Before we look ahead to tonight's games, I wanted to hammer home a point that I hope won't be lost. Tayshaun Prince is as valuable a player as there is in the NBA.
Chauncey Billups gets credit as the team's leader and clutch performer, but Prince is those things and in my opinion more valuable. I suppose it depends how you determine value. If it's demanding the ball in clutch situation and always delivering, it's him. If it's locking down the opponents best player, it's him. If it's calming down a riled up teammate in a heated situation, it's him. If it's winning games ... well you get the idea.
I wish the dude wasn't on Detroit so I could like him more. Not that you'd need more reasons to do so, but Henry Abbott at True Hoop has all that you need starting here:
TP won't be on an All-NBA first team with all the superstars, and he likely doesn't care. He'll just keep winning games and eventually he'll start being mentioned in the same breath as "stars."Last night, when Chicago was full of fury, striking match after match trying to light that comeback fire, Tayshaun said "I got this." He backed down into the post, dribbling, feeling, patient ... and then turned over right shoulder and shot the left-handed mini-hook that probably sealed the game. It splashed through with 2:19 left, and put Detroit up 85-73. (Chicago finished with 85 points.)
For emphasis, moments later he took the ball back into the same spot on the post. Were they going to let him do that to them again, to end Chicago's season? He worked the shot clock closer to zero, and his butt closer to the basket. Then he pivoted over that right shoulder again, and this time defenders, desperate to save their season, collapsed from everywhere.
Prince fired a perfect pass to wide open Rasheed Wallace (who missed the three-pointer, but you get my point).
In French, they call that savoir-faire.
Source: (True Hoop)
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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