The Fallen Score-first Point Guards

Flashback: Washington, D.C., 2001 - the East All-Stars defeat the West 111 - 110 behind the efforts of game MVP Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Vince Carter and Dikembe Mutombo. I remember then, they called them "Dikembe and 4 midgets" as they were going against Duncan, Garnett, Webber, Kobe and Kidd. It was an improbable come-from-behind win, and it was supposed to impose on everybody that height doesn't dominate as it used to... Later that year, Iverson wins the MVP and leads his Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals, only to lose to the Lakers in 5 games.

Flashforward: Memphis, Tenn., 2009 - Allen Iverson leaves the Grizzlies to attend to "personal matters" in his home in Atlanta. Most recently, Iverson has been in conflict with Head Coach Lionel Hollins about his coming off the bench and lack of playing time, which he considers to be the lynch pin for more victories. Stephon Marbury, on the other hand, has most recently been spotted being escorted out of Madison Square Garden. He had previously admitten to using drugs and consuming various other substances in his video blogs.

Boy how much have things changed...
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Back in 2001, Iverson and Marbury were seen to be prototypes for what people thought to be the evolution of basketball. Small, but fast, strong, and fiery Score-first guards who would dribble their way into and rip apart defenses. Despite their size disadvantage, people claimed that the amount of fight and heart in their bodies more than made up for their lack of ceiling. It was your classic David vs Goliath-Underdog story.

Then, Iverson, sporting his trademark cornrows (which are back, by the way) would score over 30 a game. He would quarrel with similarly hard-headed coach Larry Brown and drive then GM Pat Croce on the verge of going insane. In spite of their bickering though, they found a way to lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year by bringing Mutombo aboard, and taking out comback-mates Allen and Carter in the East playoffs, each in 7 games. He would win the MVP and high-step over "AI Simulator" Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of the Finals, but Shaq eventually beat them down.

Starbury, on the other hand, was on his way home. He was to sign a big contract (which only ended last year) with his childhood New York Knicks. The boy from Coney Island would play under the lights of the Garden. Many New Yorkers thought he would usher in the true Knick renaissance after the departure of Patrick Ewing and make the much dramatic Sprewell- and Houston-led team during the lockout season a usual occurence. If Iverson had his mean crossover, Marbury had his trademark football carry and hop-step combo, and defenses couldn't stop him either.

Unfortunately, all that hype was nothing more than a flash in the pan. Once teams got down to it, both men's careers have tapered off. Now, they are nothing more than talented subs who could still change games had they been able to accept their roles. The point guard position is back to what it should have always been - floor general running the offense and setting-up teammates while also being the first line of D.

Honestly, it's sad and tough to see both of them still thinking it's the beginningof the millenium. They did actually give an alternative option to the game. They gave us a breed to cheer for and idolize as they brought so much excitement in spite of their frames. No one can discredit them for their accomplishments back then, but it's 2009 and the game, to some extent has normalized. Teams with great bigs have gone deep into the postseason and won, and more importantly, stars sacrificing for the team - something both AI and Starbury have yet to accept.