Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSizzle36
This is my biggest issue with Stockton. He was the type of player who could take over a game, but if anything he was too unselfish. Take the 1997 Game 6 against the Rockets as an example. He was clearly the best player on the floor in a game that featured at least 5 Hall of Famers (Stockton, Malone, Drexler, Barkley and Olajuwon... six if you count Greg Ostertag). He absolutely took that game over as he wasn't going to lose. It's a little long, but worth the watch.
Now, I believe that had Stockton had this attitude more often the Jazz might have won a championship or two (though I don't know if it would have been in 97 or 98 against Jordan... he was just too dominant).
That is one thing that I do like about Deron Williams in comparison to Stockton. Williams is a pass-first point guard, but when push comes to shove, he's not afraid to put the team on his back and find a way to win. Maybe it's my memory that is a bit off, but it seems that he does that more frequently that Stock ever did. I am not saying that Williams is better than Stockton... just that when it comes down to it, Williams' personality is one that he is more willing to carry the team than Stock was.
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I remember watching that game. John Stockton sends the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals! Classic NBA quote.
In reality, though, he never did this enough. If you notice, he won from the outside. In crunch time, you need a player that can slash or shoot. Smaller point guards usually don't fit that mold.
D-Will has more of a scorer's mentality. If Stockton had D-Will's scorer's mentality, the Jazz might not be hanging an "All-Time Assists Leader" banner, but they might, just might, be hanging a championship banner. And in the end, which matters most?
The Stockton/Malone era has to go down as one of sports' greatest enigmas. Can you name another team that had 2 of the greatest players at their position (each of them Top 5 all time at their respective positions) playing alongside each other for their entire careers and with the same team, yet never won a championship? Add into the enigma that in the process, one of the tandem wins 2 MVPs and the other becomes the All-Time assists leader. It is really bizarre.