Wednesday Insider

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Iverson not just a scorer anymore

By Terry Brown

NBA Insider

Wednesday, May 14

Updated: May 14

11:44 AM ET

If Allen Iverson wants to score 55 points, like he did in Game 1 against the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the playoffs, then he'll win a lot of games, a few scoring titles and even an MVP trophy.

But if Iverson wants to hand out 11 assists, like he did in the last two wins over the Detroit Pistons in the Sixers' Eastern Conference semifinal series, then the 6-foot, corn-rowed cult figure in baggy jeans and bright studs might finally get the credit he deserves, starting tonight in Game 5 in Auburn Hills.

Allen Iverson

Shooting Guard

Philadelphia 76ers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

82 27.6 4.2 5.5 .414 .774

"What he's doing right now is tremendous," said one NBA scout. "He's always drawn so much attention to himself on the floor and still been able to score 30-plus points every game. But now that he's also playing this all-around game, it's incredible. I fully expect the Sixers to win this series. And if he's averaging 11 assists a game, they won't lose until they reach the Finals."

As of Tuesday, Iverson was second in scoring in the playoffs at 32.8 points per game, a single point behind Kobe Bryant and a single basket from taking the overall lead. The difference, though, is that while Kobe is averaging five assists per game, Iverson is at 7.1 per game, fifth among playoff leaders behind four full-time point guards, two of whom already have been eliminated.

And don't think for a second this hasn't been a single, conscious effort by one very determined individual. From December to January, Iverson increased his assist average from 3.8 per game to 5.5, but the Sixers won only 11 of 29 games. So from February to March to the end of the regular season in April, he pushed his assist average from 5.9 a game to 6.4 to 7.6, and the Sixers finished by winning 23 of 35 games.

"This has been a process for him," said the scout. "Not only is his game maturing, but he's also gaining confidence in his teammates."

Let's not forget that as a rookie, Iverson averaged 7.5 assists per game while playing alongside Jerry Stackhouse. The 76ers wanted him to be a point guard. Then Stackhouse was traded, and they wanted him to the shooting guard. He didn't care. He just wanted the basketball. Eventually, he became the team's sole scoring threat. Even when the Sixers made it to the NBA Finals in 2001, no other player averaged more than 11.6 points per game, and that was Dikembe Mutombo, who played the first two-thirds of the season in Atlanta.

Now, Iverson has Keith Van Horn, who averaged 15.9 points per game this season and Derrick Coleman, who has averaged 17 points per game over 13 NBA seasons. Now, in this series with the Pistons, Iverson is averaging 29.8 points per game and 9.3 assists. Now, with the league's toughest defense unable to figure out what Iverson is going to do next, the Sixers have another shot at reaching the NBA Finals.

"He really does want to win," continued the scout. "And I believe he'll do anything he can to see that happen. It still amazes me how competitive this guy really is. My only question is how much longer he can keep it up. At his pace, with his body and the constant pounding he takes. I say he's only got about five really good seasons left because I don't think Allen Iverson could ever play at any other level than where he's at now. I don't think he'd tolerate scoring only 15 or 16 points a game."

So it all comes down to Iverson scoring 30 points per game and allowing others like Van Horn and Coleman to score their 15 and, if the Sixers truly are to challenge for an NBA title during his reign, another guard or swingman or center to score even more than those two.

But that's only if Iverson wants to look past the fame, fortune and MVP trophies that filling it up with a double-nickel can bring. Those trophies are nice, but he can't wear one around his neck on a big, fat platinum chain. Iverson might be the only one who will ever know if one player can lead the league in scoring, lead the league in assists and lead his team to the league championship. And even he might not be able to admit the answer.

"He'll never conform. I've never met anybody that is so strong- willed," Todd Krinsky, Reebok vice president, told the Detroit News. "It's very tough to find people who don't care what folks think about them."

Iverson attitude is on fire

Kelley Carter / Detroit Free Press

Top 15 international NBA prospects

Chad Ford

NBA Insider

Send an Email to Chad Ford Wednesday, May 14

On The Road Again

NBA Insider Chad Ford has hopped across the pond once more for an up-close look at some of the top European prospects in the 2003 NBA Draft. Follow Ford's trip in his daily journal:

Monday: Beyond Darko

Tuesday: Pavel Podkolzin

Wednesday: The Odyssey

Late Wed: Maciej Lampe

Friday: A coach's dream

Late Fri: Scouts' wisdom

Saturday: International dud

Monday: Euro Final Four

Tues: The Euro Jordan, Pt. 2

NBA scouts claim that this year's crop of international players may end up dominating the lottery and the early part of the first round of the 2003 draft.

Currently, Insider is projecting as many as 13 international players could be selected in the first round this year.

NBA Insider Chad Ford has already traveled to Germany, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Spain, Italy and France along with NBA international scouting guru Tony Ronzone to get a first-hand look at 13 top international prospects: Darko Milicic, Mickael Pietrus, Florent Pietrus, Boris Diaw, Pavel Podkolzin, Anderson Varejao, Maciej Lampe, Zarko Carbakapa, Alexsandar Pavlovic, Victor Khryapa, Zoran Planinic, Kresmir Loncar and Slavko Vranjes.

After returing from the Euroleague Final Four, here's Ford's latest take on the guys teams are buzzing about:

1. Darko Milicic, PF/C, Yugoslavia

The line: 7-0, 245, 17 years old

The skinny: He struggled two weeks ago in front a packed house of NBA talent scouts in Greece. It won't matter. Darko has the luxury of being one of the best scouted international players ever. Most teams have a great feel for what he can do. Like Dirk Nowitzki, he has the full complement of skills. He can handle, shoot the 3 and play in the paint. Unlike Nowitzki, he's tough as nails. A strong defender who gets aggressive in the post. He's going to be a top-three pick in this year's draft.

2. Mickael Pietrus, SG, France

The line: 6-6, 210, 20 years old

The skinny: Pietrus has been working on his jumper since we saw him in December. Some teams felt that was his only weakness. Actually, his ability to shoot the 3 consistently is really one of his strengths. He's got a great stroke. Pietrus has a very American game. He loves to take it to the basket and use his athleticism and leaping ability to fly past his opponents. He's also a superb defender. He's aggressive on both ends of the court. He's very strong for his size. Think a mixture of Desmond Mason and Ray Allen. The Bulls have already been making numerous inquiries. He could go as high as No.7. I doubt he slips past the Grizzlies at No. 13.

3. Maciej Lampe, F, Poland

The line: 7-0, 255, 18 years old

The skinny: Lampe was getting mixed reviews before we finally tracked him down in Menorca, Spain last week. He was huge. With the team's center and MVP, Jaime Peterson, out of the game, Lampe went off for 27 points and nine boards in just over 23 minutes. Lampe's combination of size, shooting touch, ball-handling skills and an advanced inside-outside games have drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki. His shooting stroke is one of the smoothest I've ever seen in a big kid. He's got a nice body, has a very fluid game, and despite reports to the contrary, looked very good with his back to the basket. He's needs to become a better rebounder, defender and get stronger, but he's probably secured a place in the lottery. Look for the Bucks and Sonics to give him a long look.

4. Pavel Podkolzin, C, Russia

The line: 7-4, 300, 18 years old

The skinny: He's going to be the toughest kid in the draft to get an accurate read on. I saw him practice in Verase, Italy last Monday. He'd be the biggest guy in the NBA (height and weight) since Shaquille O'Neal. He's just huge. His best attribute is his athleticism for someone that size. He's not a lumbering center by any means. He runs the floor well, has a pretty good handle and can really shoot the ball. The problem is he's very raw. He doesn't know how to take advantage of his size in the post, is just an adequate defender and lacks game smarts. That's understandable because of his age and lack of experience. It will probably take three years for him to be a contributor in the NBA. Major buyout issues with the team (right now they're asking for a boat load of cash) may also sink his chances at getting drafted in the lottery. But at the end of the day, don't be shocked if a team takes the chance on him in the late lottery. His upside is second only to LeBron, Darko and Carmelo.

5. Boris Diaw, SG, France

The line: 6-9, 220, 21 years old

The skinny: A big-time prospect who's been overshadowed by the emergence of Pietrus. I finally caught up with him in practice on Monday. He's very smooth and one of the best passers I've seen in the draft. He has a real point guard mentality and is very unselfish. He has a nice body and is a good athlete. Diaw is more skilled than Pietrus, but Pietrus is the better athlete and scorer. The only question with Diaw is aggressiveness. He can be too passive at times. Some scouts believe that will change when Diaw gets out of the system he's playing in and gets more familiar with the NBA. The comparisons to Scottie Pippen aren't too far off, but I doubt he'll ever average more than 12 to 15 ppg in the league. He's probably a mid-first-rounder. Phoenix (at No. 17) and Utah (at No. 19) both have interest.

6. Leandrinho Barbosa, PG, Brazil

The line: 6-4, 185, 21 years old

The skinny: How quickly can Barbosa learn English? That's the biggest question in most scout's minds. One Western Conference coach told me he loves Barbosa, but he's afraid to draft him early because of the language barrier. Your point guard must be able to communicate with the coach and his teammates. His agent has him in English lessons for two hours a day; he better make it four. Barbosa is considered the best player in Brazil. He's very long and an explosive athlete. The thing that has scouts buzzing is the speed at which Barbosa plays for someone his size. He's constantly attacking the basket on offense, and aggressively harassing his man on defense. With his long arms (6-foot-10 wingspan) he gets an unusual amount of steals and blocks for a point guard. Only a few teams have actually been to Brazil to see Barbosa play. He averaged 29.6 ppg, 7.8 apg, 4.2 rpg, 2.6 spg and 0.8 bpg while shooting 57 percent from the field, 47 percent from beyond the arc and 85 percent from the free-throw line. Several NBA scouts who have seen him feel that he could move his way into the late lottery with strong workouts.

7. Alexsandar Pavlovic, SG/SF, Yugoslavia

The line: 6-7, 210, 20 years old

The skinny: Pavlovic is a 6-foot-7 athletic swingman who some scouts are comparing to Peja Stojakovic. While scouts say that he struggles as a defender and doesn't have a great long-range game, other teams feel he could be a kid who could come in and make an impact in year one. The rumor is that he already has a promise between 14 and 19.

8. Anderson Varejao, PF, Brazil

The line: 6-10, 230, 20 years old

The skinny: He's slipping. Few teams have a good handle on him and his play at the Euroleague Final 4 didn't help him. If you're an optimist, you say that the fact that he got playing time in two key games is evidence that he's a legit player. If you're a pessimist, you look at the stat line and ask, what's the big deal? Teams get excited about his rebounding, shot blocking and aggressive play. Others claim he's a tweener. He's not physical enough to thrive in the post in the NBA, and his game isn't developed enough on the offensive end to play small forward. If he could work out with teams, he'd probably move back into the lottery. But because of Barcelona's playoff schedule, he won't be able to go through private workouts. That's likely to push him out of the lottery and into the mid-to-late first round.

9. Zaur Pachulia, PF/C, Georgia

The line: 6-11, 250, 19 years old

The skinny: A former teammate of Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Pachulia is more of a classic low-post banger. He's strong, likes to mix it up down low and is an excellent rebounder. Pachulia actually threw his name into the draft last season and wowed several teams, including the Pacers. He was considered a late-first-round pick last year. Pachulia's agent felt that he'd be better off waiting a year to get Pachulia more exposure. After a slow season in Turkey playing behind the Euroleague MVP, Joe Blair, Pachulia finally got his chance a month ago when Blair went down with an injury. He responded with 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting and added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in a huge win over defending Euroleague champ Panathinaikos. The game wasn't a fluke. He followed it up with a 13-point, 17-rebound performance against Skipper Bologna. He's probably a late-first-rounder.

10. Sofaklis Schortsianides, C, Greece

The line: 6-10, 287, 17 years old

The skinny: Nicknamed Baby Shaq by his teammates in Greece, he's very strong and capable of playing with his back to the basket. His stock has dropped lately as teams question his size. His agent, Marc Fleisher, claims that he was recently measured at 6-10, 287 with shoes. Will that stop the slippage? It's tough to call. The international field is getting more crowded by the day and Sofaklis' skills aren't that unique. He's a big bruiser in the paint. But after watching some tape on him, I'm not sure what he does that Michael Sweetney and Mario Austin don't do better. There's only so much demand for physical, undersized power forwards in the league. Workouts will be big for him. If he projects to be like Elton Brand, he'll move way up this chart. If he's closer to Danny Fortson, then the mid-to-late first round is just about right.

11. Victor Khryapa, SF, Russia

The line: 6-9, 200, 20 years old

The skinny: Helped himself tremendously at the Euroleague Final 4. His defense on Dejan Bodiroga (the Euroleague Final 4 MVP) was impressive. He's very long and an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. Khryapa gets a lot of comparisons to Andrei Kirilenko. Both players are long and mutli-dimensional. Khryapa's a good shooter with NBA 3 range. However, he's not quite the athlete that Kirilenko is nor is he quite as polished as his European counterparts. He also has to get stronger to compete at the next level and won't be able to come to the NBA this year because of contract issues. That's a minus for some teams and a big plus for others. With all that said, most teams still consider him a great prospect. He'll likely be a late-first-rounder.

12. Carlos Delfino, SG/SF, Argentina

The line: 6-7, 215, 21 years old

The skinny: Several teams like Delfino, but a serious ankle injury a month ago really hurt his stock. I had planned to go to Bologna to see Delfino play, but his ankle still was still hurting. His agent, David Bauman, claims that there was no ligament damage and plans to bring him to the U.S. for private workouts. He'll have to prove that there isn't any reoccurring problems with the ankle. Teams love his toughness, shooting ability and how he can get to the basket. Can he slip into the first round? He has the talent, but his workouts will be key.

13. Zarko Carbakapa, PF, Yugoslavia

The line: 6-11, 230, 22 years old

The skinny: NBA scouts were out in force last week to get a better look at Carbakapa. He's another versatile athlete who plays three positions in Europe. He's an excellent outside shooter. He just needs to get stronger. Teams are also concerned that he's a little one dimensional. He's not nearly as comfortable putting the ball on the floor and taking it to the hole. He's represented by super agent Bill Duffy, which won't hurt his stock come draft day. Given a string of recent strong performances, it's not out of the question that Carbakapa could be the 13th international player selected in the first round this year.

14. Zoran Planinic, PG/SG, Croatia

The line: 6-6, 215, 20 years old

The skinny: Gets a lot of comparisons to Jiri Welsch. He plays both guard positions, but his NBA future is at the point. Unlike Welsch, he's more of a one than two. An early season injury really wrecked his season. He never really rebounded and his stock has really dropped. But, remember, teams will always take a risk on a 6-6 point guard. Should be an early second rounder.

15. Malick Badiane, PF/C, Senegal

The line: 6-11, 225, 19 years old

The skinny: Badiane, a native of Senegal, has long arms (7-foot-4 wing span) and a solid NBA body. He already has the shot blocking and rebounding down, but scouts say he's very raw (think Olumide Oyedeji) on the offensive end. But unlike Oyedeji, he's bigger, stronger, more athletic and has decent pro instincts. NBA scouts think he's probably a second-rounder, but don't be surprised if Dallas takes a look at him with the last pick of the first round.

Others to watch: Slavko Vranes, C, Yugoslavia; Kristaps Voltars, PG, Latvia; Paccelis Morlende, PG, France; Alexsandar Vujacic, PG/SG, Slovenia; Boyko Mladenov, PF, Bulgaria; Szymon Szewczyk, PF, Poland; Blagota Sekulic, SF, Yugoslavia; Florent Pietrus, SF/PF, France; Mican Nikabase, PG, Germany

Dallas riding Van Exel's hot hand

By Terry Brown

NBA Insider

Wednesday, May 14

Updated: May 14

11:14 AM ET

The best guard in the Dallas Maverick-Sacramento King semifinal series might be Olympian Mike Bibby or All Star Steve Nash or veteran Michael Finley or All Defensive player Doug Christie or Sixthman of the Year Bobby Jackson.

But the only one that'll get your team to the next round singlehanded if need be is Nick Van Exel.

"Nick is an incredible player, and his leadership is really coming forward," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said in the Fort Worth Star Telegram. "He's a big-game player, and we all love to have a guy like that. The bigger the game, the better he plays. He doesn't lack for confidence."

Van Exel

Sure, you know about the 26 points he scored in the do or die seventh game with the Portland Blazers this postseason in the first round in which he drilled 10 of 15 shots. And the 36 points he scored on 14 of 19 shooting in the must-win second game of this series after the Mavericks had already lost the first game on their homecourt. Or the 40 he scored the very next game in which 15 came in the fourth quarter to make up for a 12-point Maverick deficit before adding 8 points in the second overtime to seal the victory.

"They don't call him big-game Nick for nothing," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said in the Dallas Morning News.

But it didn't start there.

Or have you forgotten that on December 6, with the Mavericks heading to Los Angeles to take on the three-time defending champs after Dallas had won their first nine games of the season to jump out to the NBA's best record, Nick Van Exel was the only player on the team who could even hit the rim in the final two minutes of the game.

The Mavs lost that game, 105-103, after being outscored 44-15 in a furious fourth quarter comeback but not before Nick gave them their final lead, 103-101, with 1:04 to go in the game. The Mavericks big three of Nash, Finley and Dirk Nowitki averaged 18 each but it was Nick with a team-high 25 in what was then the biggest game of the season.

Then, on January 15, the Mavericks were again involved in what was then, the biggest game of the season. They had won 9 of their last 10 games to maintain the best record in the league and were headed to Sacramento to take on the Kings. The Mavericks were absolutely smashed, 123-94, as those same big three averaged only 11.3 points each while Nick tallied 20 points.

"It's all about confidence," Van Exel said in the Dallas Morning News. "I'm just trying to do whatever I can to help us win the games. Sometimes, I have to be the leader. We've got three guys who are sort of quiet. Dirk [Nowitzki] and Steve [Nash], they lead by example. And Fin [Michael Finley] will say things sometimes, but I just feel like I have to be a leader at times."

But it didn't start there.

During the 1993 NBA Draft, Nick Van Exel sat and watched as player after player was selected before him. He fell all the way into the second round before the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the 37th pick.

Rumor had it the Seattle Sonics were going to draft him much higher but not after Nick showed up to their workout wearing nothing but Duke Blue Devil gear knowing full well that then-coach George Karl was a staunch North Carolina Tar Heel alum.

A couple years later, in 1995, the Lakers scratched their way into the playoffs. Gone was Magic Johnson and James Worthy and Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and Byron Scott and any of the five rings that the franchise had won in the 80s. All that was left was one pissed off point guard to face Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf, all three of them All-Stars and all three of them arguably the best players at their positions.

Nick Van Exel torched the Sonics with three-point bucket after no look pass after rain drop finger roll, mock boxing his way up and down the court as the Lakers upset the Sonics, 3-1, and then nearly did the same thing to the Spurs, who had the best record in the league and were led by MVP David Robinson, in the next round, that series going 6 games with 2 of them decided in overtime.

"We've already learned more about ourselves in the past couple of weeks than we did all last year during the playoffs," Cuban said in the Dallas Morning News. "Internally, we know now that we can win tough games with man-to-man defense. We can win games by forcing other teams to match up with us instead of us matching up with them. If the season had ended after the regular season, we never would have found out about what kind of leaders we have on this team. There's trust in each other, and there's trust that everybody has in themselves that they can do it. For the coaches and players, it's huge."

And that's all fine and dandy for the Dallas Mavericks and their fans. But don't say Nick Van Exel didn't say so long before this all started.

Cuban pleased with Mavericks' evolution

Eddie Sefko / Dallas Morning News

Van Exel steps up when Mavs need him most

Eddie Sefko / Dallas Morning News

Van Exel scores 40 as Mavs recapture home-court edge

Dwain Price / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Peep Show

By Terry Brown

NBA Insider

Wednesday, May 14

Updated: May 14

11:10 AM ET

Washington Wizards: Where ever Doug Collins is this morning, he can almost hear the dominos falling. "They've got a lot of decisions to make, and they don't have a lot of time to make them in," a source with knowledge of the situation said in the Washington Times. "It's almost a certainty they will fire Doug because the new guy is going to want to put his people in place. That, and they don't have a lot of time left to get their house in order." The new guy is supposedly Paul Silas who was recently fired by the New Orleans Hornets.

Detroit Pistons: Like it or not, Chauncey Billups is starting tonight when Detroit takes on Philly in the fifth game of their semifinal series. "It felt decent today," Billups said of his injured ankle in the Detroit News. "It felt a little better than it did in the game Sunday." Ben Wallace also denied that he was playing injured despite reports to the contrary. "You are watching too much TV," he said in the same article. "There's nothing wrong with me. I ain't hurt. The knee is fine. If I was hurt, I wouldn't be out there."

Walker

Boston Celtics: Antoine Walker knows change is coming, he just hopes he isn't going. "That's obviously going to be Danny Ainge's job, adding guys to us,'' he said in the Boston Herald. "But it would be a shame if the seven or eight guys that have been here a long time don't get the opportunity to come back to continue to try and get back to the Finals to fight for (championship) No. 17 for this organization ... I think we're right there. I've been hearing a lot of things the last few days with Danny Ainge taking over. But I think the rebuilding process is over. You come out of the Eastern Conference during the second round, and this is what it's all about -- getting to the playoffs and fighting for a championship.''

Portland Trail Blazers: Kiki Vandeweghe going once, Kiki Vandeweghe going twice ... "There has been some exploratory contact, but we told them if they want to talk to Kiki that they would have to get permission from (Nuggets owner) Stan (Kroenke)," said Vandeweghe's agent, Warren Legarie in the Denver Post on the possibility of the Blazers hiring away Nugget GM Kiki Vandeweghe. "If you look at it rationally, he combines what they are looking for. They are trying to change directions and look for a uniter, not a divider. They are well aware that Kiki was able to tear down payroll and be a major player in the free-agent market in a short time frame." Also rumored to be on the list of replacements is Sacramento GM Geoff Petrie. "All I am concerned with right now is our series with the Dallas Mavericks," is all Petrie told the Portland Tribune. But whoever it is, they just might be getting some help from a familiar face in the future. "I would like to play another year or two," says Scottie Pippen in the Portland Tribune. "Then I might like to put something together where I can go to work in a front office in some type of management role. This is a great opportunity here, but unfortunately I'm not ready for it."

New Orleans Hornets: The Tsar of the telestrator may by abdicating soon. "It wasn't a real long meeting, but we had a good conversation and we went over a lot of things," New Orleans VP Bob Bass said in the Times Picayune of Mike Fratello's possible hiring as coach of the Hornets. "I wanted to hear, obviously, what he (Bass) had to say and what his thought process was," Fratello said. "But you can only get so much done in a certain period of time. I think he wanted to hear what was going on with me and what I've got here (with his TV commitments)."

Toronto Raptors: Eric Montross has been trying to fix his foot for almost two years now but he still has no idea when he will be able to return if ever. "The way I've come to look at it -- because I have to maintain a positive attitude -- is that I know everyone has issues in their lives that they have to deal with," Montross said in the Toronto Star. "And you have to deal with the hand that you're dealt. And this is the hand that I've been dealt. I'm off crutches and I'm not in a walking boot, but it has significantly impacted my life because I'm a professional basketball player. But there are a whole lot of people worse off than I am, and in the big picture, it's relatively insignificant. In my own picture, it's quite significant because it's my livelihood."

Wizards may fire Collins

John N. Mitchell / Washington Times

Billups expected to start tonight

Chris McCosky / Detroit News

Veteran eager to help out where needed

Karen Guregian / Boston Herald

Trail Blazers explore hiring Vandeweghe

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Do Blazers want Petrie?

Kerry Eggers / Portland Tribune

Pippen weighs office options

Kerry Eggers / Portland Tribune

N.O.'s Bass talks to Fratello

John Reid and Jimmy Smith / New Orleans Times-Picayune

Raptor faces hardest call of his career

Jennifer Quinn / Toronto Star