Editing Point forward (section)

== Characteristics ==
Generally, teams employ a point forward when their best playmaker is a [[small forward|forward]]<ref name="guile_10172013" /><ref name="frazier_sachare" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Windhorst|first=Brian|title=LeBron eyeing 'point power forward' role?|date=September 28, 2012|work=ESPN.com|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/15258/heat-eying-point-forward-role-for-lebron|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325113120/http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/15258/heat-eying-point-forward-role-for-lebron|archive-date=March 25, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> rather than a guard.<ref name="guile_10172013" /> A point forward is typically responsible for bringing the ball up the court and being the primary facilitator on offense to generate assists,<ref name="halley_07202012">{{cite news|last=Halley|first=Jim|title=Analysts say point forwards are few and far between|date=July 20, 2012|newspaper=USA Today|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/07/analysts-say-point-forwards-are-few-and-far-between/1#.Uy22ZWW9LTo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715140004/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/07/analysts-say-point-forwards-are-few-and-far-between/1|archive-date=July 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="guile_10172013">{{cite news|last=Guile|first=Aaron|title=Aaron Guile: Gordon Hayward — the emerging point forward|date=October 17, 2013|newspaper=Deseret News|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865588571/Aaron-Guile-Gordon-Hayward-2-the-emerging-point-forward.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325114828/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865588571/Aaron-Guile-Gordon-Hayward-2-the-emerging-point-forward.html?pg=all|archive-date=March 25, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="frazier_sachare">{{cite book|last1=Frazier|first1=Walt|last2=Sachare|first2=Alex|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Basketball|pages=97–8|publisher=Penguin|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KcIF8rb7g9MC&q=%22point%20forward%22basketball&pg=PA97|isbn= 9780786549894|access-date=March 22, 2014}}</ref> but they may merely direct play once a guard brings the ball up-court.<ref name="eisenberg_08191992">{{cite news|last=Eisenberg|first=John|title=Imaginations soared with the best Bird|date=August 19, 1992|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/08/19/imaginations-soared-with-the-best-bird/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325130236/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-08-19/sports/1992232120_1_bird-magic-point-guard|archive-date=March 25, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="smith_07082014">{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Sam|title=WHAT WOULD MICHAEL DO? NOT THIS!|date=July 8, 2010|work=NBA.com|url=http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_michael_100708.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325130321/http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_michael_100708.html|archive-date=March 25, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Berkow|first=Ira|title=Court Vision: Unexpected Views on the Lure of Basketball|page=209|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|year=2004|isbn=0803262299|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U1o7nptu3fsC&q=bird%20%22point%20forward%22%20%22dennis%20johnson%22&pg=PA209|access-date=March 22, 2014}}</ref>

Assuming the role of point forward may cut down on that player's scoring, as distributing the ball to others decreases shot attempts.  Basketball Hall of Fame small forward [[Larry Bird]], a prolific scorer with exceptional passing skills,<ref>{{cite news|last=Bjarkman|first=Peter C.|title=Boston Celtics Encyclopedia|date=October 2002|pages=40–1|publisher=Sports Publishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbtwpjrpEUsC&q=bird%20%22point%20forward%22%20johnson&pg=PA122|isbn= 9781582615646|access-date=March 22, 2014}}</ref> quipped "I'm a point forward now" after his coaches sought him to score less and pass more.<ref>{{cite news|last=Winderman|first=Ira|title=Impact Players? Ask Teams They Control|date=November 26, 1989|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1989-11-26/sports/8902120265_1_bird-wound-shots-magic-johnson|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000250/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1989-11-26/sports/8902120265_1_bird-wound-shots-magic-johnson|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Sam|title=Pro Basketball|date=December 3, 1989|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/12/03/pro-basketball-23/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610203416/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-12-03/sports/8903150254_1_guard-situation-knicks-jimmy-rodgers|archive-date=June 10, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Don Nelson]], a coach often associated with the point forward in his [[Nellie Ball]] system,<ref name="winn_03162009">{{cite news|last=Winn|first=Luke|title=From This Point Forward|date=March 16, 2009|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Why+isn%27t+the+best+player+on+the+team+with+the+best+record+-+03.16.09+-+SI+Vault&urlID=525948722&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1153057%2F2%2Findex.htm}}</ref> used the role when his guards were not strong ball-handlers.<ref name="guile_10172013" />  Other coaches have used point forwards to free their guards to score more,<ref name="winn_03162009" /> a strategy of increasing importance as the three-point shot has become the sport's primary offensive weapon.

ESPN analyst Dave Telep maintained a point forward needed to be more than merely an adept passer but also had to facilitate the offense for teammates at least half of the time.<ref name="halley_07202012" />