Future all-star? Holiday's game growing

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With Washington in town to play the Sixers for their second and final preseason game, fans were treated to an interesting match-up at the starting point guard position: Jrue Holiday versus John Wall, two up and coming players.

People may prefer to compare Wall and Evan Turner because they were selected No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the 2010 NBA draft.

But Holiday and Wall are a better comparison because they play the same position, though they do bring very different styles to the hardwood. Wall is lightening quick running straight ahead. Holiday is a guy who likes to change speeds, which is very appealing in the eyes of his coach.

I love where Jrue is at from this time last year to right now, Doug Collins said. I love the pace he plays. You cant underestimate the pace that he plays. Some guys go 100 miles an hour but he changes speeds. To me that is like that running back that gets to the line and can make that little step.

Collins compared Holiday to Eagles running back Shady McCoys when it comes to that stutter step. He actually said Barry Sanders name, as well. Collins was talking rapidly with his hands to paint a picture of changing direction on a dime.

That change of pace for me is much harder to guard, Collins said. Harder to guard then the guy who is going 100 miles an hour. Like Nolan Ryan in baseball, he would throw a hundred miles an hour then he would throw a curve and you couldnt hit it.

Holiday chuckled at the comparisons made by his coach saying, Im not that fast. I dont really like to run like that so I would rather go slow and then fast and kind of break it up.

Holiday especially likes to make a move at the top of the key where he takes a significant jab step forward, usually with his right foot, dribbling with his right hand. As soon as his defender moves with the jab, Holiday pulls his foot and dribble back to launch a jumper. It is one smooth, quick motion that is extremely effective.

Holiday cites a list of people who suggested to him when he was young that just because he wasnt the fastest guy on the court didnt mean he couldnt blow by his opponent. His dad suggested it, as did Jason Martin, who was a mentor when he was growing up. He also took inspiration from other players: Pooh Richardson, who grew up here in Philadelphia before running the point at UCLA and fellow Los Angeles native Baron Davis.

Growing up I was very fortunate to have a lot of basketball players around me, Holiday said. I mean, when you see the best players, Kobe even Steve Nash -- he can be lightening fast but he just changes speed. One time he is going slow and he lulls you to sleep and then just blows by right by you.

While this is Holidays third NBA season, he really feels like last year was his first because he was a full time starter. His confidence is at a new high and his knowledge of what is expected of him at both ends of the floor is equally strong. Not surprisingly, as much as Doug Collins loves the pace Holiday plays, he really enjoys seeing the defensive strides his point guard has made.

Watching the first game against Washington, he is finishing off plays better defensively, Collins said. There were a couple plays where he got out of position and he fought his way back in to go to the defensive board. Last year he would have just stayed out there and it wasnt because of lack of effort; it was because of habit.

Fortunately for Sixers fans, Holiday has plenty of good habits that should one day have people considering him an All-Star caliber point guard.

E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com

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