Which Warriors would be good at pick-up basketball?
By Ben Pickman
Sunday night, the Warriors defeated the Lakers 136-115 and frankly, the game wasn’t that close.
The Warriors were up by 36 points after three quarters which made the fourth quarter looked like a semi-organized pickup game.
That got me thinking about ranking the Warriors best pickup basketball players. This ranking is not necessarily based on who is a better NBA player, but who in a pickup game I would rather have on my team based on a number of factors each scored out of five. Each player below received a rating out of 20 and the top six players were ranked according to number.
The first category is flashiness — simply put, how flashy or “showboaty” the player is. It’s not about how they run a pick-and-roll but rather how they cross up their defender and show off.
The second is creativity — how creative is the player. Everyone hates guarding the guy who just backs you down for an easy two. This category rewards the unpredicatability of a players game.
The third category is intimidation — Whether its assertively calling next, or hacking everyone and their grandmother but never getting a fouled called on you, this category is all about players who intimidate their opponents
The fourth category is likeability — You need to have on guy on your team to make a full five, who would it be.
5+5+3+4= 17
Curry would be the Warriors best pickup basketball player. He is known for his tight handles which casues defenders fits.
Watch some of the clips above. Curry is famous for putting his defender on ice skates. His handles coupled with his ability to shoot of the dribble helps make him one of the most fun players to watch in the entire NBA. Curry is an elite passer which helps explain his creativity score. He seems small when you watch him on TV, but he is 6’3’’ which surprises many, so he’s not exactly a small point guard.
4+4+4+3= 16
So far in the 2014 season, Klay Thompson seems to have made great strides. He has always been a great shooter, but his post-up game has improved greatly as well as his ball-handling. He get’s a four because he’s no Steph Curry though. His intimidation score is a four for two reasons. One is the photo below:
C’mon look at him with his tongue out, riding a jet ski — I’m scared. But second and more importantly, he seems to bully smaller guards whenever he has the chance. Just ask Pacers guard George Hill what it’s like to defend Thompson in the post.
5+4+3+3= 15
He gets a five for flashiness for one reason alone.
Goodnight, Quincy Miller. Iggy has the unique ability to handle the ball and attack the rim. He is the size of your average small forward but has the handles of a solid point guard. Iggy is an incredibly versatile and creative player thanks to that unique ability. He’s not the most intimidating Warrior to say the least, though, hence his overall rating is only a 15.
3+5+3+3=14
The Brazilian Blur — Barbosa is the wily veteran of the Warriors this year. His game is not as flashy as it once was, but it still posses a ton of different elements which help make Barbosa hard to defend. He’s lost a step in recent years, but his game survives because of his craftiness.
0+3+5+5=13
These clips help explain the overall rating of 13.
Bogut is known for his clanking jump hook shots, unique passing ability, defensive prowess and toughness, and of course Australian accent. Hence he received a 0, 3, 5 and 5.
Watch below for some clips why.
4+4+1+4=13
Finally the forgotten man of the Warriors season. David Lee is still on the roster, you know. Lee has played a mere seven minutes for the Warriors this season, but he still is an integral part of the team. Lee has an offensive minded game which is ideal in an pickup setting. He is a good midrange shooter, has a good post game, and even though everybody knows he only has a left hand, he still is dominant on the offensive end. Lee, though, is known as a terrible rim defender. He rivals a turnstile for his defensive play near the rim often posing little effort to stop an attacking opposing player. But still all Warriors fans love David Lee, even if they hate his contract.