The White David West
Troy Murphy (photo. NBA)Watching almost every Indiana Pacers game this season, I’ve come to a few conclusions:
1. Danny Granger will play in multiple All-Star games over the next decade.
2. If you combined Rasho Nesterovic‘s offense with Jeff Foster‘s defense/rebounding/hustle, you’d have a beast on your hands.
3. Given enough minutes, Marquis Daniels could average 12-15 points a game until he’s 40 years old.
4. T.J. Ford is more talented, but I’ll take Jarrett Jack to run my team in crunch time 93 times out of 100.
5. Troy Murphy is the White David West.
About that last one: You know how West makes a living on those wide-open jumpers from the top of the key that Chris Paul creates? Murphy has that same shot, only it’s from a few steps back. His straightaway three-pointer, often a result of him being the trailer in Indiana’s up-tempo transition game, is as money a shot as anyone’s shot in the League.
Before the Pacers fell under Amare Stoudemire‘s 49-point destruction in early November, Murphy hit four straightaway triples in the first half (as Amare refused to guard him) and had Indiana well in control. When they knocked off the Rockets a few weeks, the turning point was when Jim O’Brien went small and forced Yao to guard Murphy, who feasted on those straightaway threes (as Yao couldn’t meet him at the arc) and set the table for a Pacers’ comeback. Overall, Murphy is shooting just under 38 percent on three-pointers this year, but I’d be willing to bet he’s sticking at least half of his treys from his signature spot.
Looking at the rest of the League, who else has that one shot that they never seem to miss?
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December 9th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Timmy D’s mid-range jumper off glass.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Mamba says:
Kobe’s turnaround fadeaway is usually money in the clutch – when its on he can look very MJ like,
TD off the glass is very much automatic!
December 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Banga says:
Bruce Bowen.. Corner Three
December 9th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
1. T. Parker and the floater in the lane.
2. Steve Nash and the 16 footer in transition.
3. R. Lewis and the wing “3″.
4. R. Allen and the wing “3″.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
GEE...Again, Numbers don't lie, but certain commentators will! says:
Tim’s is the most auto-matic in the game.
I am also going to say Bowen from the corner spot is pretty much a done deal.
Any LeBron drive to the hoop will get you the shot or a foul at least lol.
Yao’s hooks are pretty solid.
K.G. is dream shake light is pretty on
Kobe’s drive stop on a dime, pull up and fade away jumper is probably the least of these but it can be straight demoralizing and perhaps it’s just me but he seems to make that a lot.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Amar says:
kobe and wade’s forced contact that results in 2 fta. that move is money night in and night out.
rondo’s drive + layup in a broken half court set is pretty good as well.
devin harris’ drive, step back 15′ shot is money as well.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
dano says:
@Sho-nuff
I think its more steve nash and a three in transition, rather than a midrange j
i have a couple:
dwade’s drive-the-lane-with-your-head-down-and-throw-the-ball-at-the-basket-when-you-hear-a-whistle shot
same goes for AI
dwight howard and the dunk-from-anywhere-near-the-basket shot
lebron and the dunk-from-anywhere shot
and
brandon roy and the 30-foot jumper for the game
December 9th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Richard Wellner says:
Yea, Troy is awesome. I remember reading this article about him bulking up in the off-season between his first and second years. He was so tired, he says, that he couldn’t lift his arms up in the shower. He worked like a dog the whole summer and came into his second season beast-looking.
He was an imspiration to me when I bulked up. Props to dime for proppin the properest Murphy.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Richard Wellner says:
I always seem to miss the given question. Who has a shot they never seem to miss? I think that Z-Bo has that 2-feet-within the line, that he can’t miss. I really enjoyed watching him pop off when he was with the Knicks.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
JCARR says:
@richard wellner
Murphy sucks… he does nothing on the court with all that supposed “bulk”. He just stands outside by three point arc to shoot 3′s. The highlight of his life will always be the luckiest tip in the sport of basketball (vs. the lakers). I rather see Dunleavy play than murphy.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
vshooter80 says:
Timmy off the glass-I agree! Haslem from the foul line, labron on the drive!
December 9th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
vshooter80 says:
Dick what did u bulk up to 160?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Austin Burton says:
@JCARR — For what it’s worth, Murphy has been a beast on the boards this year. I think in that Lakers game he had 17 boards and may still be on a streak of 10-plus games with 10-plus boards.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
JCARR says:
the old RIP hamilton who used to hit every 2 point shot of the curl.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
vshooter80 says:
Oh and Austin- dont ever compare troy to West again- there is no comparsion. West is such a better ballplayer!
Your watching to many pacers games.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
E$ says:
A Gerald Wallace/Gerald Green alley oop
December 9th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
E$ says:
A Gerald Wallace/Gerald Green alley oop
December 9th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
JCARR says:
@AB
Their record stands at 7W and 13L… he may be a “beast” on the boards at 10.6 boards a game, but they still dont win ball games. I am sure Sam Dalambert(not this season) has had a streak of 10 plus games with 10 plus boards… Is Sam a beast???
December 9th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
JCARR says:
@AB
T-murphy wouldn’t have enough money to pay to be like David West.
David West was an all star and has been to the playoffs. T-Murphy has been 7 years pro and is yet to touch the floor of a playoff game.
David West is more talented than T-murphy wishes he could be.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Austin Burton says:
They don’t call him “The Dalembeast” for nothing…
December 9th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
vshooter80 says:
Teams have started to double west because they know he is 1 of there keys to winning! the last time anyone doubled troy was in a softball game! (double play)
December 9th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
JCARR says:
@AB
haha… not this year. He’s not deserving of that name anymore.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Richard Wellner says:
@vshooter: haha omg softball game, so funny so funny!
December 9th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Diego says:
I thought Sam was indeed the purported “Dalambeast”?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Diego says:
AB beat me to the punch (which was pretty easy to apply to JCARR–who would prefer Dunleavy?! WTF!).
December 9th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
vinny(vshooter-oop's) says:
aryan meeting over dick?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
JCARR says:
Dunleavy is better all around than murphy… Before he got injured last year he was the one who helped Indiana almost reach the playoffs. Dunleavy was bringing it every night and he is not one dimensional like murphy…
Besides when is the last time Dalembert was called “Dalembeast”? And Murphy will never have a nick-name which includes the word “beast”or “west”.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
WOW WTF?!?! That is a racist headline AB. I’m sure you don’t like it when people focus on your skin rather than what you’ve accomplished. Why does he have to be the “white” David West?? Whay can’t he be the “Eastern Conference version of” or, “The Pacers version of”???
December 9th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
he’s more like the far-less-talented rasheed wallace, shooting too many jumpers instead of doing his job in the paint.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
JCARR says:
IDK how Murphy came out of Morristown, NJ?… he seems like he’s from a town in Alabama. The competition in morris county has never been good. Kudos he went to Notre Dame though.
Oh yea… his nickname is “Horse”… according to NBA.com player bio.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
morristown, NJ is the next akron, ohio for producing basketball stars, didn’t you know??
December 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Austin Burton says:
@dmitry — Murphy is averaging 10-plus rebounds, something I don’t think Rasheed has ever done. He doesn’t jack threes all game, but when he does take them he’s money.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
JCARR says:
MO-town?… you crazy! i live 10 minutes from mo-town and there isnt future basketball stars over there!!! The oranges have better players.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
vinny(vshooter-oop's) says:
@jcarr
comon the shore area has better players!
December 9th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
JCARR says:
@vinny
i agree the shore are also has better players, than morris county. Where ever the schools like St. Anthony’s or St.patricks are they are good areas as well. The only good prep school around morris county is Seton Hall Prep.
Now that i realize the NBA has a lot of players come out of NJ high schools! JR. Smith, Dejuan Wagner, Loul Deng, Al harrington, tim thomas, brevin knight, mike bibby…almost forgot SHAQ O’NEAL.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Austin Burton says:
Bibby went to high school in Arizona, didn’t he? Shaq went to school in Texas.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
vinny(vshooter-oop's) says:
St anthonys is in jersey city-but they recurit from all over jersey and the city. St Pats is in Elizabeth!
December 9th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Vinny says:
yea bibby he went to school in az.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
JCARR says:
Yea, but Shaq went to elementary school in NJ (birth place) and he was dominating then too.
bibby… i was wrong with that one.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Ian says:
gee
i agree on everyone on the list but not kg
i bet that if we looked up the percentage on that move is less than 45%
December 9th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Three Stacks says:
I’m surprised Wellner hasn’t complained about how racist Dime is for saying Murph is the White David West, and not that West is the Black Troy Murphy.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
ticktock6 says:
The real David West was actually also born in New Jersey… but went to high school in NC.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
srb says:
wait a minute.. troy murphy is white?
December 9th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
Beasley isn’t quite to the point where he has a shot he never misses but I see alot of David West in him
December 9th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
@JCARR: I know… I live near Morristown too and know full well it isn’t a hoops mecca
@AB: murphy is a better rebounder than sheed but on offense they hang out on the perimeter too much
December 9th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
added says:
why is troy murphy the white david west, rather than david west being the black troy murphy? murphy has been in the league longer and had pretty good numbers early in his career?
December 9th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Chaos says:
come one man its Timmys on the glass bank shot, devin harris patented drive stop spin jump shot, a DWade circus shot, CP3 and T Parkers floaters
December 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
JCARR says:
@added
read post 19
And change your mind please
December 9th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Gerard says:
Dirk.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Richard Wellner says:
LMAO Three Stacks, #43.
Too-shay.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
dagwaller says:
Dirk from 18 feet out, fadeaway. Seems like him and KG have the same shot, impossible to defend.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Ian says:
dagwaller but dirk falls more often
like all the love duncan off the glass is getting
December 9th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
How does Murphy look like he’s from Alabama? Just curious. What is with all the Troy Murphy bashing? No one said he was the second coming of Tim Duncan. Austin said his game is similar to David West’s, or at least his money shot is. Troy Murphy is a very good basketball player. So is David West. Get over it.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:24 am
flyp says:
Straight off the NBA website in the “Hot Spots” stat:
Threes from the top of the key: 21 for 49 (43%)
With the exception of buckets near the hoop (46 attempts), no other spot on the floor is even close to matching the frequency.
David West:
Top of the key jumpers: 14 for 25 (56%)
His percentages all the way down the middle of the court are much better than everything else. But he does alot of his damage near the hoop (60 for 96, 62.5%)
December 10th, 2008 at 2:02 am
doc says:
Yall named all the shot makers.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:54 am
dagwaller says:
Ian – Dirk 25 and change per game. Garnett, 16 and change. Don’t tell me who misses that shot more, haha. And yea, that “hot spot” checker is a cool feature.
December 10th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Sho-Nuff says:
Murphy went to Delbarton I think. Private school.
David West went to Teaneck HS before moving to NC.
December 10th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Austin Burton says:
West went to Hargrave Military in VA, didn’t he?