Mike Taylor

[qrich]

Needs another chance in the NBA



Drops 35 in MSG
Euro Highlights

Averaged 6/2/2 with a steal in 15 minutes with the Clippers back in 09. Averaging 15/2/4 with a steal on 54.5 shooting in 20 minutes with Nymburk.

He isn't much of an offensive threat minus his jams/penetrations, but his defense is damn good. If scrubs like Earl Watson, Nate Robinson, Jamaal Tinsley, etc. are on pre-season/training camp rosters, why isn't the entertaining Taylor on any of them!

[Euroleague]

He played in the Greek League last year if I remember. I think with Kavala. Maybe have the teams mixed up. But I remember him playing there. He's an absolute freak athlete and plays really aggressive.

But that's about all his game consists of. He's a SG that has to have the ball at all times and has to defend the one position. I think that's his main problem. I like him as a player, but he has not done much of anything to improve his game.

I wouldn't mind seeing him get a chance from a Euroleague team though, to see how he could do in that level.

And I hope you are not serious in asking why are point guards in Europe not on some NBA rosters over so many scrubs that are.......

NBA has atrocious point guards on average. European game has far better point guards. The NBA is just managed by a bunch of retarded people (coaches and general managers).

Guys like Dragic and Rubio were nothing at all in Europe, and look how they get coveted in NBA. De Colo was not even good enough to play point guard at Euroleague level......and now the Spurs are saying he is a world class passer and creator.

Hell, John Lucas got cut from Spanish and Italian clubs and failed a couple Euroleague tryouts. Now the Raptors consider him an important player. NBA point guard position is largely a joke. Taylor, plus many other point guards in Europe, are much better than many NBA point guards.

They don't "get a chance" in the NBA, because the NBA is run by idiots. It's that simple.

[qrich]

Originally Posted by Euroleague

I wouldn't mind seeing him get a chance from a Euroleague team though, to see how he could do in that level.

What are the odds of that happening? Or the odds of his current team making the EuroLeague themselves?

[Euroleague]

Originally Posted by qrich

What are the odds of that happening? Or the odds of his current team making the EuroLeague themselves?

1. It's Euroleague, not "EuroLeague".

2. The odds of him playing in a Euroleague club? I don't know. Seems not too good for now, seeing as how he has been playing for awhile in Europe already and in decent leagues like Eurocup, Adriatic League, Greek League, and yet no Euroleague team signed him.

I think Nymbuk plays now in United League and Eurocup, so those are still good leagues though. Not to Euroleague level, but right below it. I don't think his team can qualify to Euroleague. They are not good enough to win Eurocup, and they can't qualify to Euroleague through the qualification round. They failed to make it this year and last year.

I guess if he wants to play in Euroleague he needs to try to get with a French or German club, or maybe with Maccabi or Malaga. A team like that, as they tend to value American players more than other European teams it seems.

I would take him over some Euroleague point guards, but probably it's his playing style that some coaches don't like. Because he can often get the ball from one end of the court, then dribble all the way down to the other end of the court and shoot, without passing the ball.

I agree with you though, he is really exciting and fun to watch. I remember a couple dunks he did in Greek League that were just wow......and he plays really fast. The guy is so fast with the dribble.

He's probably the kind of player that Maccabi's coach would like. Not sure though if he's what other Euroleague teams look for in a point guard. If he was able to defend the two position and would play off the ball some, then he could definitely get offers. But he's kind of a unique player, just stuck as a shooting guard style player that always has the ball and only guards the one.

[qrich]

I agree with you though, he is really exciting and fun to watch. I remember a couple dunks he did in Greek League that were just wow......and he plays really fast. The guy is so fast with the dribble.

Glad we finally agree on something

How has his D been? That was always his strong suit as a Clipper, so I'm curious if it has followed him overseas. Minus the fact that he can't guard two guards.

[Euroleague]

Originally Posted by qrich

Glad we finally agree on something

How has his D been? That was always his strong suit as a Clipper, so I'm curious if it has followed him overseas. Minus the fact that he can't guard two guards.

Well, based on the Greek League, I would say good enough for what Euroleague teams want. European teams put a lot more emphasis on defense, especially at point guard, than NBA teams do.

In Greek League it's even more emphasized. So playing good defense there does not really stand out much, unless it's just tremendous defense. But yeah, he was definitely trying on defense. Where most NBA point guards these days don't try on defense at all.

It's hard to say though to compare it to how that translates in NBA on defense. Since point guards in Greek League are much bigger and stronger on average than NBA point guards. While the game is way more half court and slower paced.

So that's not really the best sitting for Taylor defensively, where he's a small guard and a guy that likes to play fast and get turnovers and run.

So in a league like Greece, smaller guards tend to struggle on defense, where in the NBA, they would not even consider him a small guard. If that makes sense. Certainly, with his speed, quickness, and athletic ability, he can guard any NBA point guard though.