Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/4/2011 4:49 PM EDT
- Gasthoerer
- Posts: 828
- First: 6/18/2010
- Last: 5/18/2013
In Response to
Re: 3 best players ever:
If you think Rodman could stop McHale in both their primes or that anyone on the Bulls could stop Bird, then you didn't really see McHale in his prime. He's a top 5 offensive power forward and Bird may be the single best all time small forward. Posted by Celtsfan4life
Well, I never said Bird isn't the best small forward of all time (he is for sure one of the best players ever) but Pippen is definitely the best defender on the 3 position of all time. If he isn't a good fit against Bird, who else is? McHale was quite player (even I'm not sure he is top 5 offensively as PF as he NEVER was the first scoring option of his team) but again Rodman is the best defender on his position of all time. Who else than the guy who made Malone (a better player than McHale) a hard time, would be a good fit against McHale? No one could have stopped Bird and maybe the same can be said about McHale, but the Bulls of the 90s had the perfect defenders against all but the 5 position of the 80s Celtics. IMO that can't be denied even as a die hard celtic fan.
By the way, best players of all Time:
1.Jordan
2.Olajuwon
3.Not sure, about that, maybe Bird (even he wasn't half the defender Jordan and Olajuwon were).
Only judging players starting from the 80s due to my age.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/5/2011 12:27 AM EDT
- dirty52
- Posts: 553
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1a.Magic . 1b.Bird 1c.Kareem
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/5/2011 11:00 AM EDT
In Response to
Re: 3 best players ever:
In Response to Re: 3 best players ever : Larrry was All-Defensive Second team three times . The comp was stiff, so in another time (now?) he might get to the first team. He never shied away from going at an opponent at either end and was ususally successful, as evidenced by the number of players he frustrated.
Posted by painter
I think he would be lower now. His best defense was OFF the ball. He was very good at steals and anticipating. I'm the biggest Larry fan there is, but Jordan was the best in the league......and Russ was the best ever. I watched every game he ever played, and can't name one SF he totally shut down with his D. Still love him, and he gets in my Top 5 All-time.......but that is not the question!
This post has been removed.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/7/2011 7:53 PM EDT
In Response to
Re: 3 best players ever:
MJ Magic Kareem
Posted by WE5NUTS
Let me guess....Laker fan?
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/7/2011 11:47 PM EDT
- stiorevo
- Posts: 65
- First: 7/13/2010
- Last: 8/19/2011
MJ, Russell, Wilt
IMO Bird was awesome and in the top 5 but not the top 3. Truth is that I would say that we cannot do a top 3 and would have to do a top 5 :) Too many great players to play the game.
MJ, Russell, Wilt, Bird, Magic/Jabbar, I can't even do a top five :)
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 2:20 AM EDT
- tjwoods
- Posts: 235
- First: 2/22/2005
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Bill Russell (look at all those rings)
Jerry West (know anyone else who could hit 35' jumpshots like layups--regularly?
Michael Jordan: His airness has 6 rings.
Honorable Mention: Kareem, Wilt, The Big O, Bird, Magic, Sam Jones (people forget he has 10 rings), Hondo.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 2:26 AM EDT
- tjwoods
- Posts: 235
- First: 2/22/2005
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Mel Counts
Brian Scalabrine
Brad Doherty
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 7:51 AM EDT
- Celtics1986
- Posts: 188
- First: 5/11/2011
- Last: 9/11/2011
Lenny Bias
David Thompson
Hank Gathers
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 12:16 PM EDT
in my opinion always difficult to mention the "best player"
but choosing based on what ?
a) the one to start assembling a team with ? then perhaps nothing better than a dominant center : russel
b) the one with more rings ? one of the 60s celtics
c) personally, I use the following term of measure : the one I feel as the dominant player when I watch a game - that's why for me Bird is the number 1 (never seen wilt, robertson and russel playing....)
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 1:24 PM EDT
Henry Finkle
Kwame Brown
Chuck Nevitt
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 2:41 PM EDT
In Response to
Re: 3 best players ever:
in my opinion always difficult to mention the "best player" but choosing based on what ? a) the one to start assembling a team with ? then perhaps nothing better than a dominant center : russel b) the one with more rings ? one of the 60s celtics c) personally, I use the following term of measure : the one I feel as the dominant player when I watch a game - that's why for me Bird is the number 1 (never seen wilt, robertson and russel playing....)
Posted by caesarthecat
Respect your opinion, but Bird is #4, and I am a huge fan. Couldn't go wrong with any of them, really. Red was asked who he would take. He said Russ #1 and Bird #2........that's good enough for me!!
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 4:17 PM EDT
In Response to
Re: 3 best players ever:
In Response to Re: 3 best players ever : Respect your opinion, but Bird is #4, and I am a huge fan. Couldn't go wrong with any of them, really. Red was asked who he would take. He said Russ #1 and Bird #2........that's good enough for me!!
Posted by Red-16Russ-11
Yup, what he said!
Love Bird, though. Russell was just more dominant at college and pro over all others. And, MJ was, as well (my mind could be changed if MJ played stiffer comp but he didn't). Magic and Bird very very very very close, but I give Magic the slight edge.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 5:39 PM EDT
- CASox
- Posts: 1795
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In Response to
3 best players ever:
1) bird 2) jordan 3) jabbar
Posted by caesarthecat
Jordan
Chamberlain
Russell
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/8/2011 11:15 PM EDT
- bt33
- Posts: 213
- First: 5/25/2010
- Last: 3/25/2013
This one isn't much of contest.
1. Russell
2. Jordan
3. Magic
One could potentially argue that Bird is anywhere from 4-6. Kobe or Jabbar at 4-5 is hard to argue, simply because of the championships, but Bird was Bird and was undoubtedly the more complete player, disparagement of his foot speed and one on one d notwithstanding. I'd say top 10 might look something like this...
4. Bird
5. Kobe
6. Jabbar
7. Chamberlain
8. Big O
9. Dr. J
10. Elgin Baylor
Think only Chamberlain and Kobe enter the mix as players one could argue might be in the top three or four. Chamberlain, only because he was so ridiculously dominant on the offensive end. Judging the best involves taking them in the era they played and assessing their impact on that period and the way they elevated their team/teammates, dominated the game, and willed their teams to win championships. Simply put, Magic won more than Bird and played at that elite level for longer (can't count Bias; the injuries, etc.). Kobe is probably #5, but might even be #4 because of the championships. Neither The Big O, Pettit, Baylor, West, or Dr. J won enough to be considered in this select company. Kareem (6 titles) would be in front of all those guys. The reason why Bird is arguably ahead of Kobe and Jabbar is because he was more dominant than either of the two for a compressed amount of time and literally (along with Magic) changed the game. One could make the same argument for Jabbar, but probaby not for Kobe, whose skill set bears too close a resemblance to Jordan. So by this same logic it's not inconceivable that Bird falls to 6. For the same reason, Shaq (4 titles) is also a tough omission in the top ten, though I do think other factors enter the mix and the championshipo count isn't quite as dominant a factir than it is when assessing nfl quarterbacks.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/9/2011 11:17 PM EDT
- mbrann
- Posts: 224
- First: 10/16/2009
- Last: 4/2/2013
Great list BTT...it is easier to have a top 10 list than a top 3. You have all the right people here. I might switch Jordan and Magic because Magic was more of a complete player. Same thing with Big O vs. Chamberlain. But that's just me...I love triple-double type players.
Re: 3 best players ever
posted at 8/10/2011 8:39 AM EDT
- Karllost
- Posts: 5067
- First: 2/19/2009
- Last: 5/22/2013
1. Russell
2. Wilt
3-5. Magic/Bird/Jordan
6. Big O
The greatest era's of NBA ball have been the Russell/Wilt era and the Bird/Magic era. NBA titles come into play somewhat but not the over riding factor unless a dominating figure, i.e. Russell 9, MJ 6 and had to be the player clearly leading the team.
Had Wilt took 4-5 titles away from Russ, he'd be lights out #1. Unstoppable in almost anything he wanted to do, that includes Russell. Wilt would have his way but sometimes at the expense of his team. Was there any more excitement in an arena when Wilt was coming to town? I dont think so.
Trying to be as objective as possible, I cant seperate Magic/Bird/Jordan. If anything, both Magic & Bird turned their teams into champions right away... Jordan was a scoring machine that never saw a shot he didnt take in his early years. I'd also have to agree that his string of titles didnt come against great teams. Still, when his game changed and he got some complimentary players, he put up 6 titles and was an extremely clutch player as well.
Russell is an easy #1 for me. In his last 15 years of playing ball he won 11 NBA titles, 2 NCAA titles and an Olympic Gold. His NBA teams changed players but they kept winning with Russell. Defensively, he changed the way the game was played probably like no other in NBA history. This is where titles outshine every other statistic. An amazing record.
Had to include the Big O on the list. For those that never saw, he seemed to toy with defenders. He was big, strong & thick...could get to his spot and put up that weird looking shot that was money. Never had much of a team but he was so special of a player. Finally won a title with Jabbar but was near the end of his career.
My honorable mention goes to Jabbar, Hondo, Shaq & West.
