This article is also posted at hoops4life.com, an NBA fan site.
Alright, I would like to start off by thanking all of the people who have added me as one of their favorite writers, all who have given me pick of the day votes and everyone who have commented on my articles and on my bulletin board. This is my 50th article and everyone who has commented has inspired me to get better and keep writing. Only 50 more to go until the big 100! :)
Here are two combo guards who are both very important to their teams, Brandon Roy, the leader of the young Portland Trail Blazers, and Monta Ellis, the very important high flier on the Golden State Warriors.
We will start with Brandon Roy, the heart and soul of the up and coming Portland Trail Blazers. Many people expect great things from the Blazers in the next few years and Roy is a big reason for it. The 6'6" guard can play either guard position but is more comfortable at the two spot.
Roy can get it done at both ends of the floor being an elite player in the league both offensively and defensively. In only his second year, he made the NBA All-Star team for the first time.
He is the best player on the Blazers and many expect him to progress to MVP status in a few years when the Blazers are moving up the Western Conference chain and winning some championships. Unfortunately, the Blazers just missed the playoffs last season.
Here are Roy's stats from last season: 19.1 ppg, 5.8 apg, 4.7 rpg, 1.1 spg, and only 1.8 tpg. Roy is a very good shooter shooting 46 percent from the field, 79 percent from the line, and 34 percent from the three-point line. Roy is one of the greatest leaders in the league and he hasn't even turned 25 yet. (July 23rd)
There was some speculation about Monta leaving Golden State but this is not the case. With Baron Davis leaving, he will be the main man down in sunny California. With Davis gone, Ellis might be playing the point guard position even though he is better at shooting guard. Ellis is a better scorer and driver then Roy but not as good of shooter. He still is a good mid-range shooter, he gets most of his points of drives but it's only because defenders are playing him tight. His three point shooting needs work but he's cash from 15-20 feet.
He is a very good defensive player and is also speedy. Not many players can guard him because of his speed. Ellis' team also missed the playoffs last season by a small margin. People wonder if Monta can play the guard full time since most aren't sure if he is a good enough passer.
Here are Monta's stats from last season: 20 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 1.5 spg, and 2.4 tpg. Ellis has a very high field goal percentage but this is because he rarely shoots from the outside. He shot 53 percent from the field but only 23 percent from three. When he got to the line, he shot 77 percent.
For me it is a difficult decision which one I would choose. It totally depends what you are looking for. If you want a swingman who can take it to the hoop, it would be Ellis. However Roy is a bit more complete, and his leadership puts him over the top.
Verdict: Brandon Roy
TJ Zwarych is a columnist on bleacher report and also writes from hoops4life.com and tosports.ca
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2 months ago
Brandon Roy is by far a better player than Monte Ellis. Monte is explosive to the hoop and is speedy but that is about it. Brandon Roy gets to the hoop pretty much at will and is one of the best finishers in the NBA. He is very poised and takes his shots with efficiency. Monte Ellis is not a very good jump shooter, while Roy is very good and is only getting better. Look for Roy to shoot even more jump shots next year now that Portland has added a couple inside threats (Oden, Bayless). Brandon Roy is no doubt the more valuable player.
from 2 months ago
MontA Ellis is actually a very good mid-range shooter. Its his 3-point range that needs a lot or work.
Roy is the better overall player.
2 months ago
About Monta Ellis having a high shooting precentage due to him not shooting the three is on the money! He's a SMART ball player, he sticks to his 15-20foot jumpers and is MONEY from there! Sklyar must've not seen any Warriors games because besides Richard Hamilton, Monta Ellis has the sweetest and consistant JUMP SHOT! Brandon Roy is 24years old and was put into a situation where there is NO VETERAN leadership so with his maturity and the position on the club he's been able to blossom. Monta is only 22 and will turn 23 in October! Baron Davis has been the man here the last couple of years even though the Warriors whole team is young. Monta won Most Improved 2years ago, he should've won it last year if you look at the improvement in stats. Now that Davis is gone and Ellis will get more looks! Beware NBA... the Warriors have a BEAST in the name of Monta Ellis!
2 months ago
MONTA!
2 months ago
Don't get me wrong brandon roy is a rising star and an excellent player
But Monta Ellis is just far out BETTER than him..
Now I know roy made it to the all stars and Monta didn't
But the warriors had way more weapons than Monta
And if you put Monta on the trailblazers and Roy on the blazers I guarentee Monta would
Not only make it to the all stars but also rise point average to it being maybe in the mid high 20s
2 months ago
Whoever makes you one of their fav-writers, needs their sports *mental* examined...profusely!
Too too often, your articles expose your inability to let your 'psyche' and "emotions" intertwine. In other words, you let your *passion supercede facts* when you write your articles. For instance, this story here, is simply a no-brainer.
Roy is a smarter player, than Ellis. Roy is a better motivator, than Ellis. Roy makes other players around him, much better, than Ellis does. Those realities certainly perpetuated themselves on the court, as they usually never do so in stats ---those things which you, btw, are always so quick to latch onto/reference--- especially when they're inapplicable to a veracious scenario.
Good luck, anyway, hopefully articles 51-100 feature you purging some 'deficient & inept' thought processes.
from 2 months ago
maybe, before you, start criticizing, other people's, writing, you should learn how to use commas.
from 2 months ago
If you don't like them then dont read them. Find somehwere else to bring your pessamist self.
2 months ago
monta doesn't have a good jumpshot?!
7% better fg percentage?!
Monta all day...
Brandon Roy is a great player, and will be great for his whole career. But so will monta, and look for him to challenge lebron for the scoring title next year.
2 months ago
You should watch some Warriors games dude. how do you think Monte gets to the hole consistently? because he has a mid-range jumpshot that's money! he's impossible to guard cause either you play slack and hits the J, or you guard close and he blows past you.
That being said, i think his ballhandling and decision-making need some work. but he IS young, and he will have much more responsibility this season.
Go Warriors!
2 months ago
Safa,
I understand your need to come to the rescue of those who you assist with this peculiar posting culture here on bleacherreport.com, but...I didn't criticize anyone's "writing nor grammar" here so ---check yourself, open your eyes, get relevant!--- I simply exploit 'suspect' and contradictory reasoning or rationales...like yours?
from 2 months ago
This is a peculiar comment. I bet if he were comparing Monte Ellis to Steve Nash, you'd play your normal racism card you seem to play on everyone else's articles. I would absolutely love to read one of your articles.....course you're too much of a b*tch to write one, right Captain Racism?
2 months ago
If it's a one on one game, take Monta. But anything with a team concept, Brandon is by far the better player. He just brings way too much in the form of intangibles. Leadership, good decision making and poise are just a few of those. His biggest asset though is one that every championship team needs in a player. He makes the other four guys on the court so much better.
Monta will have better stats this year. Brandon is the better player and the better teammate. That's one reason the Blazers will contend for a title within 2-3 years while the Warriors will struggle to make the playoffs.
2 months ago
Matt,
You're really fired up over getting exploited, hey KKKaptain? As I've said, change your posting-culture! Then you'll enjoy me exploiting what you "used to be" in your peculiar posts. Period.
And, also, please notice how you never ---no, not once!--- could ever call me 'a liar' in what I posted about Steve Nash being a galactic liability on the Court...you could only get angry about me posting such truths.
So, thanks again, for helping exploit your own xenophobia.
2 months ago
OH YEY:
talk to site Admin. About why my "article-writing" privileges are disabled.
Because, please believe me, I have tried to write a few! Especially, in anticipation of the "covetous hateration" posts that would come in multitudes, from pro-Racist posters like yourself, TJ, Gray Ghost and a few other xenophobes here.
from 2 months ago
Give it up.
2 months ago
I think the best way to put this in perspective is to realize that Roy and Ellis would complement each other very well if the played together. They're very different players, but between the two of them you have everything you could possibly want from back court players...
23 days ago
I would take Monta. He's younger, he's quicker, he's a better rebounder at 6'3, he can work on his passing, and he shoots for a higher percentage from the field which makes up for his lack of 3 point shooting. He will work on it and anyone can see he has a great jumper he just didn't shoot that many last year because it wasn't something he had to do, but the Warriors do need him now and he'll be shooting somewhere around 35 percent from beyond the arc.
23 days ago
The one knock on Roy is that he's too unselfish he'll pass up and open jumper trying to find a better shot. The problem is sometimes that's not there and leads to turnovers. So, the Blazers are working with him to become a little bit more selfish which there's nothing wrong with that.
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