Mel had crazy handles, but Kyrie has better handles.
Kyrie for his entire career was either a #1 or #2 option on offense and he was killing dudes with handles. There's a difference when you are just another starter like Tinsley was and then being a guy like Kyrie that other teams use strategy to stop him. Fatigue is a big factor in here.
Dont remember whether Tmac played with Tinsley ?
If he did, saw him up close in practice dribbling out of presses and double teams consistently, so he's seen what he's capable of doing.
Each vet player could name the guy who is the best ball handler he's ever seen up close. C webb said it was Shamgod. Rafer Alston's teammates would say it was him.
Dudes who played with Kyrie's godfather would likely say it was Rod Strickland.
Actually the rules changes.
Bring up an inportant cog to kyrie's success. Which have afforded kyrie more chanves to escape physical duress. While still not really having a durable physiological type.
at that height to succeed.
Whereas Before the rule change guards of kyrie's height and stature. Were not given license like back in the day. Evident in boston's brown clamp'n kyrie in the finals.
When under duress in the finals. That eventually this season kyrie broke down again.
Just like previously deep into the offs. Resulted in losses to the warriors via injury. Albeit bron making the bleeding worse. From the stoopidest trade in nba history. To break up the highest pedigreed backcourt in nba history.
Yet and still. When short that last cog. To alleviate the workload in cle. After that trade. Kyrie suffered injuries. When that highest pedigreed backcourt was broken up via trade. Robbing us of the visual.
to see the greatest backcourt in nba history. Plus alleviating the workload. That would have possibly seen kyrie healthier as well.
In the old guard...under rhe older rules. Under physical duress kyrie out the time machine. Maybe susceptiple. To even more injury.
Given a much higher physically abusive and demanding era. That we have to factor into the discussion.
Art Barr