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This is Rip’s bread and butter, but his game is beginning to flourish into a buffet of valued assets, perhaps the reason why his scoring average is at a five-year low this season. Because he’s chosen to focus on shoring up other areas—most notably his defense and his ball distribution—he’s taking fewer shots per game than normal. But don’t think for a second that Hamilton can’t still fill it up. He was shooting a career-high 50 percent from the field at the All-Star break (including a career-best 48 percent from three) and had only two games in which he didn’t notch double-digit points. And those numbers were good enough for a third consecutive All-Star bid. | Don’t let the wonky shot fool you. The man can shoot. So what if Martin has the coach-cringing motion of bringing the ball across his face before unfurling his shot? Everything else afterward—elbow perfectly out in an “L” shape, high arc, ball rotation, follow-through—is a coach’s dream, including his almost-41 percent shooting from three this season. He’s more than just a deadeye shooter; he’s an efficient scorer. Peep his career mark of 1.47 points per shot attempt (some perspective: the two top wing scorers of all time, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant hover around 1.31). Martin uses a deceptive first step to find daylight for a variety of midrange shots and finishes around the basket and gets out on the break for dunks. | Advantage: Martin |
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Hamilton comes off the screen like HD, but his game is more than catch and shoot. He’s averaging 4.3 apg at the shooting guard spot, and his turnovers are at their lowest mark as a Piston. The Pistons offense runs through Chauncey, but it’s aided by precision cuts and passes by Rip and Co., who give Detroit one of the most fluid games in the League. He knows where to be on the floor at all times and is a perfect wingman to have on the break. | Like Hamilton, K-Mart is a master at playing off the ball, cleverly using his teammates’ screens, quick cuts and boundless energy to ward off his defender. As a playmaker, however, Martin still has his training wheels on. With averages of only two dimes a game and an equal amount of turnovers, he’s still learning to take advantage of the extra attention he commands as a scorer to benefit the other four guys on his team. For a gangly guard, Martin is a capable rebounder, as his 4.6 average can attest. | Advantage: Hamilton |
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Would Hamilton be labeled as such a great defender if he didn’t play in Detroit’s system? That’s like asking if Kobe Bryant would be as good outside the triangle offense. In both cases the answer would be “yes” regardless of surroundings. While his slight frame may hurt him going in for boards, it allows him to keep up with nearly any guard in the game. His rangy body also makes it hard for defenders to get by him one-on-one, and you rarely ever see Rip give up a wide-open shot. | Even with the luxury of having teammate Ron Artest checking the opposition’s perimeter stud (not to mention the benefit of soaking some defensive tactics from Ron-Ron), Martin is still lacking on D. Even though he’s a fairly tall two guard at 6-7, Martin’s lithe build leaves him vulnerable to shorter but stronger 2s. Often times, he can be seen backpedaling as opponents go hard against him, leaving him prone to soft fouls or relying too much on his hands. Martin’s best attribute on defense is his quickness and anticipation to poke away passes and stripping ballhandlers. | Advantage: Hamilton |
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When he first came into the League with the Wizards, Rip appeared to be nothing more than MJ’s scrawny counterpart, running up and pumping his fist in the air next to Money Mike whenever #23 hit a game-winner. But Rip turned out to “Be Like Mike” in more ways than one, his veins slowly filling with ice to make him the top-notch clutch shooter he is today. And don’t think the Pistons would have made five straight Conference Finals without a plethora of big-time shots by Hamilton. When the calendar rolls around to spring, #1 aka “Mr. Big Shot” may get all the love, but #32 has been known to “rip” the hearts out of many an opponent and send them fishing for the summer. | With the Kings in rebuilding mode, the opportunity to take big shots probably won’t be available for a while, but Martin certainly has a solid fourth-quarter track record that shows he can make shots against the pressure of a ticking clock. Most notable was his game-winning, acrobatic twisting layup against the Spurs in Game 3 of the 2006 playoffs; most recent was a fallaway baseline J to beat the buzzer and the Sonics on January 27. | Advantage: Hamilton |
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With Sheed playing the role of garrulous spokesman and Chauncey recognized as one of the best floor generals in the game today, the leadership qualities of the relatively low-key Hamilton often go unnoticed. But Rip is one of the most respected players in Detroit and has been a key cog in their half-decade of dominance in the East. Ask any Pistons fan and most likely they’ll tell you that without the Masked Man coming off screens and getting all up in opposing players’ grills on D, there would be a lack of banners in the Palace rafters. In a team full of big-bodied brutes, they all respect the 193-pound guard with the deadly midrange game. | This is another area that Martin struggles with. With a laid-back personality, a game that doesn’t dominate the action and a penchant for keeping his emotions in check, the likelihood of Martin playing a big leadership role looks slim. But he just finished his fourth season and if Sacramento continues its rebuilding trend of exporting vets for younger talent, it wouldn’t be a stretch to envision Martin filling into more of a lead role on the team. | Advantage: Hamilton |
The Verdict: |
| We love Kevin Martin. We really do. Even in his still somewhat nascent stage, Martin is a much more skilled and accomplished scorer than Rip Hamilton and looks primed to eventually surpass Detroit’s seasoned two guard. But for the time being, the Masked Wonder’s experience and veteran guile still puts him over K-Mart. |
