Quickest First Step

One of my favorite things to watch, is the first step as it pertains to the spin move. Who do you think had/has one of the quickest. I know there are a bunch, and would be interested to hear the ones that caught your eye.

James Worthy was one, and Eric Williams is another. ( I thought Eric was really going to be a great player, but he never got there) I also remember a play last year when Paul Pierce took someone on the right baseline, that was one of the quickest I ever saw from him. Anyone remember the play, and the game he it was?

Anyway, would love to hear about more.

Pete

Pete,

The quickest first step I ever saw would have to be Jason Williams during his first couple of years in the league.

I think the quickest today is still Tony Parker by a fraction over Leandro Barbosa. Rajon Rondo makes my top 10 list along with the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Mo Williams and Chris Paul.

Great question.

Regards

About 10 years ago, Bob Ryan made the statement that the best first steps he had ever seen up until then were:

#1 Michael Jordan
#2 Sam Jones

Of course, he could have amended that since then.

Sam

For me its Iverson.
Swish

swish wrote:For me its Iverson.
Swish

Swish,

No doubt he's still among the quickest...when healthy.

Regards

Not real real fast but quick as heck.
Calvin Murphy
Nate Arcibald

beat

Swish,

Welcome to the board.

Sam

How about centers? Olajuwon? In his prime, had a great spin move. Who else?

James Worthy had a lightnin first step.

Doc J was brutal that way too.

Slick Watts
Hal Greer
Lloyd 'world B" Free
Gail Goodrich
Westy

For big guys, I'd have to consider both Russell and Cowens. Russ' first step was most noticeable on defense. Cowens' first step on that spin move was incredible.

Sam

I wish I had the chance to see Cowens play more, very unique for a center, but would work the heck out of the opposing player.

So, this brings up another area, who moved without the ball most/best? I remember John Paxon was relentless this way (although I read somewhere that Larry Bird & he did not get along) I have always enjoyed watching a player that did this.

Ray Allen certainly does....

Pete

I wish I had the chance to see Cowens play more, very unique for a center, but would work the heck out of the opposing player.

So, things brings up another area, who moved without the ball most/best? I remember John Paxon was relentless this way (although I read somewhere that Larry Bird & he did not get along) I have always enjoyed watching a player that did this.

Ray Allen certainly does....

Pete

Moving without the ball.........

There is only one

John 'Hondo' Havlicek
no one else even comes close!

beat

Pete,

You're right about Paxson. But I have to agree with Beat about Havlicek. Constant motion.

But, on the Russell teams, if you asked who moved most without the ball, the answer would be "The team." They all did it a lot—Havlicek, Heinsohn, Sam, Ramsey. One of the most beautiful sights ever on a basketball court was the weave as practiced by those teams.''

Sam

More recently
I'd go with Reggie Miller

Seemed if his number was called he'd run by as many picks as needed to get to the spot.

beat

Sam,

I believe team is the best answer we will ever find on any thread, on any sport, on any venture!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the 60' and early 70's team play, I wish I had.

Pete

pete wrote:I wish I had the chance to see Cowens play more, very unique for a center, but would work the heck out of the opposing player.

So, things brings up another area, who moved without the ball most/best? I remember John Paxon was relentless this way (although I read somewhere that Larry Bird & he did not get along) I have always enjoyed watching a player that did this.

Ray Allen certainly does....

Pete

Pete, I think you are thinking about the 1987-1990 feud between Larry and Jim Paxon, John's brother. Larry did not believe Jim was committed to the Celtics and was not afraid to voice his opinion. Their public feud definitely did not help the team get to the next level.

David

Pete,

For video on the Celtics, try emailing: EdAgwit@aol.com. (I could never write this on Boston.com because they would have considered it soliciting.) Ed's a resident of Florida who collects and sells copies of Celtics video. The quality of some is better than others, and the general rule is that older and more black & white you get, the more the quality may be compromised. But I say that only because we're in the HD generation, and the quality is plenty fine for this Celtics addict.

Ed's prices are surprisingly good. If you get in touch with him, he'll give you a list of what he's got, and you're on your own. He's got the entire "Red on Roundball" series. He's got a number of all-star games. But what most attracts me (given my Russell Years bias) are the oldies but goodies. Not just highlights but games. Some are just partial games; others are pretty much full games. They're all on DVD, although that's not how most of them were originally recorded.

If I were to buy just one video from Ed, it would be the one titled: "1966 The Final Game...Celtics vs. Royals." This is a one hour distillation showing most of the action except for most free throws and even some of them) in the fifth and final game of a Celtics-Royals Eastern Division series. The name is a misnomer because it wasn't the final game of the playoffs (in which the Celtics eventually beat the Lakers—what's new?). But, in this series, the Royals had immediately gone ahead of the Celts, who had to win game 4 in Cinci just to stick around. And the Royals were no worse than even money in the final game 5 at Boston Garden.

They present this game as a documentary, with commentary by a kind of dweeby guy (the dad in the old Patty Duke show)...but it's very instructive, with the use of stop-action replays that were never done back then. One particularly good sequence in stop action shows Russell being six feet away from Oscar Robertson and, at the last second, swooping over to block his shot after it was in the air. They also "miked" Red Auerbach, so you can sometimes hear him moaning and groaning and baiting the refs.

But most of all...most of all...this is the video I play when I want an inspirational fix before a big Celtics game. I call it "The Killer Instinct." Celts down by five or seven with five minutes to go. I won't upstage what happens thereafter, but suffice it to say they even accompany it with resounding music because it's so compelling. If my house catches on fire, I crawl back in and save this video.

Others of the Russell era I highly recommend:

"1962 Final Game: The Way It Was" (the Selvy game) and "Bob Cousy: Magician of the Hardwood" (both on the same video; Ed has another video of the Selvy game, but this is the better one.

"1969 Game 7: Celtics-Lakers"; The "balloon game" that I was fortunate enough to attend (along with an all-night party with Havlicek)...Russell's and Sam Jones' last game; this shows only the last quarter, but it's worth the money and contains the controversial Wilt Chamberlain injury

"1968 Finals: Celtics-Hawks; The Way It Was"; Highlights of the 1968 championship series that the Celtics lost when Russell sprained his ankle; but the bonus here is that (although it's not in the title), it actually shows highlights of the 1957 finals too—Celtics' first championship

"1963 Game 6: Celtics-Lakers": Cousy's last game, when the Celts beat the Lakers (what's new?) in L.A; second half only; Cousy has to leave the game with a serious ankle injury in the final quarter, and L.A. comes charging back, and The Cooz heroically comes bask to lead them to victory; you get to see The Cooz' patented (and successful) running left-handed hook from about 15-20 feet out...my single favorite shot of all-time.

Sorry to ramble, but you might get the hint that I get very enthused when I talk about these videos and those days. And Ed's got technologically better and more complete stuff on the 70s, 80s and beyond.

If you contact him, please say hi for me. And believe me, I have no financial interest in his videos. I just feel all good Celtics fans who care about Celtics tradition should have an opportunity to see them.

Sam

Thanks Sam.

Pete

David,

I do remember that & also years later when Jim tried to see LB about something, I believe it was a business thing he was involved in, Larry would not see him.

Pete

Pete, I remember Larry's refusal to see Jim. As I remember it, Jim wanted to repair the relationship and Larry refused. I think the business issue was related to Paxon's GM role with either Portland and/or Cleveland. Larry is Larry, I don't think it is too much of a secret that he is stubborn and hard-headed. Although, I think most of fans were frustrated with what happened after the C's championship in 86.

David

Larry being Larry, sounds like I heard something like that before (LOL).....

pete wrote:Larry being Larry, sounds like I heard something like that before (LOL).....

Yes Pete, but Larry doesn't have dreadlocks!!!!