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View Full Version : GRANT HILL forever



dukemomLA
12-26-2007, 02:39 PM
Now, I know recently we voted for our 'favorite' Duke player, and I admit my first choice was not Grant Hill.

BUT...I need to rescind that. If I take another look at Grant and Tamia and their family and all they've been through and all they've contributed -- to Duke, to society, to integrity, to life -- I have to praise them with blessings for all they have brought to the legend of Duke. Simply awesome.

YmoBeThere
12-26-2007, 02:52 PM
I was lobbying as hard as I could for Grant, I do think that the demographics of this new board format will skew more to Shane's era. Shane is a great player and probably an even better person, but having gone at about the same time('89-'93) as Grant, I do have some expected bias.

Bluedog
12-26-2007, 02:58 PM
I do think that the demographics of this new board format will skew more to Shane's era.

Probably true, but Dawkins beat JWill in the other semis. So, clearly, there wasn't that large of a bias towards the early 2000s.

ikiru36
12-26-2007, 03:33 PM
Probably true, but Dawkins beat JWill in the other semis. So, clearly, there wasn't that large of a bias towards the early 2000s.

I don't disagree in general, though I'm not sure if the Dawkins/J Will vote necessarily proves the point as JD has been at Duke (albeit as a coach) since J Will has left. Since the voting was not as regards "best player" but rather "favorite", Dawkins probably picked up some votes he wouldn't have otherwise (from people who didn't get to see him play much) based upon his continuing active association with the Duke program.

dukie8
12-26-2007, 05:02 PM
i don't watch the nba but the suns/lakers game was on where i was yesterday. pretty much the only reason why i watched the 4th quarter was to see ghill. has he lost it defensively because for pretty much the entire 4th quarter kobe was scorching the suns and ghill was NOT covering him (bell was)? ghill used to be such a defensive stopper so i couldn't understand why the suns didn't try and slow down the kobe assault with him. any ideas?

Acymetric
12-26-2007, 05:11 PM
I'm pretty sure Hill was on him in the beginning, at least for a little bit. And really, who can do a good job stopping Kobe?

As regards to "losing it" I'd say Grant Hill has lost a lot on both ends. That he's this good now speaks to what he was his first couple seasons and what his career could have been if it were injury free. Hill has been my favorite player pretty much my whole life. Whatever team he plays for becomes my team (conveniently, I was pulling for the Suns all last post season).

TheGodfather
12-28-2007, 10:31 AM
has he lost it defensively because for pretty much the entire 4th quarter kobe was scorching the suns and ghill was NOT covering him (bell was)? ghill used to be such a defensive stopper so i couldn't understand why the suns didn't try and slow down the kobe assault with him. any ideas?Raja Bell is one of the premier defenders in the NBA. He made First Team All-Defensive last year. Add in that Kobe and Raja have a personal animosity towards each other (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0504rajasoundsoff-CR.html) and it's no surprise Bell would be on Bryant in the 4th. It doesn't say anything about Grant Hill.

SilkyJ
12-28-2007, 02:12 PM
i don't watch the nba but the suns/lakers game was on where i was yesterday. pretty much the only reason why i watched the 4th quarter was to see ghill. has he lost it defensively because for pretty much the entire 4th quarter kobe was scorching the suns and ghill was NOT covering him (bell was)? ghill used to be such a defensive stopper so i couldn't understand why the suns didn't try and slow down the kobe assault with him. any ideas?

See below. Grant is still very solid on both ends of the floor and guarded kobe for quite a bit that game, but Raja is the Suns version of Bruce bowen: a Lock down wing defender who can shoot the 3. Raja is also at least 5 years younger than grant and probably has at least 5 fewer ankle surgeries.




Raja Bell is one of the premier defenders in the NBA. He made First Team All-Defensive last year. Add in that Kobe and Raja have a personal animosity towards each other (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0504rajasoundsoff-CR.html) and it's no surprise Bell would be on Bryant in the 4th. It doesn't say anything about Grant Hill.

BobbyFan
12-28-2007, 05:34 PM
has he lost it defensively because for pretty much the entire 4th quarter kobe was scorching the suns and ghill was NOT covering him (bell was)? ghill used to be such a defensive stopper so i couldn't understand why the suns didn't try and slow down the kobe assault with him. any ideas?

While he was the best Duke defender I've ever seen, Grant was a good but never a great defender in the NBA. I think much of that can be attributed to his heavy workload on offense, attempting to carry a less than impressive Pistons squad. In addition to talent, having sufficient energy in the tank is a requirement for standout defense, particularly for non-big men.

Case in point: Kobe and McGrady, playing second fiddle to Shaq and Vince Carter respectively, were outstanding, shutdown defenders. When Shaq left and McGrady went to Orlando, Kobe and McGrady effectively became their offense's best player and their defense noticeably declined.

Nevertheless, even at age 35, glimpses of Grant's incredible talent still show up once in a while:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsBSRyBjVNI

SouthgateWindsor
12-28-2007, 08:40 PM
Just wanted to add to the Grant Hill lovefest. Grant and his lovely wife Tamia are class acts through and through. A real credit to our society and wonderful role models.

Three cheers for Grant Hill!