Column: Is Williams the new Willie Green?

by tmoore on May 15, 2011 6:57 AM PDT

Here is a portion of my Sunday column:

Williams provides the Sixers with instant offense off the bench. He led the Sixers in fourth-quarter scoring (4.3 points) this season, in addition to having a team-best 10 double-digit final periods and leading all NBA reserves with 356 free throw attempts. He can create his own shot, as he did with the game-winning 3-pointer in the Game 4 victory over the Heat, which makes him a viable option at the end of games.

Williams' detractors say he shoots too much and from too far out, doesn't defend (he had less than half the steals in 2010-11 than the season before), has the body of a point guard but is more of a shooting guard and that he's paid too much for what he does (Williams just completed the third season of a five-year, $25 million deal and has two years and $12.31 million left).

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I’m actually fine with fewer steals given his defense fundamentally improved last year.

My main disappointment is that his FG% dropped from 47% to 41%.

by tk76 on May 15, 2011 9:58 AM PDT reply actions

I’ve spent way too much time and typing explaining what I don’t like about him. I don’t think I need to go through it again :)

Is he completely untalented? No. Of course not. Is he anywhere near as good as he thinks he is? No, and that’s the heart of his problem, I think. And for me, the fundamental reason that I dislike him even more than I disliked Bill G. I don’t think Bill G. thought he was a superstar…I don’t blame him for not being good. It was the coaching staff’s decision to play him all those minutes. What’s he supposed to say? “I suck, Coach, put someone else in instead!” He’s a basketball player, he gets paid to play basketball, he’s supposed to do what his coach says. If his coach says “Get out there and play way too many minutes,” he’s supposed to go out and play way too many minutes.

Tha BOSS thinks he’s Allen Iverson. And he is not, except in ego.

by dweebowitz on May 15, 2011 11:05 AM PDT reply actions

It’s not entirely clear to me…

Between Mike and Dweebowitz, who has the deeper hate towards Lou. It might just be a toss up.

by tk76 on May 15, 2011 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Easily Mike

by The Legend on May 15, 2011 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Mike does. I don’t think he completely lacks ability as a player, I just think his ego is writing checks his talent can’t cash. Which might be worse…

/topgun’d

by dweebowitz on May 15, 2011 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Detrimental to society. Now I’m becoming a caricature.

Liberty Ballers / Ridiculous Upside / SBN Philly / Twitter

The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Michael Bourn

by Michael Levin on May 17, 2011 5:28 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm a big Lou fan

Sure he has weaknesses, but he does a lot for us. And that’s why he’s a back-up guard. He needs to be used in spurts for offense and a spark, not in big minutes.

by Matt3511 on May 15, 2011 7:59 PM PDT reply actions

What is this “a lot” that he does?

He only played 23.3 minutes per game. If he plays any less then he definitely isn’t worth the contract that he signed.

by yosoysean on May 16, 2011 5:41 AM PDT up reply actions

for one, he gets to the free throw line a lot. When we’re struggling to score, he helps us stop the bleeding countless amount of times. He’s a guy that we can put in to be instant offense, and he comes in handy a lot when we struggle to score. His role would be lesser if we had a true go-to guy. I guarantee that if we deal him, whoever gets him will be happy to have a guy like that off of the bench. And i wasn’t saying we play him too much, i was more so alluding to last year. He was quoted of possibly wanting a larger role and that would be detrimental to the team.

by Matt3511 on May 16, 2011 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions

So being able to score (with maybe a bit above average efficiency) is “a lot of things”?

by yosoysean on May 16, 2011 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions

he creates for others too by getting into the lane. Even if he misses a shot it opens the door for offensive rebounding opportunities. Obviously he takes some bad shots and isn’t a great defender but I feel he does more good than bad.

by Matt3511 on May 17, 2011 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions