Getting to the point: Stoudamire vs. Brandon
By Fred Carter
Special to ESPN.com
No. 6 Timberwolves (50-32) vs. No. 3 Blazers (59-23)
 NBA 2Night analyst Fred Carter knows all about the importance of guard play in the Association. When he was playing back in the early-1970s and earning his nickname "Mad Dog," Carter was an energetic guard who put up impressive numbers in scoring and assists while with the Baltimore Bullets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Throughout the 2000 playoffs, Mad Dog will share his thoughts on the starting point guards for all 16 playoff teams in our exclusive "Getting to the Point" feature.
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| Stoudamire |
DAMON STOUDAMIRE
Team: Trail Blazers
Seasons: 5
Ppg: 12.5 | Apg: 5.2 | Rpg: 3.2
When he's on: Damon Stoudamire has toughness and a belief in himself that he can makes shots. Stoudamire is not afraid of shooting 3-pointers or getting into the lane. He is an offensive-minded point guard first, and a passer second. He does a lot of good things for the Blazers with his scoring and his passing ability.
When he's off: His offensive-mindedness becomes a detriment for the Blazers. They have so many offensive players, from Rasheed Wallace to Steve Smith to Scottie Pippen to Arvydas Sabonis. Stoudamire's mindset should be to play the game inside-out. Get the ball to those other players. When they are double-teamed, he will eventually get the ball back.
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| Brandon |
TERRELL BRANDON
Team: Timberwolves
Seasons: 9
Ppg: 17.1 | Apg: 8.9 | Rpg: 3.4
When he's on: Terrell Brandon is running the club and making his shots. That draws the defense out more, making him a more effective passer. Brandon is an excellent point guard whose assist-to-turnover ratio is always among the best in the league. He is an outstanding standing jump shooter. Minnesota leads the league in assists, a credit to Brandon running the show effectively.
When he's off: He's not making his shots and not being aggressive offensively. The T-Wolves don't have a lot of players who can create shots on their own. That means Brandon has to make it happen for everybody.
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What to expect: Brandon will defend Stoudamire better than Stoudamire will defend Brandon. Stoudamire is diminutive in size, the "Mighty Mouse" as he's known, so he will have difficulty defensively trying to break down Brandon. But while Stoudamire might be at a disadvantage, Portland can still compensate with its great overall team depth.
I like Brandon's matchup with Stoudamire because he is a better defender. When the Wolves run the screen-and-roll, Brandon can shoot over Stoudamire. I expect him to have an excellent series, but that doesn't necessarily mean Minnesota will win. The T-Wolves need points out of him more than Portland needs them out of Stoudamire. If Brandon is making his shots and running the offense, the T-Wolves are extremely tough to beat. |
