51.   Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant have more talent, even though shooting guard is often not their natural position.

52.   Also gone, though, is right guard Brian Habib, who left Denver to sign with Seattle.

53.   Also named to the team were guards Josh Steinthal of Oregon State, Alex Scales and Darius Wright of Oregon and Jan-Michael Thomas of Washington State.

54.   But as the season demonstrated, the guards are not the only area of scrutiny.

55.   But at the outset, the point guard was the only Net who could find the rim.

56.   But exercising a completeness at point guard is something Payton and Marbury accomplish with relative ease.

57.   But he also noted that guards could be tempted to take bribes.

58.   But no guards were on board during the return trip.

59.   But on the recent Friday the guard was not there.

60.   But now the guards are all playing and playing well.