Two of a Kind

In poker two of a kind does not usually win a hand.  But if held by a skilled poker master, two of a kind can be turned into a strong hand.  If the pair is aces the chances of winning a hand increase dramatically, especially a pair in the hole.  A bet on the flop, followed by a strong bet on the turn, and a pair of aces will take down most hands in no limit.


Searching the team rosters of the NBA rosters, there is an inevitable draw for comparing aces Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington.  The pair are good friends off the court, and both play the game with an open minded open floor attack posture that is very exciting to watch.  Jackson may be the overall better player by the numbers, but they are both capable of red hot streaks of basketball.  Three point blitzkriegs and uncontested rim smacking dunks are the name of the game with both players.


None of the elements of basketball are exempt from the judging eyes of purity.  This includes the three point shot.  Let's face it, the game loves the three point shooters.  Among the game's most productive are this two of a kind, Harrington and Jackson.   Both are capable of massive scoring barrages, and both can score from anywhere on the floor.  It's the three point shot that brings the comparison for this purist, however.  If there were stats for three point shots that turn around a week or a month or a season for a team, these two would lead the league.


The three point basket is in basketball terms the perfect thing.  If a player shoots the three pointer at 40%, in 10 three point attempts, he will have scored 12 points.  Only a 60% shooter could match the total from inside the three point line with the same number of attempts.  This is a way too overlooked truth of basketball.  A player who shoots the three point shot at .350, scores on average 10.5 points in 10 attempts.  A 50% shooter inside the arc would score only 10.  This can be a little bit of a stunning revelation..that a .350 3 point shooter is shooting effectively over .500 when compared to a player who does not attempt three point shots.

Considering the devastating leverage a team gains from shooting successfully the three point shot in transition, much too little is made of its importance in the professional game.  For two or three or even four or five possessions following a three point basket made in transition, the team that scored with the three point shot will automatically have the advantage of prime positioning on defense, simply as a result of the fact that the players on the team were never forced into the half court offense before the change of possessions.  They are easily able to retreat into an attacking defensive posture.  In this light, even a missed three point shot can be a positive.  If a team is trying to stop a run by another team or keep a comfortable margin on another team, a quick three point shot makes it possible for an offense to turn around quickly and organize for a solid or excellent defensive stand in their own end.  Games are very often quickly put away or turned around with excellent three point shooting.  For the best franchises, it's the secret they won't tell anyone.  Three point shots bring championships...

The three point shot and the slam dunk are the ultimate weapons in basketball.  For this purist, the three point shot is way more important to the success of a team, however.  It's amazing how many times a team can get on a streak with three point shots and never look back, cruising to victory.  For the opponent, it's devastating to retrieve the ball after having had a three point shot scored against your team only to look up and see your opponents already back and on defense and ready to pressure the ball at mid-court.  This situation can steamroll, with the scoring team picking up a quick steal and maybe even another three pointer and then it's the same situation all over again.


As devastating as a the three pointer can be, it's players like Harrington and Jackson who make the most out of them.  There are others like Mehmet Okur and Hedo Turkoglu who use the three point shot masterfully, but none use it the way Harrington and Jackson do.  They are the NBA's deadliest assassins, both with superior height, speed, and agility, and both fully capable of getting to the basket on the dribble or with a back door off a wing.  Okur and Turkoglu use the 3 point shot to augment their rebounding totals and to gain a competitive advantage in the offensive end.  Jackson and Harrington use the three pointer to establish total domination of the offensive end.  Nevermind that their steals totals increase as a result of the three point shots they attempt.  This pair can get close to the basket, too.  On top of it all, they can both run the floor with the absolute best the NBA has to offer.  That's a subject for another post...tall players who run the floor...


The most important element of the impact of the three point shot on the game is the overwhelming pressure it places on an opponent's offense.  NBA basketball is a game of rhythm and court ownership and domination.  Nothing in the game compares even remotely to the impact of a three point attempt on tempo and floor control and positioning.  It's practically impossible to stress the importance of this fact enough.  With the taller three point shooters like Harrington and Jackson and Okur and Turkoglu on the floor, the floor is automatically spread for the offense.  Defenses must match the tactical height advantage of the shooters with aggressive perimeter defense.  The need to match up closely with the taller shooters leads to opportunities in transition for other players and opens the door for yet another of basketball's underrated events...the easy two.  There is another element to this array, too.  The taller players who shoot the three point shot are able to retreat more quickly on defense and be a factor there.  This is a schemer's dream come true...ask any coach...if you can get him to tell you the truth.


Put it all together, and you have what I consider to be the formula for basketball domination in Stephen Jackson and in Al Harrington.  Two of a kind knocking down three point shots, working the back door, penetrating to the basket, picking up easy twos, making plays in transition, AND playing good defense and setting up their teammates in the offensive end.  Harrington and Jackson are basketball's most underrated forces of the game.  As for me, I say be careful you don't underestimate the importance in NBA terms of basketball purists Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson.  Their bark isn't just a bluff...