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| Livingston |
RANDY LIVINGSTON
Team: Suns
Seasons: 4
Ppg: 4.8 | Apg: 2.1 | Rpg: 1.7
When he's on: Randy Livingston will stay in the game and keep Kevin Johnson fresh. Livingston will start the first quarter. If he's going well, he will go longer. The same thing goes for the third quarter. He just needs to not make mistakes. In some games, Livingston has shown he can get things started and make sure the Suns are running smoothly. Other than getting the ball to players like Penny Hardaway or Clifford Robinson, Livingston will spot up on the weak side and hit the open shot.
When he's off: Scott Skiles won't let Livingston hurt the Suns; he has Kevin Johnson waiting in the wings if Livingston falters. When you see KJ coming in, you know Livingston is not on his game. Livingston will be forced to shoot the ball; that's what the other team wants.
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| Johnson |
AVERY JOHNSON
Team: Spurs
Seasons: 12
Ppg: 11.3 | Apg: 6.0 | Rpg: 1.9
When he's on: Avery Johnson is making the 17-foot jump shot. If you can picture the shot he made against the Knicks in the Finals last year, that's the shot he will make with more consistency now. That means other players are double-teamed and the ball is coming back to him. But Johnson is really a pass-first point guard who can deliver the ball to his teammates for open shots. He is professional and has worked at his game. He has answered all the naysayers who said he couldn't hit the outside shot.
When he's off: It's because he is getting beaten up on the defensive end and the other guard is wearing him out offensively. It helps that Johnson has two big guys like Tim Duncan and David Robinson behind him for defensive help. In addition, he is ineffective when he is not draining that outside shot.
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