Battle for title of NBL’s best point guard to intensify when Casper Ware and Melo Trimble clash
Casper Ware and Melo Trimble will have another chance to stamp themselves as the premier point guard in the NBL on Saturday. The depth of playmakers in the league has arguably never been greater. Gilbert Gardiner picks his top five.
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Who is the NBL’s best point guard?
It used to be simple, splitting one or three potential candidates, before a high-stakes pursuit of championships has led to arguably the deepest playmaking pool in NBL history.
The next 80 minutes of basketball at Melbourne Arena could decide who — currently — is the best point guard in the competition.
But such is the competition between the top-flight performers the best might only last until the next game, if not possession.
United star Melo Trimble would strengthen claims with another home win over King Casper Ware, while Phoenix sniper John Roberson must contend with Taipans creator Scott Machado on Sunday.
NBL legend Darryl McDonald had a hard time ranking the point guards and declared all of them “legitimate” NBA-calibre playmakers.
“You don’t get a day off, you don’t get a weekend off,” McDonald said.
“I love the competitive spirit of all those guys, they can be friends and boys off the court but once they get between the lines it’s ‘I ain’t your friend, I’m going at you’.
“Basketball is a game of possessions. Right now, you can’t take a possession off, you take a possession off that could be your playoff (spot).
“People say you got to play every game like it’s your last, I think you got to play every possession like it’s your last.”
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But colourful NBL commentator Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams stamped Machado as the league’s best point guard — citing wins over Perth (two), Melbourne (two) and Sydney (one).
“There’s no way on a shoestring budget anybody thought they’d (Cairns) be a top four (challenger),” Williams said.
“He leads the league in assists and sets the table for everybody to eat — consistently.”
Williams, who snubbed Perth Wildcats “shooting guard” Bryce Cotton because “he’s not a point guard”, had Ware and Trimble behind Machado.
“He (Ware) hasn’t had the year that we are used to seeing him have statistically, however they (Kings) are still in first place and that’s the most important thing,” Williams said.
Ware, Cotton and Trimble all boast a tremendous appetites for scoring, in clutch moments especially, but ex-NBA guard Machado has proven just as lethal feeding teammates imports Cameron Oliver and DJ Newbill.
“Every game you’re going up against a tough point guard in this league,” three-time NBL champion McDonald said.
“They all have the ability to make others better, but their mindset is to put the ball in the hole.”