The NBA’s 30 best go-to players (#29: Boris Diaw)
Boris Diaw
Every NBA team has a go-to guy, and there’s really only room for one. It’s not about who always gets to take the last-second shot. More realistically, it’s the guy who regularly gets the ball when things are getting tense in the fourth quarter; it’s the guy who is expected to calm things down when teammates are getting sloppy; it’s the guy who is called upon to snuff out an opponent’s rally, or spark a comeback rally of his own; it’s the guy who’s not just supposed to make shots, but make the right decisions when a shot isn’t there. Bottom line: Who do you want the offense to run through when everything is on the line?
I’ve identified who I think is each team’s go-to guy for this upcoming season, and ranked them from #30 to #1.
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#29: BORIS DIAW, Charlotte Bobcats
Your go-to guy doesn’t have to be your best all-around player, or even your most talented scorer. The NBA’s best example of that line of thinking: Boris Diaw. He falls behind Gerald Wallace in terms of being Charlotte’s best player, and doesn’t match Ray Felton (if Ray re-signs) as their best scorer, but soon after coming to the Bobcats in a December ‘08 trade, Diaw became the guy Larry Brown depended on in crunch-time to generate offense from his hybrid power forward/small forward position.
To steal Gerald Narciso’s analogy, the Bobcats’ roster is like the cast of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” without Will Smith. They don’t have an identifiable “star” in the traditional sense, but if anybody had to carry an episode in Will’s absence, Diaw would be their Carlton Banks. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.9 boards and 4.9 assists in his 59 games with the ‘Cats last season, hitting 41% from three.
On Jan. 27, a Bobcats/Lakers game that became more known for Andrew Bynum getting all riot cop on Wallace represented Charlotte’s best crunch-time efforts against the eventual champions. Diaw posted 23 points, nine boards and nine assists in a double-OT road win, showcasing the all-around offensive skill set that makes him the ‘Cats true go-to guy.
Diaw comes at the defense from different angles; not just taking the ball up-top or in the low-post. His deceptive/awkward drives from those angles allow him to get short hook shots and pull-up jumpers from high-percentage spots, or to kick out to shooters around the arc or lob it to finishers at the rim. Depending on who’s guarding him, Diaw can go to the post or take his man off the dribble, and is good for a timely three-pointer here and there. He can handle the ball and pass well for a forward, and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time for garbage buckets, putbacks and creating second-shot opportunities.
However, Diaw isn’t a reliable jump shooter, especially from long range, and he’s often at an athletic disadvantage to his defender. He also doesn’t have a lot of reps as the go-to guy; not even on the French national team, where everything runs through Tony Parker.
But with the Bobcats failing to pick up a real offensive threat in the offseason and Tyson Chandler representing an offensive downgrade from Emeka Okafor, the responsibility on Diaw’s shoulders is even greater. If he comes into camp in shape — which shouldn’t be a problem given he’s been playing with Team France this summer — he’ll at least give the ‘Cats a fighting chance.
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September 16th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Craig says:
Maybe this guy should be ranked 30th…If he’s number 29..then the Bobcats and Pistons are all in trouble…
September 16th, 2009 at 8:37 am
sh!tfaced says:
…bit of an insult to Rip, ranking Diaw at 29.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:39 am
doc says:
I’ll take it for now.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:21 am
loganlight says:
hmmmmm…. Don’t know that I agree with this one. But I’ll take the same stance as Doc – seeing as I haven’t seen the entire list, its hard for me to say that he belongs here. But don’t be surprised if the DIME community throws a wrench in this one.
LL
September 16th, 2009 at 9:31 am
scotsman says:
i like diaw as a player and i could see him putting up a better all round performance than rip this year
September 16th, 2009 at 9:39 am
dvs says:
Diaw after Rip??? come on now. “go to guys” are meant to be able to perform under pressure. rip sticks to what he does best in crunch time (mid range jumpers) and he does it better than most in the league. it doesnt have to be a 1 on 1 player. anyways, i wanna c the rest of the list now. rips the king.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:40 am
youdontknow says:
No way is Diaw a better go-to player than Hamilton
September 16th, 2009 at 10:05 am
BCap says:
Boris Diaw is terrible and this is a stretch…
September 16th, 2009 at 10:10 am
barons beard says:
Ben Gordon will surely be Detroit’s go-to guy down the stretch, and he is one of the better clutch performers in the league. The playoffs last year alone represent more ability in the clutch than Diaw has ever demonstrated since he came into the L
September 16th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Cha-Ching says:
He has all the offensive energy cause he is a toll booth on defense.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Marcello says:
Hey Dime Staff,
Why don’t you guys have a Fantasy BB League. You cover the sport 24 7 and some of us would like to see how we stack up against “the experts”. You could giveaway some of your freebies for the trophy and it would increase your traffic considerably. Use Yahoo and you guys wouldn’t have to do much commissioner work.
P.S. If so, I know I get a spot for throwing the idea out there!
P.S.S I know I keep posting this, but I just started my fantasy football and I got the jones, besides that I think I would win, because I’m a master motivator…..a mastervator
September 16th, 2009 at 10:33 am
DaGood says:
Diaw looked fat in the French national team games I saw a few eeks back, so not sure he’ll show up in shape.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Ravi says:
Boris is a hell of a lot better than some of the people above think he is.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
flavur says:
It’s not really an insult cus diaw create create a shot for himself and others where rip can’t he needs a shot created for him so 29 for diaw seems good to me.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
kowtz says:
Diaw over Rip? What is this? Lottery?
September 16th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
TJ says:
I still think the go-to guy for the Knicks has to be last.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Derik says:
Diaw is so underrated, back when is was with the Suns, I remember in this awesome triple OT game against the Nets, he keeps on posting up Jason Kidd on the pick and roll and scored everytime. Suns Should never traded him for stupid Jason Richardson, not to mention sending Raja Bell along, fire Steve Kerr! worst GM ever.
September 16th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
money says:
seriously, rip got shafted
September 16th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Big Sia says:
Man this list is looking soft already.
If yall underrate VC im never coming back
September 16th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
jdstorm says:
i don’t really like the bobcats fresh prince analogy. for me it seems like that team would be the lakers. Seriously if anybody in the league deserves to be compared to carlton its derek fisher.
it seems like the bobcats would be like my wife and kids except Bill Cosby is directing or producing reminding you that this is just a worse version of the cosby show
September 16th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
snook says:
Fresh Prince of Bel Air without Will Smith is still better than half the shows out there.
Ashley Banks!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
bigger_daddy says:
dime, maybe you could present your ranking a good two-months before the season (and updated monthly????) so that we could see where your ‘go-to-guy’ analogies will be coming from.
Or is there no relationship at all???
September 16th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
the cynic says:
I like Diaw’s game, he can play as the focal point of an offense and as a role player. Very underrated player
September 16th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Alee-Mo says:
#22 — Care to explain that again? For some reason it made no sense at all.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:11 am
fLaVa says:
Lets hope Rip doesnt go on Dime to read Diaw is a better “go-to-guy” than him..lol
September 17th, 2009 at 2:52 am
K Dizzle says:
DJ Augustine already got his eyes on the go-to-guy role for this squad. Heard it here first
September 17th, 2009 at 4:57 am
cyril says:
Always the same thing !!
Oh ! boris is not a scorer, Boris is fat, boris can’t D, etc….
Always the the same stupid things !
You can say what you want but diaw is the most skilled player in his team !!
You, Americans, think he doesn’t deserve it ! Ask Europeans what they think about Diaw-Riffiod : Hell of a player !!!
Babac would be all-star if he was more selfish but he just does the right way to play and win a basket-bell game !!
September 17th, 2009 at 5:03 am
cyril says:
Lol
You, Dime readers, just think you need to score to be a go-to-player !?
Go play with a team real basket-ball and maybe you’ll understand that b-ball is really more than just shoot the ball !!
GO BORIS !!!
Bring us back the the European crown !!
September 17th, 2009 at 9:24 am
nobs6669 says:
watch the 2006 playoff run of phoenix and you would now what he’s capable off
September 17th, 2009 at 9:59 am
doc says:
In 06 Id say we would be seeing a whole lot of Nash and Amare.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:25 am
nobs6669 says:
sad to say no. amare is out for the season coz of microfracture surgery. and diaw played C and PG when nash is on the bench