Top five greatest basketball players ever

[Alsacs]

On the Jazz I think it does matter. Seattle screwed themselves up trading Kemp for Baker. Phoenix blew up, Houston couldn't find a decent PG, and Lakers were one year away from Kobe growing up.

Those 1997 and 1998 Jazz teams took advantage of a weak conference like the Nets did in the East in 2002 and 2003. Utah should have done better from 1991-1996 during Malone's prime. They had the 1992 WCF and that was it. Malone's gag in 1997 was awful against Chicago. He choked at the FT line in game 1 and was awful.
Peter Vescey wanted to get punched by Malone in the postgame of the 97 finals.

 

[Alsacs]

Baylor was the prototype of the modern small forward and never really played much power forward. He was a great leaper and rebounder, and was about 6'5".

Thanks boss. Where do I pay my fine to the board policeman. Thanks for the lesson I greatly appreciate your posts.

 

[br801]

Thanks boss. Where do I pay my fine to the board policeman. Thanks for the lesson I greatly appreciate your posts.

I was just pointing out that he was really a small forward. You needn't take offense. There will be no fine.

 

[Eric15]

Utah should have done better from 1991-1996 during Malone's prime. They had the 1992 WCF and that was it.[/MEDIA]

They went to the WCF in 1994 and 1996, as well -- taking Seattle to 7 games in 1996.

 

[Eric15]

Thanks boss. Where do I pay my fine to the board policeman. Thanks for the lesson I greatly appreciate your posts.

Holy cow where did that come from?

 

[jncuse]

I have a hard time placing Kobe in a top 10 list.

In no particular order
Jordan
James
Bird
Johnson
Duncan
Olajuwon
Chamberlain
Russell
Abdul Jabbar

Kobe would be in the group of candidates for #10 that includes older time players like Oscar, Baylor and also Shaq.

 

[Knicks411]

Tim Duncan has had a C start next next to him most of his career. Now has he played the 5 like Draymond Green has for GS yes but his natural position has been the PF spot.

Duncan was not a natural center if you want to call him one then its fine but I think he was more of a natural PF.
Splitter/Robinson and I am missing a big have been the Cs he has played next too.

I think he was definitely a natural center. Maybe more semantics than anything, but I feel like he usually guarded the other teams best post guy when it really came down to it.

 

[jncuse]

Another player whose career was hindered by injury- Jermaine O'Neal. At his prime, 20 and 10 and an elite defender. To a lesser extent, the forgotten Antonio McDyess. He could have been an elite offensive player if not for brutal injuries right in his prime.

Bryan Colangelo is that you? Still trying to justify your 2008 trade that you took on a hobbled and bad contract at this point in O'Neal for a first rounder, and wasted a whole bunch of cap space, to the point that you could not sign a 14th and 15th man to avoid the lux tax. Had to take on 2 players at the vet min (Including Jake Voskuhl), had to sign a 2nd rounder as there were no other way to stay below the tax, and had to use Roko Ukic as the backup point. And then wondered why the team could not win 50 games?

In all seriousness, Jermaine was a nice player for a while, but he took a rapid free fall from being good to below average. His peak period was way too short to be considered amongst the best of the past generation in my view

 

[jncuse]

I think ore people would rather have Paul Pierce's top 40 career over Karl Malone's top 20 career. Won a ring, made a lot of money, 2nd best SF of the 2000s. Malone has stats and Utah fans.

There was a time where many people would have wanted Marko Jaric's career rather than either Paul Pierce or Karl Malone. Should we bring him into the debate?

 

[Alsacs]

There was a time where many people would have wanted Marko Jaric's career rather than either Paul Pierce or Karl Malone. Should we bring him into the debate?

Did Jaric win a ring? I know he married a supermodel and ruined Minnesota's cap.
My point was both. Pierce and Malone are both HOF players and Malone had a better career but Pierce won a title I think most would prefer that over being a Malone.

 

[Alsacs]

I think he was definitely a natural center. Maybe more semantics than anything, but I feel like he usually guarded the other teams best post guy when it really came down to it.

Yeah I think its semantics as Scottie Pippen was the Bulls point guard playing forward while Harper and Jordan were 2 guards with Pippen. I think Duncan would call himself a PF.

 

[RF2044]

Did Jaric win a ring? I know he married a supermodel and ruined Minnesota's cap.
My point was both. Pierce and Malone are both HOF players and Malone had a better career but Pierce won a title I think most would prefer that over being a Malone.

Mallone is the 2nd all time leading scorer in NBA history, and not just due to longevity.

The ring is nice, but that's not the only evaluative criteria that is relevant. I get that it has become the focal point of hot take analysis [thanks, ESPN].

 

[Alsacs]

Mallone is the 2nd all time leading scorer in NBA history, and not just due to longevity.

The ring is nice, but that's not the only evaluative criteria that is relevant. I get that it has become the focal point of hot take analysis [thanks, ESPN].

Malone was a top 20 player but I personally would rather be a top 40-50 player all time and be the best player on a championship team. If Malone didn't care about the ring he doesn't sign with the Lakers in 2003 and go hunting little Mexican girls(note people google this to get the context)

 

[Brooky03]

haha am I not allowed to dislike a guy for crowning himself 'King' (or letting Nike do it) before accomplishing anything and then acting like a spoiled brat most of his career?

Dude can ball and will go down as an all-time great, obviously. He has the rings and stats to back it up. I would just rather bang my head against a brick wall than listen to him talk (whine), watch him flop, watch him complain to refs, or watch him do basically anything on a basketball court.


Play 1: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. LeBron dunks on somebody.
Play 2: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Somebody brushes his shoulder, LeBron misses layup. LeBron cries to ref as everybody runs back on D.
Play 3: LeBron dunks on another guy. Pumps out his chest and gestures to the crowd how awesome he his.
Play 4: LeBron shoots a three. Misses.
Play 5: LeBron dunks on another guy.
Play 6: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Runs a player over then gets fouled around the 3 point line. Takes 17 more steps without a dribble and dunks the ball. Refs call foul on player just murdered by LeBron, And-1.

YAWNNNNNNN

This is a sequence of events that has probably happened more than once in his career haha.




PS: If you (anybody, not necessarily the guy I'm replying to) respond with any kind of seriousness to the above chain of events, I'm going to laugh at you.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He makes the Celtics top 5 for sure. He passed Havlicek for the alltime leading scorer in Boston history.
1. Russell
2. Bird
3. Havlicek
4. Pierce
5. Cowins

I love Dave Cowens, but I would put McHale and the Chief above him. Probably Tommy Heinsohm, too.

 

[br801]

I love Dave Cowens, but I would put McHale and the Chief above him. Probably Tommy Heinsohm, too.

Lots of great Celtics to choose from. Bob Cousy and Sam Jones would have to be in the mix as well.

 

[orangenirvana]

Timmay Dunkin would be to differ.

I think Malone is better. Just my opinion.

1. Malone
2. Duncan
3. Barkley
4. Nowitzki
5. Garnett

Then there's a massive gap before anyone else.

 

[skurey]

1. LeBron
2. Jordan

Rest is irrelevant

 

[Fireball Jr.]

haha am I not allowed to dislike a guy for crowning himself 'King' (or letting Nike do it) before accomplishing anything and then acting like a spoiled brat most of his career?

Dude can ball and will go down as an all-time great, obviously. He has the rings and stats to back it up. I would just rather bang my head against a brick wall than listen to him talk (whine), watch him flop, watch him complain to refs, or watch him do basically anything on a basketball court.


Play 1: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. LeBron dunks on somebody.
Play 2: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Somebody brushes his shoulder, LeBron misses layup. LeBron cries to ref as everybody runs back on D.
Play 3: LeBron dunks on another guy. Pumps out his chest and gestures to the crowd how awesome he his.
Play 4: LeBron shoots a three. Misses.
Play 5: LeBron dunks on another guy.
Play 6: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Runs a player over then gets fouled around the 3 point line. Takes 17 more steps without a dribble and dunks the ball. Refs call foul on player just murdered by LeBron, And-1.

YAWNNNNNNN

This is a sequence of events that has probably happened more than once in his career haha.

PS: If you (anybody, not necessarily the guy I'm replying to) respond with any kind of seriousness to the above chain of events, I'm going to laugh at you.

At least you got one thing right: it's LeBron, not Lebron.

 

[Eric15]

I think Malone is better. Just my opinion.

1. Malone
2. Duncan
3. Barkley
4. Nowitzki
5. Garnett

Then there's a massive gap before anyone else.

Moses Malone has to be included here -- he was a 3x MVP and 12X all-star. 8th all-time in scoring and 16th in rebounding. Elvin Hayes, also.

 

[orangenirvana]

Moses Malone has to be included here -- he was a 3x MVP and 12X all-star. 8th all-time in scoring and 16th in rebounding. Elvin Hayes, also.

Wasn't Moses Malone a Center?

 

[br801]

Moses Malone has to be included here -- he was a 3x MVP and 12X all-star. 8th all-time in scoring and 16th in rebounding. Elvin Hayes, also.

Absolutely. Add in Dolph Schayes from the early days of the NBA. And how about Jerry Lucas, a guy who put up some ridiculous shooting and rebounding numbers at power forward and is rarely mentioned anymore.

 

[SoBeCuse]

haha am I not allowed to dislike a guy for crowning himself 'King' (or letting Nike do it) before accomplishing anything and then acting like a spoiled brat most of his career?

Dude can ball and will go down as an all-time great, obviously. He has the rings and stats to back it up. I would just rather bang my head against a brick wall than listen to him talk (whine), watch him flop, watch him complain to refs, or watch him do basically anything on a basketball court.


Play 1: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. LeBron dunks on somebody.
Play 2: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Somebody brushes his shoulder, LeBron misses layup. LeBron cries to ref as everybody runs back on D.
Play 3: LeBron dunks on another guy. Pumps out his chest and gestures to the crowd how awesome he his.
Play 4: LeBron shoots a three. Misses.
Play 5: LeBron dunks on another guy.
Play 6: LeBron builds up a head of steam from halfcourt. Runs a player over then gets fouled around the 3 point line. Takes 17 more steps without a dribble and dunks the ball. Refs call foul on player just murdered by LeBron, And-1.

YAWNNNNNNN

This is a sequence of events that has probably happened more than once in his career haha.




PS: If you (anybody, not necessarily the guy I'm replying to) respond with any kind of seriousness to the above chain of events, I'm going to laugh at you.

Laugh if you want. I mostly responded because I revisited the Ali G Harvard Commencement speech today which is pure gold and remembered that little nugget.

 

[Knicks411]

I think Malone is better. Just my opinion.

1. Malone
2. Duncan
3. Barkley
4. Nowitzki
5. Garnett

Then there's a massive gap before anyone else.

Malone over Duncan? I'm pro Malone but I think that's crazy.

 

[RandygoCuse]

I think Malone is better. Just my opinion.

1. Malone
2. Duncan
3. Barkley
4. Nowitzki
5. Garnett

Then there's a massive gap before anyone else.

Well before my time, but what about Bob Pettit? he had a championship and from what I can tell, he cleaned up in stats and honors as well.