Is it the player or the team?

[Murphy3]

Just a question. We always hear about how good of a passer Webber is and how good of a passer Divac is.

Well, with Webber out, Brad Miller has come in to take his minutes. Miller has never been a guy that's known for his ability to distribute the ball. His career average for assists stands at 1.9 currently. However, through 11 games with Sacramento this season, Miller is averaging 5.2 assists. Tonight, Miller currently has 7 assists with over half the third quarter left.

He appears destined for a triple double tonight unless the Kings are up so much that he ends up sitting the 4th.

Now, did Miller suddenly become a stud passer or does it have more to do with the system and the group of players that he's playing with? Peronally, I believe that it mostly has to do with the players and the system. Surely Miller didn't all of a sudden decide that he'd work his butt off on his passing and then come out and more than double his assist totals to this point in the season.

It's amazing, this guy is on my fantasy team and he is just flat out kicking some tail.

So, is it the player or not?

Could it at least somewhat apply to the other Kings' low post players as well if you do believe that it's the system and sorrounding teammates?

[Rhylan]

Pete Carrill.

[MavsFanFinley]

I've seen a couple of the Kings games and Miller is making some sweet passes. It's a combination, imo. The players are making cuts, setting screens and Miller is finding them at the right time.

[Murphy3]

Of course the answer is that it's both the player and the system. However, it's not that the Kings inside players are just sooo much better passers than any other low post men in the NBA. The Kings do so much cutting to the bucket that it makes it difficult for them not to be good passers.

[dirno2000]

I think you may be shortchanging their big men. The system allows them to showcase their abilities, but all three are good passers. Even before joining the Kings, Webber was around or above 4 assists per game. Valde has been up and down, but he too has had 4 assist years without the benefit of the system. Millers’ #'s have jumped this year, but I would imagine that had something to do with J O’Neil getting so many touches in Indy. In the off-season, Donnie talked about what a good passer he was dispite his relatively low assist #'s. Obviously he saw something while playing against or watching tapes of Miller.

The system helps, but I don't think you can just throw anyone into that system and expect the same results.

[Murphy3]

I'm not short changing their big men. I never said that they weren't good passers. Actually, I said that it's a product of both the players and the system.

Yes, I know that their big men are good passers, but without the correct system and without scorers to pass to..it really doesn't matter how good of a passer you are.

Perhaps I could be short changing Miler. That's yet to be determined. But, I don't think I ever said anything negative about Webber or Divac.

[dirno2000]

The Kings do so much cutting to the bucket that it makes it difficult for them not to be good passers.

Maybe I misinterpreted this statement. You seem to be saying that any trio of bigs that were dropped in that system could product the same results.

[uberfan]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
Of course the answer is that it's both the player and the system. However, it's not that the Kings inside players are just sooo much better passers than any other low post men in the NBA. The Kings do so much cutting to the bucket that it makes it difficult for them not to be good passers.

You have players cutting to the basket instead of standing on the arc. Is it the players or the system?

Easy answer is the system, but I think it has more to do with the players.

[Epitome22]

I think it's a combination of both. It's the system, but the player also has the talent to execute.


Also congrats to B. Miller on a strong season thus far. I used to think he was overrated before I came into contact with all the dissing and dissmissing that's been put his way (especially on this board) in the last few seasons. He's a strong asset to any team, especially in the Post-Center days of the NBA

[Murphy3]

sure, of course it's a combination of both. You couldn't stick manute bol in there at center and expect him to churn out triple doubles

[Walkerforthree]

Miller had 3 straight games of:
1 rebound shy of a triple double
2 assist shy of a triple double
triple double

insane