The Point Guard Future

Deron Williams and Chris Paul are getting up there. Not like they're pushing 30 yet, but doesn't it feel that way? Just last year, the two were the main focus of one of basketball's great hypothetical arguments: who's the best young point guard in the game. Most basketball aficionados would say CP before blinking, but the argument can still be made for either of them. Both have Olympic gold medals and both have made deep playoff runs as leaders of their squads. They're both out west though, not quite playing in basketball hot beds and even though they aren't exactly ready to hang up their Nikes, two new, younger point guards in the East are rudely budding into the discussion. Game one. Derrick Rose in his playoff debut at the Garden drops 36 points and dishes 11 assists. He makes the Celtics look Kleenex soft, getting into the lane at will, knocking down jump shots like he's out on a south side Chicago blacktop. The Bulls shock the basketball world and smart basketball fans everywhere know what this performance means. After one year at Memphis, the 2008 number one overall pick is balling like the future. As a Celtic fan, the 36 and 11 were certainly numbers that had me frowning, but the 20 (Rose's age) has me absolutely petrified. D-Rose will be hanging around for quite some time and his game will only grow.