World Library  
Flag as Inappropriate
Email this Article

Point guard

Point guards Bob Cousy (left) and Bob McNeill (center) chase after the ball. Cousy won six NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.

Point guard (PG), also called the one or point, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. They are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football.


Among the taller players who have enjoyed success at the position is Magic Johnson, who was 6' 9" (2.06 m) and won the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award three times in his career. Other point guards who have been named NBA MVP include Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson (who somewhat foreshadowed Johnson in that he was 6' 5" (1.96 m), the height of many forwards in his era), and two-time winner Steve Nash. In the NBA, point guards are usually about 6' 5" (1.96 m) or shorter, and average about 6' 2.75" (1.90 m). Having above average size (height, muscle) is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. Shorter players tend to be better dribblers since they are closer to the floor, and thus have better control of the ball while dribbling. So point guards tend to be short since dribbling the ball is an essential skill for the position.



  • Offense 1
  • See also 2
  • References 3
  • External links 4


Steve Nash led the NBA in assists five times.

The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play, so as to have the best view of the action. This is a necessity because of the point guard's many leadership obligations. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers as a "coach on the floor" or a "floor general." In the past, this was particularly true, as several point guards such as Lenny Wilkens served their teams as player-coaches. This is not so common anymore, as most coaches are now solely specialized in coaching and are non-players. Some point guards are still given a great deal of leeway in the offense, such as Rajon Rondo of the Sacramento Kings, Jason Kidd (current coach of the Milwaukee Bucks) or Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers. Former Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni had often allowed Steve Nash to freelance when leading the Suns' offense, even letting him call his own plays at times. Even point guards who are not given this much freedom, however, are still extensions of their coach on the floor and must display good leadership skills. John Stockton is widely considered to be the ideal point guard, having amassed the most assists in NBA history. He also used the pick and roll maneuvre with Karl Malone



In addition to the traditional role of the point guard, modern teams have found new ways to utilize the position. Notably, several modern point guards have used a successful style of post play, a tactic usually practiced by much larger centers and forwards. Working off of the fact that the opposing point guard is in all probability an undersized player with limited strength, several modern point guards have developed games close to the basket that include being able to utilize the drop step, spin move, and fade away jump shot. Former Knick and Pacer Mark Jackson, and Detroit Pistons Chauncey Billups are notable examples of players who frequently use this style of play.

Derrick Rose is one of best scoring point guards in the NBA.

In recent years, the sport's shift from a fundamental style of play to a more athletic, scoring-oriented game resulted in the proliferation of so-called combo point guards can surprise defenses. Instead of passing after bringing up the ball they quickly drive to the basket or step back for an outside shot. There are some disadvantages to this style of play. A point guard is the only position that has the ability to take the ball from one end of the court to the other causing teammates to never touch the ball. This can cause other players to become dis-involved in the offense. Even so, combo guards still require above-average passing skill, but not as much as possessed by "pure" point guards (which is what those in the traditional mold of a point guard are referred to).

Gary Payton, a point guard known for defensive prowess.


See also



External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

  • - Best all-time point guards at the Wayback Machine (archived July 12, 2005), accessed 2008-02-09
