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Nate Archibald - 6-Time NBA All-Star, NBA Scoring Champion, NBA Assists Leader, and NBA's 50th-Anniversary Team Member


Barbara

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My first year at UTEP coincided with Nate Archibald's final year. Actually met the guy once. He was known then as "Nate the Skate." Don't know where "Tiny" came in.

Archibald is listed as 6'1", 150, and I'd be shocked if he was that tall - he looked *tiny*, and I mean he looked 5'8".

That's where "Tiny" comes in - where does "Nate the Skate" originate from?

And if I could have had 500 guesses as to where you went to college, I doubt I'd guess UTEP.

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Archibald is listed as 6'1", 150, and I'd be shocked if he was that tall - he looked *tiny*, and I mean he looked 5'8".

That's where "Tiny" comes in - where does "Nate the Skate" originate from?

And if I could have had 500 guesses as to where you went to college, I doubt I'd guess UTEP.

The name came from the way he moved on the floor with the ball. He was also a terrific dribbler (this was back when the college game didn't have a shot clock and slowing down the game was a strategy).

I was born in El Paso and my parents retired there, so I became a commuter student after HS. Absolutely hated the school and didn't stick around to graduate. I've always been envious of people who actually got to go to good schools.

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For probably around a decade Nate Archibald was easily one of the best basketball players in the world.  His entire career was marred somewhat by injuries during that period and some other issues...but when he was at his peak he was unmatcheable.

He was simply the quickest and fastest guy on the floor and a guard who was fearless at attacking the basket among the trees.  And his moves, fakes, and body control enabled him to score on those drives against the tallest of the defenders and the best defensive forces.

Years later Alan Iverson garnered fame as the toughest, most drivingest, challenging the big guys--little guard in the league.   Long before that Nate Archibald was the epitome of that style.   Which one of those two guys was better at that style at their peak???   That would be a tough call.  Possibly Iverson at relentlessly attacking the basket; possibly Archibald at combining relentlessly attacking the basket with timely passes and assists.

During his earliest years including when he led the league in both scoring and assists (a feat never matched) he played on abominable teams with nobody else of stature or excellence.  Bob Cousy, the great ball handler was his coach...and he realized...just give the ball to Nate.

Toward the end of his career he was traded to the Celtics.  He had suffered some down years, probably mostly due to injuries.   With the Celtics he revived.  He joined the Celtics at the end of the Dave Cowens era (one of the fiercest, most intense competitors in the game) and was the point guard during the early years of the Larry Bird era when the Celtics became great and champions again.   Playing with gifted players and scorers, Archibald did not have to dominate the ball and shooting.  His assists average stayed high while his scoring averages dropped.   Still even as he had demonstrably slowed at the end of the 70's and early 80's from his earlier years, he was still one of the more remarkable, dribbling, passing, penetrating driving guards in the game.

A truly gifted player and one who drew oooohs and ahhhhs for his many remarkable plays.

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Years later Alan Iverson garnered fame as the toughest, most drivingest, challenging the big guys--little guard in the league.   Long before that Nate Archibald was the epitome of that style.   Which one of those two guys was better at that style at their peak???   That would be a tough call.  Possibly Iverson at relentlessly attacking the basket; possibly Archibald at combining relentlessly attacking the basket with timely passes and assists.

Great post. Don't forget also Calvin Murphy (who was one of the best baton twirlers in the world, and is the shortest player in the NBA Hall of Fame) and Isiah Thomas.

Career stats:

Archibald:  18.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 7.4 apg (with the outlier season of 72-73 when he won the NBA scoring championship, averaging 34.0 ppg)

Murphy: 17.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.4 apg

Thomas: 19.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 9.3 apg

Iverson: 26.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.2 apg

With those extra points of Iverson's, it's tough not to give him the statistical nod in this bunch. Surprisingly, Archibald only had 5 seasons averaging over 20 ppg.

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Don't forget also Calvin Murphy (who was one of the best baton twirlers in the world, and is the shortest player in the NBA Hall of Fame) and Isiah Thomas.

Career stats:

Archibald:  18.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 7.4 apg (with the outlier season of 72-73 when he won the NBA scoring championship, averaging 34.0 ppg)

Murphy: 17.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.4 apg

Thomas: 19.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 9.3 apg

Iverson: 26.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.2 apg

With those extra points of Iverson's, it's tough not to give him the statistical nod in this bunch. Surprisingly, Archibald only had 5 seasons averaging over 20 ppg.

When posting above I was thinking about Isiah Thomas, but forgot about Calvin Murphy.

I put Isiah Thomas toward the top of all the point guards;  up there with Magic (in my mind).  Isiah was far more multi talented than any of those guys in my book, had multiple skill levels, could shoot better from outside than either Archibald or Iverson, was more diverse, more of an overall leader, would and could move the ball without being hindered  (something those other guys could do also)...but did it better with more "smarts" to his moves than the other referenced guys.  Again in my opinion.  I think he was an overall better point guard than any of them.

Calvin Murphy.  .....hm....with all the basketball I watched, I must admit my memories of him are thin, weak, and not dominated by any one thing...other than he was also astonishingly fast and had astounding vertical leap.

In the midst of a game of giants it is always startling to see the astoundingly talented, incredibly athletic short guards have these phenomenal games with stunning levels of athleticism and quickness.

Nate Robinson is one of those guys and played earlier this year, but was recently waived by the Celtics.  He's probably around 30 now.   He's a 5' 9" "midget" in the game, yet with prodigious athleticism.  Its probably incredibly difficult to maintain a high level of play at that height over a long term and at an "earlier age" these guys begin to lose it as their exceptional athleticism fades.

It wasn't that long ago, though that Robinson had this incredible game on behalf of the Chicago Bulls, subbing for an injured Derick Rose...where for about a quarter or a half of a game he demolished the Miami team with Wade and Lebron.    When those "little guards" are hot they are fun to watch.

Getting back to Nate Archibald...for several years he maintained that incredible level of play game in, game out.  Really exceptional.   Toward the end of his career, while playing for the Celtics he was able to maintain great levels of athleticism but simply didn't have to do as much as Larry Bird and some others could carry the scoring load.  Still, he was a dribbling, penetrating fiend.

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In the midst of a game of giants it is always startling to see the astoundingly talented, incredibly athletic short guards have these phenomenal games with stunning levels of athleticism and quickness.

I was at the 1983 McDonald's Capital Classic when the DC All-Stars beat the National All-Stars, and Tyrone Bogues was named MVP of the game!

My money goes on Bogues as Quickest Player Ever in the NBA (he certainly wasn't the Tallest). He may have been one of the quickest human beings ever to live.

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Years ago, I played in a benefit game where my team was "coached" by Dean Meminger, the other team by Tiny Archibald & ref'ed by Dick Barnett. If I had hair, I'd be exactly 6 feet tall... as it is in the real world, I'm a shade under. Tiny & I were the same height. Didn't check to see if he had on high heel sneakers though.

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Years ago, I played in a benefit game where my team was "coached" by Dean Meminger, the other team by Tiny Archibald & ref'ed by Dick Barnett. If I had hair, I'd be exactly 6 feet tall... as it is in the real world, I'm a shade under. Tiny & I were the same height. Didn't check to see if he had on high heel sneakers though.

Who was quicker?  You, Dean the Dream, Nate or Fall Back Baby Barnett?

In fact there is a lot of great New York basketballness among that group: You, Dean and Nate grew up playing ball in NYC, didn't they?   and Dean and Barnett played for the Knicks.   That is a nice 4 person backcourt.  Who would have done all the shooting?

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