for you guys that watched Paul Pressey in the 80s

[mo2thewillyo]

I was wondering how Craig Hodges could be the starting point guard... did some research and found out Paul Pressey was a point forward. Was he the majority of the time playing as the ball handler... did he bring the ball up all the time? (btw for anyone that wants to jump all over me about watching videos: there arent that many videos of Paul Pressey)

Also I read that Larry Bird was a point forward... I thought Dennis Johnson was a pure point guard that brought the ball up.


Thinking about this really changes my view on those teams. Are both scenarios that comparable to Scottie Pippen (real point guard) and John Paxson (spot up shooting guard). I'm just wondering to what extent those fowards played the role of point guard.

[qpc123]

While my memories of the 80's Bucks are shoty at best, I did recently catch a game of theirs on NBATV.

Pressy did a lot of ball handling/initiating off the offense, basically he was Pippen before Pippen but without the Hall of Fame defensive ability and less athletic.

I think I even saw Fred Roberts doing some of what would be considered point guard duties by most, but would not ever call him a "point" forward.

It seems to have been Milwaukee's philosophy in the 80's/early 90's due to lack of a pure point guard.

[mo2thewillyo]

I can't get a good feel for this team... from the limited videos I have watched:

1983 Bucks vs Sixers... I actually noticed sidney moncrief... the shooting guard... basically playing like a traditional point guard. Later in the series some guy named winters was the point guard. By 1985 I don't know how things change/went but I'm kind of confused how to classify moncrief and Pressey.

Basically I just wanted to know who to make on the classic 2k12 bucks to behave as the bring the ball up/handle the ball mostly player. Seems like I've come out more confused!

[mo2thewillyo]

As for Larry Bird playing point forward... I don't really see it all that much. Dennis Johnson plays like a "normal/traditional point guard"

[ojandpizza]

Quote: Originally Posted by mo2thewillyo

I was wondering how Craig Hodges could be the starting point guard... did some research and found out Paul Pressey was a point forward. Was he the majority of the time playing as the ball handler... did he bring the ball up all the time? (btw for anyone that wants to jump all over me about watching videos: there arent that many videos of Paul Pressey) Also I read that Larry Bird was a point forward... I thought Dennis Johnson was a pure point guard that brought the ball up. Thinking about this really changes my view on those teams. Are both scenarios that comparable to Scottie Pippen (real point guard) and John Paxson (spot up shooting guard). I'm just wondering to what extent those fowards played the role of point guard.

First of all Scottie Pippen is a "real point guard" he's a point forward as well, when was he ever a real pg? And Stockton a spot up shooting guard? You're talking about the all time assist leader being a shoot guard? He was a true PG who could play the pick and roll game like no other

[mkharsh33]

I'm 39, and an avid NBA history buff... To shed a little light:

Bird wasn't a "point forward" until Jimmy Rodgers started coaching him in 1989. Bird hated that (and Rodgers was fired after the Celtics lost a 5 game series to the Knicks in 1990, lasting just 2 years as coach, Bird being injured his first year). He either posted up or popped out on the wing and often dumped it down into the post. His assists came from playing with two hall of famers in the low post.

Regarding Pressey... Don Nelson ran crazy offense in which he wanted to put 5 "wing" players on the floor. Outside of Jack Sikma, he typically had centers on the roster that were either under-sized (tyrone hill) or awful (randy breuer or paul mokeski). the offense was a LOT of slashing and driving, with the centers playing a lot of high post offense. pressy did indeed play a lot "point forward" allowing for moncrief or ricky pierce to slash or pull up. the problem with Don Nelson's teams were their lack of defense, and in the 1980's, with many teams having solid centers, that became a struggle. The Bucks were good (sometimes very good or great with 50+ win teams and going deep into the playoffs) but not elite, and could never keep up with some of the stronger teams in the east (celtics, sixers, for example).

[mrclutch]

Mkharsh got it right.
To add on Hodges at the point, he didn't bring the ball up a whole lot. If you didn't get to see those teams you might could relate to it the second 3 peat bulls teams where Ron Harper played the point. Even though Ron was listed at the point he didn't bring the ball up that much. Maybe a little more early in the game than late. The difference with Harper was that he was a pure shooter and Hodge was a spot up shooter only. Never drove or shot off the bounce. He did defend the point most of the time due to his lack of size with mostly small pgs in those days.

While we are on D I think that's what a lot of people don't realize about that era. Alot of teams cross matched alot more in those days than they do now. For example the Showtime Lakers. Magic almost never guarded the PG instead he would check the 3 man (unless they were playing playing a team like the Hawks) while Scott took the PG and Worthy would guard the 2. I guess coaches really went after match ups more in those day.

[iLLmatic]

Surprisingly, the teams that Pressey played on under Nelson were defensive oriented and is part of the reason why people wondered why Nelson went to Dallas and Golden State and did everything but play defense.

Nelson's Bucks teams played great team defense and the team on 2K12 was actually the #1 overall defense in the NBA and #1 in opponents PPG AVG and FG% and Moncrief and Pressey were both All Defense 1st Team members.

From 1979-1987, they were a Top 10 defensive team in opponents PPG, and in 6 of those years they were a Top 5 and twice in 83-84 and 84-85 being the #1 defense in the NBA.

The game in the 80's was when the mid range shot was a much bigger part of the game. The Bucks with Pierce, Moncrief, Pressey and Hodges were all pretty good mid range shooters with Pressey and Moncrief having slashing abilities as well.

A good team, but not close to elite status, which they would have needed to be in order to compete for the top Eastern Conference teams.