The book on Allan Houston
By Hersey Hawkins
Special to ESPN.com
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WATCHING LIKE A HAWK |
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|  | | Hawkins |
Throughout the rest of the playoffs, Bulls guard Hersey Hawkins will provide ESPN.com with an in-depth scouting report on several key players. Hawkins begins his series with a look at New York's Allan Houston. |
Allan Houston is pretty much the whole package for a shooting guard. I love his game, and I hate to have to guard him.
The Knicks are fortunate to have two of the best shooting guards in the league on their roster in Houston and Latrell Sprewell.
How to defend Houston: Houston is just a great one-on-one player. He's one of the few guys in the league who has the ability to go to his right or his left with equal effectiveness. He can shoot the jumper going to his right or left or he can go to the bucket and get fouled. He's also a great 3-point shooter, and at 6-foot-6, he can post up well.
|  | | Allan Houston can drive or pull up for his shot. |
He's one of the guys you try to be physical with, but that doesn't seem to bother him. His mid-range jumper is so good, and he's so adept at putting the ball on the floor and getting space for his jumper. And if he's not the best -- because Sprewell is good also -- he's one of the two or three best at coming off the dribble and getting a jump shot off. I love his game.
How Houston defends you: You have to try to make him work defensively. He's such a good offensive player, but he concentrates and tries real hard on defense. He's really a pretty good defensive player. He's long enough to bother your shots, so you try to drive the ball on him. If he's up pressuring close, a ball fake or simply putting it on the ground would be beneficial.
What role is Houston expected to fill for the Knicks: In his seventh NBA season, Houston has really become the guy the Knicks go to when they need points. The Knicks need him to play well for them to win.
Like Reggie Miller in Indiana, you try to not let Allan have touches, because he's so important to the team with his scoring. If you keep him inactive and the ball out of his hands, it hurts New York.
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