Brandon Stockton/Deron Williams Battle
TEANECK, NEW JERSEY -- In a matchup of two of the purer point guards last night, Brandon Stockton's Hornets squad got the better of Deron Williams' Sonics club by a 101-86 score.
And although Stockton and Williams are very different types of players, their aim is to distribute the ball and make others around them better.
Advertisement
Williams has prototypical size and strength for a floor general, standing in at a stocky 6-3, 195 pounds. What he lacks in quickness, Williams makes up for in court vision and basketball IQ.
Just when you think Williams has overpenetrated, he lays slick dimes on teammates in scoring position. His offensive game is a work in progress, and he'll never ever be mistaken for a two guard when he's out on the basketball court.
Stockton is a quick little sparkplug who stands just 5-10 and tips the scales at 168 pounds. He has already committed to Kentucky.
What Stockton is able to do is push his team's attack into high gear with crisp outlet passes that commence the break. He's very quick, sees the floor well and has deep range on his three point bomb.
While Stockton is more of an offensive threat than Williams, his shot release is ugly and may be in need of some fine tuning at the next level. He kind of pushes the ball off his hand toward the basket, and as a result, he needs space and time to get his shot off unmolested.
But as Stockton proved yesterday, if you leave him out there to shoot it alone, he will burn you. He shot four of eight in one contest, and three of five in another. That's seven makes in 13 attempts, a shining 50+ percent clip.
The bottom line is that both Stockton and Williams are accomplished floor generals. Stockton, however, is the player who can help his squad from deep.