Why Are There Guards & No Tackles?

[RockyMTblue2]

Okay, okay. I know a few of us could argue about tackles on a few teams.

But, when you look at the role of guards on a basketball team it certainly doesn't conjure up the image of a guard. So I wonder if any of you can explain the origin of "guard" for positions suppose to be doing most of the shooting?

Best I came up with:

"I learned from Mike MacKay that “‘guard’ was originally used to describe the players who “guarded the basket” in transition. Very similar to the safety in football. Pete Newell was on of the first coaches in the 1950’s to have these positions inverted in transition defense. The moniker point was added when there was the one guard. Peter Newell describes this in his book. "

"Point Guard"... When Was It Coined? And, By Who? | theLLaBB

Now, Peter Newell was a great basketball mind, but that's a subject for another day.

 

[Bama fan]

I think there may have been a few tackles on UCF team. And one combo guard/ tackle on N D.

 

[Boreifs]

Okay, okay. I know a few of us could argue about tackles on a few teams.

But, when you look at the role of guards on a basketball team it certainly doesn't conjure up the image of a guard. So I wonder if any of you can explain the origin of "guard" for positions suppose to be doing most of the shooting?

Best I came up with:

"I learned from Mike MacKay that “‘guard’ was originally used to describe the players who “guarded the basket” in transition. Very similar to the safety in football. Pete Newell was on of the first coaches in the 1950’s to have these positions inverted in transition defense. The moniker point was added when there was the one guard. Peter Newell describes this in his book. "

"Point Guard"... When Was It Coined? And, By Who? | theLLaBB

Now, Peter Newell was a great basketball mind, but that's a subject for another day.

I don’t think that article is accurate. Tiny Archibald preceded Magic Johnson and those Celtics teams had a short Center (Cowens), so a 1-2-2 set kind of evolved to suit the abilities of the players. Nate essentially invented the point guard position.

 

[Huskee11]

I just finished reading the book "The Last Pass" by Gary Pomerantz. I commend it to all of you avid basketball fans, well worth reading.

It focuses on the early days of the NBA and the beginning of the Celtics dynasty, but it is primarily about Bob Cousy. It is impossible to overstate his importance in helping the NBA off the ground in those early years and, along with Bill Russell - who is also featured prominently in the book - paving the way for the success that is taken for granted today. His style of play was revolutionary for that era; Russell`s as well.

He was also very instrumental in introducing basketball overseas during off season State Department trips with Red Auerbach. (Bob always referred to Red by his real name, Arnold.)

Bob is alive at age 90 and still lives in Worcester, West Palm Beach during the winter.

The term "point guard" was not around when he played, but in retrospect he certainly meets the requirements. The Celtics ran all night and Bob was usually the one leading the fast break.

 

[SVCBeercats]

But, when you look at the role of guards on a basketball team it certainly doesn't conjure up the image of a guard. So I wonder if any of you can explain the origin of "guard" for positions suppose to be doing most of the shooting?

In the earliest days of basketball when Dr. James Naismith was still writing the rules and using a peach basket, the game was played with one group of players on the offensive side of the court and another group on the defensive side. Those on the defensive side were called guards and the term stuck as the game evolved into today's version of basketball.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Is Geno recruiting Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston? I remember them setting nasty screens for Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, and Paul Hornung.

 

[BroadwayVa]

j

I don’t think that article is accurate. Tiny Archibald preceded Magic Johnson and those Celtics teams had a short Center (Cowens), so a 1-2-2 set kind of evolved to suit the abilities of the players. Nate essentially invented the point guard position.

@Jordy YOU AGAIN are correct more than a few in accurate verbage. Guards, prior to 1950 handlled the ball in my high school and prior for Father Taylor in St Francis Grammar school in Naugatuck. My uncle Pete Foley (see his stadium on Scott St Naugatuck) coached a guard oriented team with the Healy twin, which included a Center, forwards.--in my (summer church team) I played center. If the article was specifically about the Pro's maybe that is accurate but for schools in CT not o much. My memory isn't accurate enough to remember whether ball handler was called point then or not another old guy, with my birth day and year,@Kibs may know
HS, teams of that era had forwards, centers, guards (point??))

 

[UcMiami]

As Geno would say, the only people on the court playing defense are those little guys - the big guys he has are definitely the worst players in the world wherever he puts them, and they certainly can't even guard a chair!

 

[CL82]

My understanding is the guards were the players that "guarded" the opponents primary ball handlers, the forwards played "forward of the primary ball handlers" and the center stood in the middle of the paint near the basket. I've never seen this anywhere but it is how I've thought the terms were derived.

 

[SVCBeercats]

My understanding is the guards were the players that "guarded" the opponents primary ball handlers, the forwards played "forward of the primary ball handlers" and the center stood in the middle of the paint near the basket. I've never seen this anywhere but it is how I've thought the terms were derived.

Typical.