Tony Parker changed the game in the mid 2000s

[moongaze]

Was having Convo with buddy today and he brought up an interesting point. He said the way curry changed the game with his 3 ball is the way Parker changed it with his dribble penetration. Before Parker the play style was post and shooting guard/wing dominant. Tony was really one of the first point guards that showed just how effective point guards can be driving and creating havoc for defenses with penetration. A rim protector used to be one of the most sought after things from mid 2000s till Curry changed game. Teams and the league became dominated by guards that slashed to hoop. I never really thought about this but he does have a point when you think about it. What do you say?

[Kblaze8855]

I’m not saying he wasn’t great at what you say but he was too far into the lineage of that kinda player for me to credit him as a pioneer of it. Watch full game clips of Kevin Johnson. There’s a reason he set a playoff free throw record(not sure for how many games but he had one of those 4-5-6 or whatever game records).

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

No. He's extremely overrated and his name is only remembered due to the teammates he had David Robinson tim duncan manu and kawhi.

Could of been replaced by a hundred or two hundred different point guards and spurs would of had the same results.

No defense, no 3 point shot, average playmaking. All he was asked to do is drive the ball in and pass it to players that are better then him.

[Kblaze8855]

This isn’t one of his better games or anything…just random shit. Maybe even an off game. But you see a lot of what I mean. Just walking into the lane and scoring or dishing:



https://youtu.be/s08v4x-4_UE

[90sgoat]

Nah, I'm a Tony fan, but Kblaze imo is right, he didn't invent that.

He did invent the floater as a staple. That was his contribution.

As far as small guards attacking the basket with dribbling, we have KJ as Kblaze mentions, but also Mark Price and obviously and of course, Allen Iverson.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sua9u318wGo

Price would KILL IT today.

[moongaze]

I’m not saying he wasn’t great at what you say but he was too far into the lineage of that kinda player for me to credit him as a pioneer of it. Watch full game clips of Kevin Johnson. There’s a reason he set a playoff free throw record(not sure for how many games but he had one of those 4-5-6 or whatever game records).

For a style to be a game changer it's gotta atleast win a title because that's when it's seen as the dominant style people try to emulate. For as good as Kevin and other slashing point guards were, Parker was the first I seen that showed you can dominate and win with it. A 6'2 pg shooting 70 percent at the rim . NBA was pg, dribble penetration dominant for a while after Parker .

was, he never won a title . Parker won the finals MVP in his first finals by spamming drives to the basket. The spurs showed the league and others that it was the dominant play style at the time and you saw a lot of teams emulating it like people have done with Currys approach.

[moongaze]

Nah, I'm a Tony fan, but Kblaze imo is right, he didn't invent that.

He did invent the floater as a staple. That was his contribution.

As far as small guards attacking the basket with dribbling, we have KJ as Kblaze mentions, but also Mark Price and obviously and of course, Allen Iverson.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sua9u318wGo

Price would KILL IT today.

Did price change the play style? Don't think so. A.I had more influence on playing style than mark but a.i wasn't all about penetration. Tony's entire game was built on driving to the basket. He spammed it like curry spammed three pointers

[FultzNationRISE]

Thread title is absurd but Parker was a nice scorer. On another team tho his career would be far less distinguished.

[tontoz]

Tony Parker was one of the best pgs i have ever seen at using footwork to finish inside. He would use his speed to get inside but once there he was a master at keeping his pivot foot down, pivoting this way and that, fake here and there and routinely get bigs off balance to finish cleanly.

John Wall used to frustrate me so much because he would constantly drive too fast and put up some predictable/out of control mess that was easy to defend. I always thought if i could tell him one thing it would be to watch tapes of Tony Parker.

KJ was a different type of player, much more about speed and athleticism when finishing inside. He had some major hops and could shock guys at times with a throw down. However he was small and that was a tough way to play back then when it was more physical inside.

I haven't seen a lot of pgs who play like Parker. Actually Luka plays similarly inside but obviously has the advantage of size.

[Reggie43]

Correction the Nba changed the game by altering its rules in the mid 2000s and Tony Parker was one of its many beneficiaries.

[Norcaliblunt]

KJ was the first dude I was thinking when reading OP. Lol.

[Manny98]

Allen Iverson was doing that shit before Parker even came into the league

[Norcaliblunt]

Did price change the play style? Don't think so. A.I had more influence on playing style than mark but a.i wasn't all about penetration. Tony's entire game was built on driving to the basket. He spammed it like curry spammed three pointers

Price definitely deserves credit especially in the Nash, Curry lineage.

[tontoz]

Price definitely deserves credit especially in the Nash, Curry lineage.


When i think of previous greats who would really show out in this era the first two guys i think of are Price and Hakeem.

[Norcaliblunt]

When i think of previous greats who would really show out in this era the first two guys i think of are Price and Hakeem.

Totally. In his his era Price was just a little injury prone.

[90sgoat]

When i think of previous greats who would really show out in this era the first two guys i think of are Price and Hakeem.

Hakeem, we really should have seen Hakeem in this era.

Imo he would be like a mix of Jokic and Giannis.

Running the floor, shooting, passing, basically being unstoppable all over the floor. I bet he's shoot the 3 just fine.

Hakeem might be considered GOAT had he played in this era.

[Jasper]

I like Parker as a player and so did Pop ...

He only fit in the Spurs offensive concept and that was it.
HOF'er or not / he would not be plug and push on any other team.

[Kblaze8855]

. For a style to be a game changer it's gotta atleast win a title because that's when it's seen as the dominant style people try to emulate..


You say that as if the league when he left it had not shifted to the exact opposite of his style. He entered an inside out league and retired in an outside in league. The exact opposite of his approach. How influential could he be?

[PeroAntic]

It was DRose who made this revolution, Parker was the beta version.

[moongaze]

You say that as if the league when he left it had not shifted to the exact opposite of his style. He entered an inside out league and retired in an outside in league. The exact opposite of his approach. How influential could he be?

There was a long time of that play style with pg dominant slashers and defensive emphasis on rim stoppers during Tony's time. It only changed when the splash brothers won and changed it again . Remember thst Steph and Klay used to get their shit pushed in by the spurs for years and people doubted that their style could win a title.


It was DRose who made this revolution, Parker was the beta version.


? Before D.rose was even drafted ,Parker ran LeBron and the Cavs out the gym 4 games in a row in route to a finals mvp by doing nothing but driving to the basket. Kobe and the Lakers talked about how adding Parker changed the spurs/lakers rivalry. He was a pest for the Lakers. Tony had a greater influence imo

[90sgoat]

It was DRose who made this revolution, Parker was the beta version.

Drose was the evolution of Starbury.

[tontoz]

I am not a big Isiah Thomas fan but his strength was beating guys off the dribble, getting inside and finishing.

I liked Parkers game but no he wasn't a game changer.

[tpols]

Tony Parker had a nasty tear drop game and was geniously crafty with his dribble, change of pace, and pivot foot manipulation. He's such an odd case because for somebody that looked like he could be working a street stall selling baguettes in Paris, absolutely minimal athleticism or musculature, he used to put dudes in a spin cycle.

[1987_Lakers]

Parker was a nice player, but changed the game? LOL

[moongaze]

Tony Parker had a nasty tear drop game and was geniously crafty with his dribble, change of pace, and pivot foot manipulation. He's such an odd case because for somebody that looked like he could be working a street stall selling baguettes in Paris, absolutely minimal athleticism or musculature, he used to put dudes in a spin cycle.

Yes! I used to hate that little dude with a passion and couldn't understand how he could finish over bigs like he did. In 2006 he shot 70 percent at the rim which was unheard of for a point guard back then.

[tpols]

Yes! I used to hate that little dude with a passion and couldn't understand how he could finish over bigs like he did. In 2006 he shot 70 percent at the rim which was unheard of for a point guard back then.

The guy had one of the most potent spin moves ever.

https://i.gifer.com/52LM.gif

He was a master manipulator of space and angles in the paint.

[Kblaze8855]

Tony Parker had a nasty tear drop game and was geniously crafty with his dribble, change of pace, and pivot foot manipulation. He's such an odd case because for somebody that looked like he could be working a street stall selling baguettes in Paris, absolutely minimal athleticism or musculature, he used to put dudes in a spin cycle.

I wouldn’t say minimal athleticism. He was among the default answers to the question of quickest player in the league for a minute. And that was a league with Allen Iverson in it. People used to marvel at his end to end explosiveness. He didn’t jump high but he wasn’t what I’d call unathletic.

[La Frescobaldi]

Was having Convo with buddy today and he brought up an interesting point. He said the way curry changed the game with his 3 ball is the way Parker changed it with his dribble penetration. Before Parker the play style was post and shooting guard/wing dominant. Tony was really one of the first point guards that showed just how effective point guards can be driving and creating havoc for defenses with penetration. A rim protector used to be one of the most sought after things from mid 2000s till Curry changed game. Teams and the league became dominated by guards that slashed to hoop. I never really thought about this but he does have a point when you think about it. What do you say?

Parker was greatness for a fact…. check out Suns era J Kidd he would slash and spin and just laugh at defenses. KJ somebody on here mentioned, earlier days you would see guys like Isiah Thomas, Dennis Johnson esp. on Sonics… you can go way back and still you would see seriously quick first step and penetration guys like Walt Frazier, Earl the Pearl were masters of the spin. Hal Greer was just devastating had a gorgeous teardrop that floated over everybody swoosh

[La Frescobaldi]

Parker was nba champion like five years before rose was a snot nose rookie

[iamgine]

'Changed the game' seems pretty hyperbole.

[bizil]

I’m not saying he wasn’t great at what you say but he was too far into the lineage of that kinda player for me to credit him as a pioneer of it. Watch full game clips of Kevin Johnson. There’s a reason he set a playoff free throw record(not sure for how many games but he had one of those 4-5-6 or whatever game records).

I agree! KJ was a game changer because he would get in the lane at 6'1 and DUNK on anybody! Even Olajuwon!! He took what Isiah was doing slashing to the next level BECAUSE of that freak athletic ability. KJ WAS the Rose, Westbrook, Baron Davis, Francis, and Ja IN TERMS of that freak athletic PG in his era. When KJ was doing it, NO OTHER PG 6'3 and under was doing that stuff consistently. And KJ wasn't 6'3 like some of the PG's I named. He was like 6'0 to 6'1 doing it! Plus KJ as ALSO a better floor general than those guys. KJ was actually more pass first averaging 10-12 dimes a night. So for me Tiny, Isiah, and KJ standout to me for smaller PG's under 6'3 who had the sick blend of handles, speed, and finishing ability in the paint. In terms of influence. Tiny IN PARTICULAR needs to get props for how far ahead of his time he was.

[bizil]

And Mark Price FOR SURE changed the way PG's played!! He was THE FIRST PG who had the sick handles, great floor generalship and new age three ball as package. Plus he was hella efficient doing 50-40-90 shit. He was the precursor to Nash. And IN A SENSE even Steph. Just that Steph was a score first PG. Before Price, NO PG had that particular type of package. KJ, Price, and Tim Hardaway DON'T GET THEIR PROPS for their impact. Because of injuries. But at their best, FOR SURE top 6 PG's at one point on the planet with Magic, Isiah, and Stockton.

[bladefd]

I am not a big Isiah Thomas fan but his strength was beating guys off the dribble, getting inside and finishing.

I liked Parkers game but no he wasn't a game changer.

I'm surprised it took so long for someone to bring up Isiah Thomas. He was a winning pg who won a title doing it so Parker was hardly the first to do it.

Going even farther back, I have seen clips of Jerry West doing some form of dribble penetration and finishing at the basket. That was what? 50 years before Tony Parker? I realize Jerry wasn't exactly a pg, but still. The point still applies.

[houston]

yes he did

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

The guy had one of the most potent spin moves ever.

https://i.gifer.com/52LM.gif

He was a master manipulator of space and angles in the paint.

3rd or 4th wheel at best. He could be replaced by Jamal Wilkes and the results would of been the same, especially in 2014.

[HoopsNY]

Great thread. I don't think he was a game changer, because I don't think anyone in the league really thought to themselves, "I need to model my game like his." Guys like KJ were doing this well before Parker. And I don't think the Spurs winning was a product of Parker's moves to the basket. When I think of their success, I think of defense.

[PeroAntic]

Drose was the evolution of Starbury.

wtf Rose was always a slasher, Starbury is a chucker. Put Rose of the Spurs instead of Parker and they do a four peat. He perfected Parker's game as evident by the fact that he didn't need Duncan, Ginobili and Kawhi to lead his team to best record in the league, just a good defensive team around him.

[HoopsNY]

wtf Rose was always a slasher, Starbury is a chucker. Put Rose of the Spurs instead of Parker and they do a four peat. He perfected Parker's game as evident by the fact that he didn't need Duncan, Ginobili and Kawhi to lead his team to best record in the league, just a good defensive team around him.

Nah Marbury was definitely a slasher. His 0-3 attempts were between 35-40% of his field goals, higher than even D. Rose's. A lot of point guards were like that back then. Steve Francis, Baron Davis, Marbury, AI, KJ etc. They could shoot but their slash to the basket was very much a big part of their game.