MORP: Most Overrated Players

Jerry Stackhouse, Detroit Pistons: Granted, Stack is on a bad team, but he is 2nd in the league in Field Goal Attempts, yet shoots only 40.4 percent from the field. Only Tim Hardaway shoots a worse percentage from the field (among those in the top 50 in attempts). Also, Stack leads the league with 4.0 turnovers per game. So not only does he miss nearly 60 percent of his shots, he hands the ball to the other team 4 times a game.

Mark Jackson, NY Knicks: The Knickerbockers traded for Mark Jackson thinking that he would be an upgrade at the PG position and might be able to lead them to the finals. Well, Jackson is a one-trick pony these days. He doesn't penetrate nearly as well as he once did, as evidenced by his mere 1.2 free throw attempts per game. He is still an excellent passer and ranks 3rd in the league in assists, but he adds little scoring punch (8.7 apg, 8.0 ppg). It seems to me that there was a reason Toronto wanted out of Jackson's long-term deal. Could it be that as hard as the Knicks try to push Charlie Ward to the side, he is still their best option?

Scottie Pippen, Portland Trailblazers: I know, Scottie is an unselfish player who disdains the limelight. He is uncomfortable being the go to guy and always has been. He is also supposed to be one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Sure he has been bothered by injuries this year. However, Scottie has slipped to career lows (aside from his rookie year) in points per game and rebounds per game. Scottie would tell you that all that doesn't matter, what matters is championships. Here's a heads-up Scottie, unless you step up, the Blazers can't compete with the Lakers, Spurs, and Jazz in a seven game series.

Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers: Dikembe Mutombo is a great defensive player. Let there be no mistake about that. But at the other end of the floor, he barely commands a double team. You decide: would you rather see Dikembe with the ball and his back to the basket from 8 feet away, single covered, or Allan Iverson with the ball on the wing ready to take his man off the dribble. Mutombo is a perennial all-star because of his defense, but he is not a complete player. Even playing most of the season with the woeful Hawks, where he should have been a focal point for the offense, he averages only 9.1 ppg. Dikembe is a solid player, but to put him among the elite centers in the league is a mistake. Shaq, Zo (when healthy), Tim Duncan: these are the elite centers and Dikembe is nowhere near them.

Tim Hardaway, Miami Heat: As mentioned previously, Hardaway has the worst field goal percentage among those in the top 50 in field goal attempts. He shoots only 38.8 percent from the field. His "killer cross-over" isn't quite so killer anymore either. He is averaging a career low 6.2 assists per game. Some of this can be attributed to the loss of Alonzo Mourning, but when your best player goes down, you ask other players to step up, not back. Still, mainly thanks to Eddie Jones, Brian Grant, and Anthony Mason, the Heat are in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. Now that Eddie Jones will be lost for several weeks, it is especially important for Hardaway to raise his game. With the Knicks and Hornets chasing the Heat for the third spot, we shall see.