Clyde Billups?

by Craig Kwasniewski

Okay this may be blasphemous to any Knick fan older than 40, but is Chauncey Billups the modern day Walt "Clyde" Frazier?

Growing up, I remember my dad always telling me how cool Clyde Frazier was. He told me the guy was a good defender, a good team leader and a great clutch player. His best games were in the Finals. Remind you of anyone?

Clyde was a 6-4, 200 pound point guard for two time NBA Champion New York Knicks. Chauncey is a 6-3, 202 point guard for a potential 2 time NBA Champion Detroit Pistons. Frazier's Knicks are famous for their teamwork and defensive play with all five starters working as one with no real superstar/dominant player. Their first title came in 1970 against the Los Angeles Lakers, led by the dominant Wilt Chamberlain. Clyde's best game of his career came in a Game 7 clinching win with 36 points, 19 assists and five steals. (Unfortunately overshadowed by Willis Reed hobbling dramatically onto the court from injury)

Billups heads up a Piston team defined over the past three seasons by their defense and teamwork. All five starters work in unison, with no true superstar/dominant force on their team. Their first title came in 2004 against the Lakers, led by the dominant Shaquille O'Neal. Chauncey won the Finals MVP trophy, destroying Gary Payton in the process.

Now Chauncey doesn't have the off court style that Clyde had. No one else in the history of the NBA will capture the pimp look in the pimpin' golden era of the early 70's like Clyde. But Chauncey has the same demeanor on court. The guy is a level-headed assassin. He never looks pressured, and when necessary, he takes over for the clutch play.

Now the career stats don't truly match up (Walt Frazier vs. Chauncey Billups). Billups really came into his own over the past 4 seasons whereas Frazier was an All-Star his 3rd season, but the on-court style and leadership is the same.

Am I barking up the wrong tree here? What do you think?

Comments

[coach]

yeh, chauncy kinda' reminds one of walt. not too fast but every move is calculated.
i remember watching him steal a ball from jerry west in LA vs Knicks finals film. thats why the name- clyde.
but one thing is distinct abt. him
he is cool. the for coats and the hats .
not to mention girls.
in the end , willis reed traded him to the cavs. thats in his book.

[Craig]

"in the end , willis reed traded him to the cavs"

Wow, I had no idea that there was a Reed-Frazier rift. And at the time Cleveland was today's Atlanta.

I heard that his nickname "Clyde" was from the movie "Bonnie and Clyde" which came out at the time Frazier was at his pimpin' peak.

[Nate]

Though i live in New Jersey i am originally from Detroit and a lifelong Pistons fan. Chauncey is my favorite player in the entire league. I love how he leads on and off the court. When the Pistons lost in the ECF these past three yeas, i was crest fallen. To think that Chauncey wouldn't be a Piston in 2008 is unimaginable.

I think of how he went through such a trying time early in his career and how Joe Dumars convinced him to believe in himself again; told him he would be a leader, an AllStar and realize his dreams. Well he did all of that and more; fullfilling everything that Joe saw in him. I recall how it was Joe's first priority to resign him. Billups made it clear to his agent that no other team would be in play; Detroit was where he wanted to end his carreer. Now to say that he's on the trading block after playing the best he could while being hurt is unsettling. Had he not been hurt, it just may have been the Pistons in the Finals.

Don't get me wrong, i love this young guy Rodney Stuckey, he is tenacious and is definetly the Pistons point guard of the future but Chauncey is the face of the Pistons. We lost one leader in Ben Wallace; now possibly Chauncey too! We Detroiters love him. I tried searching the web on why Walt Frazier was traded to Cleveland because i saw similarities. Lo and behold i found your piece on Clyde and Mr. Big Shot. All i can say is i'm hoping and praying that Chauncey doesn't get traded. If he does i won't go so far as to say that Detroit will no longer be my favorite team but, i'll now have two favorite teams. I have not felt this way about a player since Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was traded from Balitmore to the Knicks. The only difference is, the Knicks became my favorite team after the "Pearl" trade.

[Visitor]

nice

[Mulberry Alexa]

He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.