10 on his jumpers — but his sneakers are heavier than ever. As the season grinds along, Iverson will get even slower.

His biggest task at this stage of his career is to understand his limitations and make the appropriate adjustments — looking for pull-up jumpers and either kick-out or drop-in passes instead of launching hell-bent attacks on the basket.

If he's not the Sixers' savior, AI is still a useful player — especially as a go-to point-maker while the game lights are still blinding his teammates.

An excellent teammate and still a pretty good player.

STRAIGHT SHOOTING

I've already named my 10 best players in the NBA.

Here are the next 10:

11) DIRK NOWITZKI is a terrific player who’s still clinging to the peak of his capabilities. But there’s a reason why Kevin Durant ranks ahead of him -- so far this season KD has done more to improve his team than has Nowitzki. Last season, the Mavs had a winning percentage of 61.0, while their current percentage is 68.6 -- certainly a meaningful improvement. However, this increase pales in comparison to OKC’s gain, from 28.0 to 54.3.

12) BRANDON ROY has evolved into a legitimate do-everything superstar. His burden has dramatically increased with the Blazers’ plague of injuries, but Roy seems to be responding in excellent fashion.

13) KEVIN GARNETT is simply not the same player he used to be. His rash of injuries has limited the scope of his offense to where he’s become mostly a jump shooter.

14) CHRIS PAUL seems to lack the fire that up until now has characterized his game. The guess here is that the Hornets’ downturn coupled with the firing of Byron Scott have diminished CP3’s competitive edge.

15) DERON WILLIAMS is still one of the strongest and most skilled of the NBA’s point guards. However, mainly because of Jerry Sloan’s restrictive offense, Williams’ movements seem to be stiffer and less fluid than ever before.

16) CHRIS BOSH is stepping up his game, but he’s still too much of a finesse player to be rated any higher.

17) MONTA ELLIS is a high-volume shooter and a high-volume scorer.

18) GERALD WALLACE does the bulk of Charlotte’s scoring and is also their best man-to-man defender. Another vastly underrated player.

19) JOE JOHNSON is an incredible one-on-one player, whose effectiveness is hindered by Atlanta’s lack of another highly creative scorer -- which leaves him incredibly susceptible to being double-teamed.

20) YAO MING is down for the season, but is still deserving of respect and good wishes.

VOX POPULI

I really enjoy your columns, especially your game analyses. Here’s my question: Do you think that Kobe and LeBron would be even better today if they had gone to college for at least one year? – Justin Nam

That’s depends on the college. Playing under a teaching coach would indeed have made it easier for each of them to acclimate their respective games once they entered the NBA.

Kobe spent too many NBA seasons being obnoxiously self-centered. He has only reached a reasonable degree of maturity over the course of the past two seasons. In the right circumstances, another year as an amateur might have made a huge difference.

LeBron could have used at least one college season to bring an improved jump shot into the NBA. It’s also quite probable that he could have mastered a post-up game and also learned how to play without the ball more effectively.

In addition, as freshmen they both would conceivably have been forced to make accommodations to teammates who were upperclassmen. And this sense of hierarchy would have gone a long way to develop a true sense of humility that has not been fully developed by either Kobe or LeBron.

TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY

Because of injuries and NBA call-ups, I must have played in at least 50 intra-squad scrimmages during my nine-year tenure as a head coach and assistant coach in the CBA. In all of those runs, not only did I fail to score a basket, I never even managed to get off a shot.

Even though I had been an outstanding small-college player, it was all I could do to set sturdy screens and diligently execute the offense. Civilians should never underestimate the talent level of professional hoopers at any level of competition.

But I did make a pair of significant plays.

During a heated intra-squad scrimmage when I coached the Oklahoma City Cavalry, I threw a perfect lob pass to Steve Burtt, whose subsequent dunk shot ended the game. Even more impressive than my pass was the 6-2 Burtt being able to elevate sufficiently in a thick crowd of defenders and finish the play.

The only other play of which I can boast took place when I was an assistant coach with the Albany Patroons. Our star player was Clinton Wheeler, a powerful guard who went on to play a total of 87 games with Indiana, Miami and Portland (1987-89).

If Clint was an extremely talented player, he wasn’t a particularly good teammate. He was all scowls, frowns and barely suppressed anger both on and off the court.

At the time, the Patroons provided a van for the players to use -- which meant that a great deal of cooperation was necessary to dole out time behind the wheel. However, it was standard operational procedure for the van to shuttle the players from their hotel to the arena for practice sessions. Indeed, it was incumbent on whoever was the designated driver to wait until the last player was showered and ready to go. The ignition key, by the way, was always stashed in the glove compartment.

But Wheeler had a habit of unilaterally commandeering the van and driving back to the hotel by himself -- and leaving his teammates stranded. He did this on several occasions. The guys berated him and even threatened him, but Wheeler paid them no mind. Sometimes he even drove off by his lonesome for a Saturday night on the town.

So there we were, rehearsing our full-court press offense. Clinton was guarding the ball-handler while I was lurking near the time-line just in case the handler needed an emergency outlet.

Seeing that Wheeler’s back was turned to both of us, the player who was defending me said this: “Get him, Charley. Knock him on his butt. He deserves it.”

We both knew about whom he was talking.

So, as I angled up behind Wheeler and gathered myself to set a blind screen, none of his teammates informed him of a screen-left. Moreover, the player with the ball, seeing what I was up to, made sure to slightly alter his path so that my incipient screen would create maximum contact.

Which it did -- knocking Wheeler sprawling.

When he climbed to his feet and saw who had done the deed, Wheeler just cursed under his breath, stalked off the court, exited the arena, jumped into the van and drove away.

Meanwhile, I was the recipient of glad-hands from everybody else.

“I don’t mind walking to the hotel,” said the guy guarding me. “It was well worth it. When can we do this again?”

If you have a question or comment for Charley Rosen, please email charleyrosen@gmail.com and he may respond in a future column.