Prime Oscar Robertson with Kareem in the 1970's??

[Lebron23]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/96/15/d6/9615d6122186f8e65ad7621478079068.jpg


http://images3.makefive.com/images/sports/team/top-5-nba-basketball-1-2-punches/lew-alcindor-and-oscar-robertson-7.jpg

How many NBA titles? I think these duo are capable of winning at least 6 NBA titles in the 1970's.

[Marchesk]

Oscar would be ranked where Magic is now, if not higher. Let's say Kareem still goes to play with Magic in the 80s and ends up with at least 10 rings.

MJ probably wouldn't be majority GOAT.

Magic is rated higher than Oscar because he started out with Kareem instead of ending with him.

[Lebron23]

Prime Oscar was a good playoffs performer.

[Roundball_Rock]

Oscar would be ranked where Magic is now, if not higher. Let's say Kareem still goes to play with Magic in the 80s and ends up with at least 10 rings.

MJ probably wouldn't be majority GOAT.

Magic is rated higher than Oscar because he started out with Kareem instead of ending with him.

Good points. It is a shame KAJ spent most of his prime--including his peak years--without a good "supporting cast" around him and that he narrowly lost in 74' with Oscar on his last legs. Basically the only argument you see against KAJ as GOAT is he did not win "enough" rings as the best player on his team--something that KAJ vividly illustrated is based to a large degree on circumstances beyond a player's control. Would KAJ have been a better player if he had 8 rings instead of 6 or 5 rings as the best player versus 6?

[LAZERUSS]

Both healthy every year in the 70's...

likely every ring.

[Roundball_Rock]

Both healthy every year in the 70's...

likely every ring.

What is your top 5 all-time? I know who you have first but I am curious who you have at positions 2-5.

[LAZERUSS]

What is your top 5 all-time? I know who you have first but I am curious who you have at positions 2-5.

It changes in order from time-to-time, but my Top-5 has remained the same for years...

Wilt
MJ
Magic
Kareem
Russell

In terms of peak...

Wilt and KAJ are very close.

[Roundball_Rock]

It changes in order from time-to-time, but my Top-5 has remained the same for years...

Wilt
MJ
Magic
Kareem
Russell

In terms of peak...

Wilt and KAJ are very close.

Thanks. How would you rank the top 5 peaks and where would Shaq fall on that list?

[LAZERUSS]

Thanks. How would you rank the top 5 peaks and where would Shaq fall on that list?

Peaks are tough, but Shaq is definitely Top-5.

Probably

Wilt
KAJ
MJ
Shaq
Bird

Your turn...

[kshutts1]

It changes in order from time-to-time, but my Top-5 has remained the same for years...

Wilt
MJ
Magic
Kareem
Russell

In terms of peak...

Wilt and KAJ are very close.
Why Magic ahead of Bird? Most of what I read says that Bird was often considered the better player during their day.

[LAZERUSS]

Why Magic ahead of Bird? Most of what I read says that Bird was often considered the better player during their day.

Compare peaks...

Bird from '84-86 has a slight edge over Magic's from '87-'89.

7 year primes...

Magic from '85 to '91 has edge over Bird's from '82-'88

Careers...

Basically Magic's entire career was his prime...

Magic from '80 thru '91 easily over Bird's from '80-'92. Bird was basically done after '88.

Furthermore, Magic was a better post-season player, and had a much better post-season resume.

In terms of yearly post-seasons...

Bird in '81 (and he was nothing to write home about), '84, and '86.

Magic in '80, '82, '83, '85, '87, '88, '89, '90, and '91.


Magic, and by a pretty solid margin.

[Roundball_Rock]

Peaks are tough, but Shaq is definitely Top-5.

Probably

Wilt
KAJ
MJ
Shaq
Bird

Your turn...

Good list. I would go with:

1) Wilt
2) Shaq
3) KAJ
4) MJ
5) LeBron

[mehyaM24]

Good list. I would go with:

1) Wilt
2) Shaq
3) KAJ
4) MJ
5) LeBron
i would switch wilt with shaq because of postseason play & the fact we have more game tape of his - but a solid list overall. i feel mj & lebron are interchangeable, but you cannot deny that jordan was the best player on the best team during his peak. so cant really argue there.

but yea.. along with hakeem, shaq brought a championship pedigree back to the big man after guards had been dominating the league.

[CP343]

That would likely have put Kareem over Jordan in the minds of many more.

[colts19]

It changes in order from time-to-time, but my Top-5 has remained the same for years...

Wilt
MJ
Magic
Kareem
Russell

In terms of peak...

Wilt and KAJ are very close.

Nice list. Here's mine
Wilt, change Wilt and Russell teams and Wilt would have 11 maybe 12 rings.Wilt's only weakness was FT% same as Russell.

KAJ. Kareem won when he had another star player with him Big O past his prime and Magic. If he had another star player more often he would have won more rings.

Russell, I don't really think he is a top 10 talent. The thing is he couldn't have done anymore than he did 11 of 13 championships, so you just have to swallow hard and give him his Props.

Bird and Magic. Magic was just Magic but as you know I think if he had gone to the Celtic and Bird had gone to LA with Kareem, Bird would have won at least 7 rings. I not sure if Magic would have won any with the Celtic having to go thru the Sixers and then face LA with Bird and KAJ.

MJ, didn't win anything in the 80's when he faced great competition. Only won when he had the clearly best team in the 90's. He was a truly great player but circumstances favored him almost as much as they did Russell.

So my list is.
Wilt
KAJ
Russell
Bird
Magic
MJ

Guess that's a top Six. Yes I know I will get ripped for having MJ at 6. I just think when I was growing up the Center position was the most important and I have a hard time getting over that, thus my top 3 are centers.

[Helix]

Nice list. Here's mine
Wilt, change Wilt and Russell teams and Wilt would have 11 maybe 12 rings.Wilt's only weakness was FT% same as Russell.

KAJ. Kareem won when he had another star player with him Big O past his prime and Magic. If he had another star player more often he would have won more rings.

Russell, I don't really think he is a top 10 talent. The thing is he couldn't have done anymore than he did 11 of 13 championships, so you just have to swallow hard and give him his Props.

Bird and Magic. Magic was just Magic but as you know I think if he had gone to the Celtic and Bird had gone to LA with Kareem, Bird would have won at least 7 rings. I not sure if Magic would have won any with the Celtic having to go thru the Sixers and then face LA with Bird and KAJ.

MJ, didn't win anything in the 80's when he faced great competition. Only won when he had the clearly best team in the 90's. He was a truly great player but circumstances favored him almost as much as they did Russell.

So my list is.
Wilt
KAJ
Russell
Bird
Magic
MJ

Guess that's a top Six. Yes I know I will get ripped for having MJ at 6. I just think when I was growing up the Center position was the most important and I have a hard time getting over that, thus my top 3 are centers.


Per the bold Colts, I tend to agree with you.....at least to a point. Russell gets the lion's share of the credit for the Celtic dynasty and I don't agree with that......at all. Everybody always seems to forget a guy by the name of Auerbach.

I have the same top six as you, just a different order. Wilt and Jordan are the two greatest I've seen..........Wilt the greatest big man and Jordan the greatest "little" man. After that I have Kareem, then Bird and Magic tied for fourth, and Russell sixth. For what it's worth.

[GreggPopazit]

That would have been impressive.

[jlip]

Considering the Bucks went to two Finals, won 1, and went to a game 7 in the other during the four seasons that these two were together with Oscar being past his prime, I could see a prime Oscar and Kareem winning easily 5-7 titles between 1970- 1980.

[GimmeThat]

Per the bold Colts, I tend to agree with you.....at least to a point. Russell gets the lion's share of the credit for the Celtic dynasty and I don't agree with that......at all. Everybody always seems to forget a guy by the name of Auerbach.

I have the same top six as you, just a different order. Wilt and Jordan are the two greatest I've seen..........Wilt the greatest big man and Jordan the greatest "little" man. After that I have Kareem, then Bird and Magic tied for fourth, and Russell sixth. For what it's worth.


Had Russell only won 7 or 8 I think people would think that Russell at sixth may be considered proper

[32jazz]

Magic was just Magic but as you know I think if he had gone to the Celtic and Bird had gone to LA with Kareem, Bird would have won at least 7 rings. I not sure if Magic would have won any with the Celtic having to go thru the Sixers and then face LA with Bird and KAJ.

MJ, didn't win anything in the 80's when he faced great competition. Only won when he had the clearly best team in the 90's. He was a truly great player but circumstances favored him almost as much as they did Russell.



First I feel that Prime Kareem /Oscar could definitely been a dynasty in the 70's( 5 or more rings).

While I agree with your assessment of Russell/Jordan I disagree with the "Magic had Kareem" part & assessment of Bird(McHale & Parish were no slobs).


Like Oscar, Kareem was aging star & people seem to forget that KAJ was already 33 during the 1980 NBA Finals when he was at home for game 7 watching rookie Magic.


Kareem was never considered the greatest rebounder , but never averaged more than 10 after 81 & was basically out rebounded by Magic (his PG) every season of his career.


Kareem won the Finals MVP in 1985 after having an awful start to the series & he was 38 years old & probably could have gone out on top after 85(. KAJ was very pissed & wrote a petty "OPEN letter" to Wilt for saying that Kareem should have retired in 85').


The last 2 Lakers rings in 87/88 Kareem was sharing minutes with Mychal Thompson & good for 14/5 & 11/3 his final 2 playoff appearances & was playing as much for money during those years aged 39, 40,41 & 42.


Magic did have Kareem ,but lets not pretend it was 1970's Kareem . 33-42 years old Kareem owes a huge debt to Magic turning around his disappointing stint in L.A.

Top :

Magic
Wilt
MJ
Kareem

5)Bird/Shaq/Lebron