Jordan/Kareem/Duncan/LeBron/West have the five best peaks ever

[Nowitness]

http://i.imgur.com/v2tDC1x.png

:applause:

starting 5 of:

west
jordan
lebron
duncan
kareem

your top 5 peaks everyone

[Encre92]

There you go, top 5 GOAT in order.

[KobesFinger]

Shaquille?

[elementally morale]

Shaq and Bird had the best peaks ever of all the players I've seen since 1980.

Shaq
Bird
MJ
Magic
Hakeem

That's the top 5. No Kobe, no LeBron, no Durant, no Wade, no Duncan... no currently active players. Primes are more debatable. But 2000 Shaq, 1983 Bird, 1992 MJ, 1986 Magic and 1994 Hakeem are very very hard to top.

[Nowitness]

Shaq and Bird had the best peaks ever of all the players I've seen since 1980.

Shaq
Bird
MJ
Magic
Hakeem

That's the top 5. No Kobe, no LeBron, no Durant, no Wade, no Duncan... no currently active players. Primes are more debatable. But 2000 Shaq, 1983 Bird, 1992 MJ, 1986 Magic and 1994 Hakeem are very very hard to top.

:biggums:

Yes, because what you see is whatever everyone else sees.

I posted the numbers bro. Duncan/Kareem > Shaq/Hakeem.

[elementally morale]

:biggums:

Yes, because what you see is whatever everyone else sees.

I posted the numbers bro. Duncan/Kareem > Shaq/Hakeem.


Yoa are free to think so. I saw these guys play, that's enough for me to judge.

[LAZERUSS]

If you are going to use Win Shares/48, you should actually use Win Shares...which is what a player supposedly actually contributed.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ws_season.html


KAJ
Wilt
Mikan
Wilt
KAJ
Wilt
KAJ
Wilt
MJ
Mikan


Those are the Top-10 single seasons.

BTW, and FWIW, that stat certainly validates the opinions that Kareem's peak came early in his career. All three of those years were 71-72, 70-71, and 72-73.

Of course, Chamberlain not only has four of the Top-10 seasons, he also has six of the Top-15....which is THREE more than anyone else.

Wilt=GOAT

[Nowitness]

If you are going to use Win Shares/48, you should actually use Win Shares...which is what a player supposedly actually contributed.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ws_season.html


KAJ
Wilt
Mikan
Wilt
KAJ
Wilt
KAJ
Wilt
MJ
Mikan


Those are the Top-10 single seasons.

BTW, and FWIW, that stat certainly validates the opinions that Kareem's peak came early in his career. All three of those years were 71-72, 70-71, and 72-73.

Of course, Chamberlain not only has four of the Top-10 seasons, he also has six of the Top-15.

Wilt=GOAT

regular season is monkey business you nub.

wilt in the playoffs: nowhere near being GOAT.

Get out of here trying to call an 11-15 alltime player the goat. :oldlol:

you're obsessed little man.

[LAZERUSS]

regular season is monkey business you nub.

wilt in the playoffs: nowhere near being GOAT.

Get out of here trying to call an 11-15 alltime player the goat. :oldlol:

you're obsessed little man.


You mean the regular season which is comprised of 80-82 games, as compared to a post-season, which cane be as few as three games?

BTW, Wilt was only statistically outplayed in ONE of his 29 post-season series by an opposing center, most all of whom were in the HOF, but even in that, he was hailed as having DECISIVELY outplayed Kareem.

Wilt=GOAT

[Spurs5Rings2014]

There you go, top 5 GOAT in order.

:bowdown:

[LAZERUSS]

As a side-note, Chamberlain is the ONLY player to have ever led the NBA in scoring and rebounding in the same season....which he accomplished....FIVE times.

Not only that, but Wilt also led the NBA in scoring, rebounding, and FG% in the same season...THREE times.

Or how about Rebounding and FG% in the same season? EIGHT times.

Or how about this one... Rebounding, FG%, and Assists? Yep....ONLY Wilt.

[swagga]

Yoa are free to think so. I saw these guys play, that's enough for me to judge.

how can you say peak bird > peak duncan. Duncan went through prime/peak kobe/shaq for a ring with 28/12/5 and goat D .. that game is played on both sides and duncan was elite in both of them.

Can you say bird's slightly better offensive game is more important than duncan locking the paint?

[swagga]

As a side-note, Chamberlain is the ONLY player to have ever led the NBA in scoring and rebounding in the same season....which he accomplished....FIVE times.

Not only that, but Wilt also led the NBA in scoring, rebounding, and FG% in the same season...THREE times.

Or how about Rebounding and FG% in the same season? EIGHT times.

Or how about this one... Rebounding, FG%, and Assists? Yep....ONLY Wilt.

lol playing for stats and not having time/interest to come to team practice in order to give your fellow HOF teammates a chance to properly prepare for winning games. Professionalism 101.

[swagga]

You mean the regular season which is comprised of 80-82 games, as compared to a post-season, which cane be as few as three games?

BTW, Wilt was only statistically outplayed in ONE of his 29 post-season series by an opposing center, most all of whom were in the HOF, but even in that, he was hailed as having DECISIVELY outplayed Kareem.

Wilt=GOAT

basketball = 5 guys playing to win something not 1 guy playing for stats. Imo wilt would of better stayed with the globetrotters. He'd probably be less salty too. Lol even kareem called him out wilt chumperlane :lol

[T_L_P]

how can you say peak bird > peak duncan. Duncan went through prime/peak kobe/shaq for a ring with 28/12/5 and goat D .. that game is played on both sides and duncan was elite in both of them.

Can you say bird's slightly better offensive game is more important than duncan locking the paint?

:cheers:

My personal top 5 peaks are (in no order): Jordan, Shaq, Kareem, Hakeem and Duncan or LeBron.

[LAZERUSS]

lol playing for stats and not having time/interest to come to team practice in order to give your fellow HOF teammates a chance to properly prepare for winning games. Professionalism 101.

Oh, you mean in his 65-66 playoff series, and in which he put up a 28 ppg-30 rpg-.509 FG% series against Russell, including a clinching game performance of 46 points, on 19-34 from the field, and with 34 rebounds...and in a series in which his fellow "HOF" teammates collectively shot .352 from the field?

GTFO

[Spurs5Rings2014]

how can you say peak bird > peak duncan. Duncan went through prime/peak kobe/shaq for a ring with 28/12/5 and goat D .. that game is played on both sides and duncan was elite in both of them.

Can you say bird's slightly better offensive game is more important than duncan locking the paint?

:applause:

[LAZERUSS]

basketball = 5 guys playing to win something not 1 guy playing for stats. Imo wilt would of better stayed with the globetrotters. He'd probably be less salty too. Lol even kareem called him out wilt chumperlane :lol

Yep...like Wilt single-handedly taking his '65 Sixers, which went 40-40, and which had gone 34-46 the year before he arrived...past the 48-32 Royals in the first round, and then to a game seven, one point loss against the 62-18 Celtics, in a series in which he averaged 30 ppg, 32 rpg, and shot .555 from the field (and in fact, just destroyed Russell in EVERY aspect of the game)?

Find me another "GOAT" who ever accomplished that.

Of course, Chamberlain also led two teams to records of 68-13 and 69-13, and two dominating world titles, as well. In one of those, they wiped out the eight time defending (and 61-21) Celtics, and in the other they beat the defending champion (and 63-19) Bucks, who were being hailed as the next great dynasty after their overwhelming title run in '71.

Wilt=GOAT

[LAZERUSS]

basketball = 5 guys playing to win something not 1 guy playing for stats. Imo wilt would of better stayed with the globetrotters. He'd probably be less salty too. Lol even kareem called him out wilt chumperlane :lol

BTW, a PEAK Kareem played FOUR years IN the Wilt era, and yet, a way-past-his-prime Wilt went to THREE Finals, while KAJ only went to ONE in that span. Furthermore, while Wilt's teams were losing seven times to the greatest dynasty in the history of the NBA, and then to the HOF-laden Knicks in '70 and '73, and to KAJ's 66-16 Bucks in '71...

A PRIME Kareem, in the first ten years of his career, went to TWO Finals, won ONE ring, and lost in the first round TWICE to teams that went 47-35, and lost in other series to teams that went 49-33 and 50-32...and didn't even make the playoffs in two more.

BTW, here was Kareem's letter to Scottie Pippen in 2011...


How Soon They Forget: An Open Letter to Scottie Pippen

Dear Scottie,

I have nothing but respect for you my friend as an athlete and knowledgeable basketball mind. But you are way off in your assessment of who is the greatest player of all time and the greatest scorer of all time. Your comments are off because of your limited perspective. You obviously never saw Wilt Chamberlain play who undoubtedly was the greatest scorer this game has ever known. When did MJ ever average 50.4 points per game plus 25.7 rebounds? (Wilt in the 1962 season when blocked shot statistics were not kept). We will never accurately know how many shots Wilt blocked. Oh, by the way in 1967 and 68, Wilt was a league leader in assists. Did MJ ever score 100 points in a game? How many times did MJ score more than 60 points in a game? MJ led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons for 10 years but he did this in an NBA that eventually expanded into 30 teams vs. when Wilt played and there were only 8 teams.

Every team had the opportunity to amass a solid nucleus. Only the cream of the basketball world got to play then. So MJ has to be appraised in perspective. His incredible athletic ability, charisma and leadership on the court helped to make basketball popular around the world -- no question about that. But in terms of greatness, MJ has to take a backseat to The Stilt.


Again, from your boy Kareem...

[Warfan]

I certainly think peak Kareem gets overlooked, not often do you see him mentioned in the top 5. Greatest peak ive seen was Mj followed by Shaq.

I think Wilt certainly has a case. LAZ would you say 67 Wilt was his peak? Or was it an earlier season when he was dominating more w/ his scoring?

[LAZERUSS]

I certainly think peak Kareem gets overlooked, rarely mentioned in the top 5. Greatest peak ive seen was Mj followed by Shaq.

I think Wilt certainly has a case. LAZ would you say 67 Wilt was his peak? Or was it an earlier season when he was dominating more w/ his scoring?

His 65-66 thru 67-68 seasons were his greatest. Not only did he lead his team's to the best record in the league in each of those seasons, he also just CRUSHED ALL of his opposing HOF centers in that span (Bellamy, Thurmond, and Russell....and you could also include his obliteration of Reed in '65, when Willis was a center.)

[LAZERUSS]

I certainly think peak Kareem gets overlooked, not often do you see him mentioned in the top 5. Greatest peak ive seen was Mj followed by Shaq.

I think Wilt certainly has a case. LAZ would you say 67 Wilt was his peak? Or was it an earlier season when he was dominating more w/ his scoring?

I honestly believe KAJ's run from '70 thru '72 was the second greatest peak three-year run in NBA history,..behind Wilt's from '66 thru '68.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Top5 peaks of all-time (no particular order):

Shaq
Kareem
MJ
Bird
Wilt

[Nash]

so how do I get Kobe included in all of these stats?

[dubeta]

Look at LeBron's 2009 playoffs if you wanna see the GOAT peak

35/9/7 on 51% shooting

[Marchesk]

so how do I get Kobe included in all of these stats?

You have to get creative, I think. Kenneth should know how to do it.

[T_L_P]

You have to get creative, I think. Kenneth should know how to do it.

Kobe had the worst second option in NBA history because he's the lowest on the all-time list

it doesn't matter that he had more Win Shares on the b2b teams or averaged 20/11 on 56% shooting, because all-time he's not very good

40 ppg for a whole month makes him the mvp of the season

9 all defensive first teams. second don't count. goat defender

averaged 25 ppg for a career even though he started on the bench. golly

only player who could work with shaq. goat

[DJ Leon Smith]

When cut-off is 10 games:
http://i60.tinypic.com/fvuvf5.png

Steve Kerr > MJ :applause:

Do LeBron/Kobe have any winning records without arbitrary cutoffs?

Waiting...

Waiting......

Waiting...........

:facepalm :roll: :rockon:

http://oi59.tinypic.com/t5gep0.jpg

[LAZERUSS]

When cut-off is 10 games:
http://i60.tinypic.com/fvuvf5.png

Steve Kerr > MJ :applause:

The stats don't lie. A 37 year old Kerr, playing 5 mpg, is among the top performers of all-time.

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Kvnzhangyay]

Why is Hakeem not up there? Granted his peak was strangely short ( I noticeably remember watching him be MUCH worse even 95-96 when he averaged i think 19/10?), but I always include Hakeem in GOAT peak talks

[miles berg]

Jordan
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Bird

[fpliii]

My top 7 peaks are Bird, MJ, and the 5 GOAT centers in some order. Maybe I'm underrating current players (Kobe, KG, Timmy, LeBron, Dirk) though.

[SamuraiSWISH]

My top 7 peaks are Bird, MJ, and the 5 GOAT centers in some order. Maybe I'm underrating current players (Kobe, KG, Timmy, LeBron, Dirk) though.
That I've seen in context?

'92 MJ
2000 Shaq
'95 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2012 LeBron

[fpliii]

That I've seen in context?

'92 MJ
2000 Shaq
'95 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2012 LeBron
That I've seen (started watching in 92-93), Shaq and Hakeem stand alone. Missed MJ's peak though, but he was terrific. Maybe better than any other wing, even past his peak.

[elementally morale]

That I've seen in context?

'92 MJ
2000 Shaq
'95 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2012 LeBron


Good list, but I think if you were older you'd have to put Bird and Magic there, too. Thus you'd have the same list as I do.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Good list, but I think if you were older you'd have to put Bird and Magic there, too. Thus you'd have the same list as I do.
Yea, probably. I've seen many of their games on tape however. But you're generally wrong when it comes to rating Jordan. You overly favor Laker and Celtics players. MJ had a higher peak than Bird, and certainly higher than Magic.

[elementally morale]

Yea, probably. But you're generally wrong. You overly favor Laker and Celtics players. MJ had a higher peak than Bird.

Debatable. 2000 Shaq though... that's something else.

At any rate, it all comes down to personal preference after a while. I saw whole games when I didn't really believe what I was watching. Magic had some of those games. Bird. MJ. Shaq. Hakeem. Kobe (but never maintained for more than a month or two). LeBron (though I don't really enjoy watching his game). Nash, most certainly. Vince Carter. Iverson. T-Mac for 2-3 years. Peak Barkley. There were some others I must be forgetting.

These lists are getting rather long after almost 35 years of watching.

[bizil]

It can be hard to compare perimeter and bigs so I'm gonna split mine up:

Perimeter:

MJ
Kobe
Lebron
Magic
Bird

Bigs:

Wilt
Kareem
Shaq
Hakeem
Barkley

[mehyaM24]

tier 1:
lebron/kareem

teir 2:
jordan/duncan/west

kareem is interchangeable with jordan, but era (lack of swingmen and expansion in the 90s etc) has to be taken into account. for comparisons sake, kareem was battling giants and multiple HOF centers.

lebron is an easy choice, obviously. dude has the all-around game, essentially a suped up scottie pippen with greater intangibles.

[CavaliersFTW]

Wilt Chamberlain's peak shits on all of them, sorry.

[mehyaM24]

Wilt Chamberlain's peak shits on all of them, sorry.

as much as i think wilt is overrated, he belongs in my tier #1. BOTH he and kareem H2H = battle of the titans

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Why is Hakeem not up there? Granted his peak was strangely short ( I noticeably remember watching him be MUCH worse even 95-96 when he averaged i think 19/10?), but I always include Hakeem in GOAT peak talks

Hakeem's peak is def underrated. Peak Shaq vs Hakeem is Ali and Frazier for me.

[DatAsh]

It's hard to imagine anyone being better than peak Wilt. Wilt at his peak was as good a defender as Bill Russell. I just don't see anyone else having that kind of combined offensive and defensive impact.

Shaq would be my number 2.

[LAZERUSS]

Hakeem's peak is def underrated. Peak Shaq vs Hakeem is Ali and Frazier for me.

More like Foreman and Frazier. A 22 year old Shaq outplayed a PEAK Hakeem. And over the course of their career H2H's, he wiped the floor with Olajuwon. And no one ever brings up their '99 playoff H2H, when a PEAK Shaq just abused Hakeem.

[LAZERUSS]

It's hard to imagine anyone being better than peak Wilt. Wilt at his peak was as good a defender as Bill Russell. I just don't see anyone else having that kind of combined offensive and defensive impact.

Shaq would be my number 2.

:applause:

From 65-66 thru 67-68, Chamberlain simply CRUSHED the ENTIRE NBA. He could lead the league in scoring, rebounding, and FG%, and even in assists. He was capable of 68 point games, 18-18 FG/FGA games, 20-20-20 games, 53-32-14 games, 42 rebound games, and estimated games of 20+ blocked shots (and a KNOWN 23 block game in 1968.) He led his team to the best record in the league all three seasons, and a dominating title season in '67. And he SLAUGHTERED the likes of Bellamy, Thurmond, and even Russell in his H2H's in that period, as well.

Shaq from 2000-2002, or KAJ from 1970-1972 would be my next picks...