NBA/ Basketball thread

[RaleighBlue]

Forgot Davis, he could be really great. Pippen was no doubt overshadowed by Jordan and we'll never know how great he really was, but the emergence of Leonard (if he does) and revisiting defensive stoppers would change perception of what actually makes a great player. We still live in the era of people thinking Carmelo can play basketball.

He is really great. He could be transcendental.

Yeah, remember the turn of the millennium when T-Mac, Vince Carter, and AI iso's were considered the height of basketball? Poor Melo missed his boat by about 6 years.

(AI was really good at them though, and I love him (on the court) for all his faults (on the court))

 

[wm02]

That's a really good top 10. I'd be inclined to add Wilt

 

[SerenityNigh]

He is really great. He could be transcendental.

Yeah, remember the turn of the millennium when T-Mac, Vince Carter, and AI iso's were considered the height of basketball? Poor Melo missed his boat by about 6 years.

(AI was really good at them though, and I love him (on the court) for all his faults (on the court))

All those guys were really good, but not great. Kobe is great, an all-time great, but he's in good company, and some of that company is better than him. I was lucky to watch Magic and Bird in their prime, and although I was too young to understand then, I get it now. I didn't realize how good Jordan was until it was obvious. Kobe was great too, but kids these days seem to overrate him and have never even heard of some of the rest.

A guy that used to work with us told us he had a professor at Howard (mid-90s or so) that sat the class down and told them that Oscar averaged a triple-double for an entire season and until they could comprehend that, they weren't allowed to talk basketball in his class.

 

[RaleighBlue]

All those guys were really good, but not great. Kobe is great, an all-time great, but he's in good company, and some of that company is better than him. I was lucky to watch Magic and Bird in their prime, and although I was too young to understand then, I get it now. I didn't realize how good Jordan was until it was obvious. Kobe was great too, but kids these days seem to overrate him and have never even heard of some of the rest.

A guy that used to work with us told us he had a professor at Howard (mid-90s or so) that sat the class down and told them that Oscar averaged a triple-double for an entire season and until they could comprehend that, they weren't allowed to talk basketball in his class.

Kobe was absolutely an all time great. But I think largely due to outside circumstances he has been elevated above his actual standard.

Basketball in the early-mid 00's was generally terrible. The Pistons won the finals with anti-basketball, everything was stagnant and plays were drawn up to get to the 'superstar' (which could be Stephon Marbury ffs) to dribble about for 20 seconds before taking a contested jumper. 2007 changed all that with the 7 seconds or less Suns, which was really the dawn of the current era in a primitive form. Due to this, Kobe was king.

Additionally, the other best players about had some flaw that the media never elevated them to their proper station:
Duncan - too boring (wtf?)
Shaq - didn't care about the regular season
KG - was in Minnesota
Dirk - was in Dallas
Nash - distributor first

These things combined to make Kobe seem like top of the pack - he was the best of the iso guys, was in a major market, had a personality, and eventually dragged the Lakers to some titles once he got some help in the form of Pau.

He really was a special player, I don't want to discount that. But I feel he either would have been much better coming out 10 years later, or he would have just been another great player depending on his attitude. As it is, he's definitely not one of the top players ever. Top 3 shooting guards? Probably at present, yes. Jordan, Kobe, West.

 

[SerenityNigh]

I don't know if Curry will get there, but for me he is an absolute joy to watch. Probably the funnest player I've ever watched...primarily because he's not a freak of nature athletically.

It has to be so demoralizing to defend him when he's draining shots from 4 and 5 feet behind the 3 point line.

I don't even know much about basketball, and I can tell he's Rucker Park + Globetrotters. He may not be physically imposing, but he's got a magician's touch and makes shooting look easy.

 

[Philw]

I'd love Steph to play the whole game and see if he could beat the record for most 3's in a game. Sadly the warriors are more often than not smashing teams at the end of the third so Steph hardly plays in the 4th.

Should watch last night's game then, played most of the fourth!

It's ridiculous how well that kid shoots. Makes all the Kobe nutters look foolish.

(Listen, Kobe is alright, but most people need to unseat themselves from his nuts)

Kobe was great, but whether due to necessity or greed/arrogance he often wasn't very efficient, which is key, especially nowadays. Plus he got sung by the increased accessibility the 00s brought to fans.

I take issue with this.

There are two possible corrections below:
Kobe WAS spectacular.
Kobe IS absolute dog poo and past it.

I don't know if Curry will get there, but for me he is an absolute joy to watch. Probably the funnest player I've ever watched...primarily because he's not a freak of nature athletically.

It has to be so demoralizing to defend him when he's draining shots from 4 and 5 feet behind the 3 point line.

His shot is ridiculous, seems like he can just chuck it up any old way from anywhere and it'll just swish...

 

[ilikecheese]

I think the thing about Kobe is that he essentially copied Jordan's game.

While he did a pretty darn good impression for a long time, he's never going to be viewed along side the best of the best in my eyes because he copied someone else's game.

He did nothing to revolutionize the game like a Lebron, Jordan, Magic, Bird etc, etc, etc.

 

[ilikecheese]

 

[USABlue]

Kobe was absolutely an all time great. But I think largely due to outside circumstances he has been elevated above his actual standard.

Basketball in the early-mid 00's was generally terrible. The Pistons won the finals with anti-basketball, everything was stagnant and plays were drawn up to get to the 'superstar' (which could be Stephon Marbury ffs) to dribble about for 20 seconds before taking a contested jumper. 2007 changed all that with the 7 seconds or less Suns, which was really the dawn of the current era in a primitive form. Due to this, Kobe was king.

Additionally, the other best players about had some flaw that the media never elevated them to their proper station:
Duncan - too boring (wtf?)
Shaq - didn't care about the regular season
KG - was in Minnesota
Dirk - was in Dallas
Nash - distributor first

These things combined to make Kobe seem like top of the pack - he was the best of the iso guys, was in a major market, had a personality, and eventually dragged the Lakers to some titles once he got some help in the form of Pau.

He really was a special player, I don't want to discount that. But I feel he either would have been much better coming out 10 years later, or he would have just been another great player depending on his attitude. As it is, he's definitely not one of the top players ever. Top 3 shooting guards? Probably at present, yes. Jordan, Kobe, West.

Great post. 7 sec suns and Nash truly changed the game. He had his ring of honor ceremony with the team a few weeks ago and it was very well done ( should still be on their site)

 

[Connor]

Nets improving?

 

[AdamEFC]

Rockets sack Kevin McHale. Been poor so far this season but he did get to the WCF last season, bit harsh?

 

[ilikecheese]

Rockets sack Kevin McHale. Been poor so far this season but he did get to the WCF last season, bit harsh?

Oh wow.

The Pelicans are off to an awful start. Any rumblings @SerenityNigh?

 

[SerenityNigh]

Rockets sack Kevin McHale. Been poor so far this season but he did get to the WCF last season, bit harsh?

Does/did he not get along with Harden?

 

[SerenityNigh]

Oh wow.

The Pelicans are off to an awful start. Any rumblings @SerenityNigh?

Although I like them, I don't keep up with the Pelicans much and don't know what's going on with them.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Clippers are probably going to have a comparatively "meh" season this year

Can't see them making the Conference Finals, that's for sure

Fans will look back on this in 10-15 years time and lament what a great opportunity they let slip in Game 6 of the Conference semi finals last season