Kevin Martin: NBA’s Worst Decoy
Like we told you in Smack this morning, in last night’s Kings/Warriors game, Kevin Martin and Monta Ellis almost put up 100 points just by themselves. Martin’s line was absurd - dude dropped 50 points on just 11 field goals (11-22 from the field).
So of course who takes the potential game-winner in overtime for Sacramento while Martin was relegated to standing in the corner? Beno Udrih of course. Why wouldn’t he? I know he hit a big shot right before that, but come on. Remember at the end of “Hoosiers” when Coach Dale draws up the play where Jimmy Chitwood – who has been getting severe buckets – is supposed to be the decoy for the final play and all the Hickory players just stare uncomfortably at the floor? That is what we imagine that final Kings huddle to have looked like.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:16 am
sam says:
whats the highest scoring total with the lowest field goals made? 50 pts on 11 already seems unfathomable
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
Bruce says:
Kevin Martin is a fraud.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Patrick Cassidy says:
@ Bruce –
I don’t think there’s anyway you can call a guy who routinely gets 30, 40, 50 points in NBA games a fraud. Yes, it would be really interesting to see how he produces on a real team with other good players around him. But no matter what, I think he’d be an unreal 2nd or 3rd option on a very good team.
- PC
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
loganlight says:
Agree.
He is the most efficient player in the L. On a good team, like the spurs, he would be an all star.
LL
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 am
DAILY DIME!!!! says:
When are you guys going to do something about espn using the daily dime crap? Their video is called DAILY DIME TV!
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:17 am
Michorizo says:
Gotta play defense to play on a good team like the spurs…
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
SayItAintSo says:
I can’t stand K-Mart for the same reason I can’t stand D-Wade (though Wade has gotten much better)…
I don’t think a good basketball player makes their living at the line. It’s crafty, cheap and takes advantage of how soft the NBA has become.
TWEET! You breathed on K-Mart too hard while he was shooting, lets send him to the line 26! times
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:32 am
Ian says:
loganlight
pop wouldnt play his no d ass more than 10 mns and thats off the bench subs for manu.
ellis=martin=redd=jeter=overrated
sam i think the total shots taken is more impressive than the mades to score 50
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:44 am
loganlight says:
Ian – and others:
You’re missing the point. IF he played on a better team, he would have to be accountable on the defensive end. Right now, he has little reason to be a “stopper.” He has the skills to be decent enough. I would say that he can be/is a better defender than Kyle Korver who gets to play for one of the most hard nosed coaches in the game.
He would undoubtedly come off the bench, but you can’t tell me that he can’t do what Manu has done – or Jason Terry. Both all stars. At the very worst he plays sparingly and is automatic for 10-15 points off of 5 shots.
I think he would be an all-star though.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:49 am
Scott says:
lol, how did Jeter get in the mix Ian? LOL
It’d be interesting to see Martin play in a system that preaches defense, to see if that aspect of his game would improve like his offense did while in his current system that preaches a lot of offense and he took to it really well. He’s young, and seems really coachable, can’t see him not absorbing defense schemes/systems if given the chance.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Ian says:
logan yeah i know what u meant i was just messing with that and yeah he could be great in that manu terry role
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:53 am
Ian says:
scott that was in case austin reads the comments i liked the 90s yankees but hated jeter weird i know
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Willis says:
only three of you have even seen KevMart play it seems. The dude can play defense if he gets all intense and focused, but the dude is a joker and he is always smiling.
Oh, and Kenny Natt needs to get fired for playing Andres Nocioni at center and falling into the horrid trap of NellyBall.
Anyway, Kevin will be a beast once Blake Griffin joins him next year.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Ian says:
nah willis i dont think hes any good on that
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
king says:
This just shows how legit Kevin martin really is, not b/c he put up 50 on GS, but the fact that he gets his buckets efficiently and not by just jacking
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Diego says:
@Say, post 6: Concur bigtime; it’s painful to watch K-Mart’s free throw palooza.
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Big Island says:
@ Ian
No need to explain Jeter, most overrated living organism ever.
50 point games are like 50 HR seasons in baseball with the steroids. It used to be something, but the rules have changed so you just have to slide the scale up. KMart putting up 50 is like someone putting up 40 a few years back. It’s nice, but it’s not like Wilt when he was just getting hammered for his freebies. I am starting to hate the NBA now, really.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:01 pm
doc says:
K Mart need to get his wins up.
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Austin Burton says:
I still haven’t gotten anyone to explain to me exactly HOW Jeter is overrated. No one said he’s the greatest SS ever. He gets praised for being a winner (Four rings; can’t argue that) and being a clutch performer (World Series MVP, Silver Slugger awards, go watch the playoff film; can’t argue that). So where does the “overrated” come in?
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Big Island says:
AB: I think Jeter is overrated because he has been at a point where his production doesn’t match his reputation. He has the rings which nobody can argue, and he has made some clutch plays, but he isn’t even the best SS on his own team when you think A-Rod moved to third. His averages (batting, HR, RBI, fielding % etc…) show that he isn’t the best at his position, yet most people, when asked, will say Jeter is the best player at his position. Good looking guy, on the Yankees, very marketable, never really in trouble outside of gossip column stuff, good player. If he played for the Angels, nobody would be saying much about him. I’m not hating on the guy personally as much as I am hating on Yankee fans/friends and the Yankees. I wouldn’t be upset with Jeter on my team, but I would take other players before him. Screw it, I am a hater.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Ian says:
big island like i told austin a while back if jeter played for the royals his whole career putting up those same numbers no one would talk about him and love how he uses the 4 rings thing in baseball. this isnt basketball in baseball u dont carry teams as easy u dont have to win to be an alltime great is jeter better than bonds??? because he was luckier to be a yankee is jeter better than arod is jeter better than pujols who just has one??? jeter was ranked the worst defensive player at any position and still managed to get the gold gloves isnt that being overrated? and yes austin yankee fans talk like hes the best ss ever and the best player since 96 in the majors dude there are at least 5 players better than him on the ny teams. i have him in second alltime in overrated athletes andrw jones is 1. btw u downplay it abit u call him great and a good ss that isnt the mentality of most yankee fans that are tooo blind to see that arod is by FAR the best player on the team.
baseball u dont carry teams u cant be selfish and being clutch i dont buy it that much why didnt u hit that awesome walkoff hr in the first inning and save us the drama. there hasnt been a single season i think that jeter has been the best ss in the league
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Austin Burton says:
Again, never said Jeter was the best shortstop in the League. But when it comes down to delivering in a clutch situation, you’re really telling me you’d rather have Jose Reyes? I think over the last couple years we’ve seen the clutch-ness of Reyes and that whole Mets team.
Yes, baseball is a team sport, but at some point SOMEBODY needs to step up and win the game. And over the course of his career, Jeter has often proved to be that guy.
Serious question: Did Jeter win Gold Gloves in the seasons where he ranked as the worst defensive shortstop? Another serious question: What’s the difference numbers-wise between the best SS in the League and the worst? Probably like two percentage points, right? Correct me if I’m wrong, ’cause I’m definitely not a baseball stat geek.
And Ian’s last argument about not being clutch because you didn’t do something in the first inning is just silly. Are we now saying Kobe’s not clutch because he doesn’t just score 20 points in the first quarter and make the game a blowout? These are pro athletes all playing at the highest level, and the games are going to be close a lot of times. And again, somebody needs to be clutch and win it in the end.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
JoeCozi says:
You guys obviously don’t watch K-mart too much…he is the biggest choke artist for a supposed star..he’ll get buckets all game long but he’s like A-rod where they’re all first inning solo homers nothing when the game is on the line!!..He plays scared against the Kobe’s and Lebron’s can’t create his own shot at all (couldn’t even get a shot off against Lebron couple weeks back without trying to do some weak ass pump fake leaner garbage)..I’m in sacramento and I can’t stand him, he reminds me of Reggie Miller when he used to do that kick his leg out bullshit…don’t get me wrong K-mart got wetters when he spots up but his game is one dimensional-scoring, and thats incomplete cause he can’t even get his own shot off!
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Willis says:
in KevMarts defense, you have to get the ball in order to be clutch. He’s been clutch in about half the opportunities he’s had to be clutch. Earlier this season against New Orleans, 24 points in the 4th quarter. Earlier this season vs Golden State, hit two game tying buckets in each overtime. He’s hit game winners before too, against the Sonics (when they were the sonics,) spurs, wizards, and the grizz if i remember correctly. He’s choked about as many times as that as well.
Joe Cozi, Kevs the best thing we got, and thats sad, but you get a guy like that you shouldn’t throw him under a bus like that. The due creates his own shots just as well as Michael Redd does. I don’t think you all give him enough credit on the clutch end. Just cuz this team is Nattarded doesn’t mean Kevin can’t be clutch.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
quest says:
@ austin give me jose reyes all day in fact give me omar vizquel the real best ss in the history if baseball
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Ian says:
austin
again tryin to compare baseball to basketball give it a rest man its not even close one player guarantees playoffs in the nba not in baseball didnt jeter miss the playoffs??? and again im not talking about U sayin hes the best ss but 95% of yankee fans do
now to answer your kobe question and the first inning run unlike basketball in baseball u can score once and win did u know that pitchers that pitch with the lead always throw better and is more relax that is what that first inning run brings so dont be a fool u r acting like the dude that says well longley has more rings than ewing and u know it. now on the numbers lol it takes jeter 4 seasons to do what arod does in one and google up hanley ramirez ill bet ull hate jeter after u see those stats. AND NO U DONT NEED ANYONE TO BE CLUTCH a hr is a hr if the game is starting or if its close in the 9th
see even joecozi has it messed up with arod remember this past 4 years that big papi has been considered clutch and awesome while arod chokes??? did u know arod has one more game tyin or lead taking hit than ortiz in that
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Ian says:
btw jeter did win a gold glove in one of the seasons he ranked as the worst fielder
hey what do u call a slow roller to jeter left?? a basehit hehehehe.
quoting Tim Kurkjian: “Nobody makes the routine play better than Derek Jeter.” That’s why he wins a gold glove? thats just sad
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:13 am
js says:
Ellis goes for 42 points, 9 assist, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block all while still coming back from moped injury, and you all still seem to think this story about K-mart is worth this post space…….WOW!!!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Joeman says:
Coach I can make the shot! Gimme the Damn Ball!!!!