Prime Pau vs Prime Amare

[TripleA]

Who you got.

[SouBeachTalents]

You obviously have to factor in Nash and the style of offense his team ran, but Amar'e had some monster playoff series. He dropped 29/13 against Dirk & the Mavs in '05, then absolutely shat on prime Duncan & the Spurs, AVERAGING 37 & 10 against one of the GOAT defensive players. One of the truly underrated series of the 2000's

[feyki]

Pau.

[Fire Colangelo]

In hindsight, everyone will pick Pau.

But prime Amare was a legit monster, and at the time most people will take him over Pau.

[Smoke117]

Probably Pau because he actually had fundamentals. Amare is, after all, the clown who was claiming how nobody ever taught him defense.

[IGOTGAME]

Very close. I'd go with Pau because I think I can fit him into more championship level teams as a second option. Amare never quite understood defensive rotations.

Amare was considered a better player at his peak than Pau tho. He had time as a top 5 player in the league in most people's minds

[Magic 32]

Peak vs Peak?

http://i26.tinypic.com/1zly8v7.jpg

[WayOfWade]

Amare, just cause I like to watch dunks

[DaOldLion]

Amare pretty easily. Both were average on defense but Amare was more versatile and explosive on offense. Pau never got close to putting up the numbers Amare did. 37/10 for an entire series, 30/11 for the playoffs that went to the WCF. 25ppg seasons. etc etc, Amare was better.

[toxicxr6]

Pau easily!!!


This is exactly what is wrong with people on this forum they only think of one side of the court.
While amare has an edge on the offensive end peak to peak
You can't even compare the defense... Amare was a retard on defense one of the worst in the league.. Pau was close to an elite defensive player in his peak

Give me gasol easily

[DaOldLion]

Pau easily!!!


This is exactly what is wrong with people on this forum they only think of one side of the court.
While amare has an edge on the offensive end peak to peak
You can't even compare the defense... Amare was a retard on defense one of the worst in the league.. Pau was close to an elite defensive player in his peak

Give me gasol easily

Never made the all nba defensive team in his entire career..

[toxicxr6]

Never made the all nba defensive team in his entire career..

NBA all defensive teams are for the elite defenders

I said he was close to elite.. Which he was

So gtfo

[DaOldLion]

NBA all defensive teams are for the elite defenders

I said he was close to elite.. Which he was

So gtfo


From 08-10 he received 1 vote for the all defensive team. 1 single vote.

to put that in perspective Udonis Haslem received 3 votes in 09, which would be more than Gasol received combined - from 08-10. For somebody who was supposedly close to being elite defensively, the coaches of the NBA sure didn't notice. He was an average defender, and at best pretty good for stretches.

[Cali Syndicate]

IDK, pre-injury Amare was a scoring machine around the basket. While Pau wont average 25ppg, he is definitely far more fundamentally sound and can fit in most if not all systems dude to his high IQ.

Both are pretty soft but I'd rather take Amare. Pre-injury Amare would wreck havoc on prime Gasol.

[Smoke117]

Never made the all nba defensive team in his entire career..

So? That doesn't change the fact that with his length he was one more effective defensive players in the league. He was much better than Amare ever was that's for sure.

[dubeta]

Pau was the best player on a championship team

Was Amare?

[Meticode]

Amar'e Stoudemire

Stoudemire had a higher peek than Pau Gasol in my eyes. While Gasol is obviously hte more fundamentally sound player, Amar'e Stoudemire was an athletic beast before his knees went out. If we're just speaking primes, Stoudemire's ability ot hit the jumper and finish around the basket is a closer gap to Gasol than Gasol's athleticism is to Stoudemire's.

There was a point where Stoudemire came to New York and they were rolling and he was in the MVP discussion. Then they acquired Carmelo Anthony and everything went to shit. Amar'e gets more people in those seats than Gasol.

[DaOldLion]

So? That doesn't change the fact that with his length he was one more effective defensive players in the league. He was much better than Amare ever was that's for sure.

Ok? Shawn Bradley had length too, does that make him a great defender? Pau was nothing more than average on defense throughout a season. Don't know why people are trying to act differently. As a post defender he wasn't very good, he got backed down easily, bit on pump fakes more times than not and gambled too much. He was good at blocking shots though.

Better than Amare ever was? Yeah, no. At Amare's peak he was an all nba first team forward putting up 25/12 in the playoffs. Pau never peaked that high. Amare was the leading scorer on teams that won 62 & 60 games while going deep into the playoffs.

Amare's best MVP finish was 6th place. He's finished top 10 in MVP voting 4 times while Pau Gasol has never even made the MVP ballot..

Amare was better than Pau

[The.Juice]

It's really close but I think I have to pick Gasol. Amare peaked higher and he was a better scorer. But he was a terrible defender and poor passer and average rebounder. Gasol was a better rebounder and defender and he had one of the highest basketball I.Q in the league. He also didn't have the injury problems Amare had in his career.

[toxicxr6]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fQAtOD9Bbhc


Anyone comparing amare's defense to pau's is retarded

Here is an example of amare's elite defense

[masonanddixon]

To start a franchise, Pau.

As second options, Pau is just slightly better.

[sammichoffate]

Amare, although Pau was very consistent during the championship years. His passing was awesome and he was the key to the Lakers' Triangle offense. Lotta ppl don't remember Pau putting up 25+ point games, but he was perfectly capable.

[supernova5912]

Amare was definitely better in his prime. He wasn't as bad a man defender as people made him out to be. He was a dominant scorer that put up 37/10 against prime Duncan in the playoffs. He declined once Melo came to the Knicks, then injuries ruines his career. Gasol has longevity on him forsure.

[Showtime2001]

Amare.

[plowking]

From 08-10 he received 1 vote for the all defensive team. 1 single vote.

to put that in perspective Udonis Haslem received 3 votes in 09, which would be more than Gasol received combined - from 08-10. For somebody who was supposedly close to being elite defensively, the coaches of the NBA sure didn't notice. He was an average defender, and at best pretty good for stretches.

To put it further into perspective, Pau Gasol is 5 times the defender Haslem ever was.

It is a completely different animal vying for positions on the defensive team as a center. I mean you had guys like Robinson, Hakeem and Dikembe battling out for defensive teams at the same time... Add Ewing and Shaq into the mix who both averages 3bpg during their prime too...

Same goes for Pau. Going against Garnett and Duncan, add in Howard, the most decorated defensive player of all time, and it is easy to see why he doesn't get votes in this era. It is all spread between 3 or 4 absolutely fantastic defenders at his spot.

[mehyaM24]

prime/career pau > amare, and i don't think its close

at their absolute peak though? give me amare. i have NEVER seen a player make duncan look like a statue on defense, like i did watching amare against the spurs back during the 05 wcf.

dude averaged something like 37 & 10, and was throwing down everything he caught near the basket on duncan. pau never reached that sort of peak

[DaOldLion]

To put it further into perspective, Pau Gasol is 5 times the defender Haslem ever was.

It is a completely different animal vying for positions on the defensive team as a center. I mean you had guys like Robinson, Hakeem and Dikembe battling out for defensive teams at the same time... Add Ewing and Shaq into the mix who both averages 3bpg during their prime too...

Same goes for Pau. Going against Garnett and Duncan, add in Howard, the most decorated defensive player of all time, and it is easy to see why he doesn't get votes in this era. It is all spread between 3 or 4 absolutely fantastic defenders at his spot.

Ok but you're using examples with Guys like Hakkem an Dikembe, those are DPOY level players who have won DPOY, and made numerous all nba defensive teams.

that's completely different, we are talking about a guy who has never made an all defensive team in his career. Not once. And when he was playing on one of the best teams in the league during his prime he wasn't receiving any votes for the all defensive team. He didn't just barely miss making these teams, he was never even close. Your Hakeem and Dikembe example is a year by year basis using two players who perennially made the all defensive teams and recieved numerous votes. This is an entire career of not only not making the teams, but not receiving any votes. It wasn't like he was tucked away in a small city on a bad team. He was showcasing his talents in front of the world on the most popular team (at the time) receiving. He received the grand total of 1 vote from 08-10. His defense was nothing more than average, not bad just average. He's never been close to making the all defensive team in his entire career.

[Kungfro]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fQAtOD9Bbhc


Anyone comparing amare's defense to pau's is retarded

Here is an example of amare's elite defense
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TreUzjXfGSo

[ShaqTwizzle]

pau never reached that sort of peak

Pau has had some great playoff series.
In 2010 against Denver he averaged 24 / 15 / 3-apg / 3-bpg on 69%TS

He also averaged 20 / 3-apg on 69%TS against Peak Duncan over the last 3 games of his 2004 playoff series when he was a 3rd year player on a crap team.

Peak for Peak I suppose one could argue that Amare was the better scorer but he had the perfect storm of playing in the Pringle's run & gun offense with a GOAT PG (Nash) and right when the rules were changed and contact with offensive players was practically forbidden (05-07).

So I am not sure he was even the better scorer Peak for Peak.
Prime for Prime he isn't and outside of scoring Pau was the better rebounder and a vastly superior passer & defender plus he was just a much more fundamentally sound player and had a much higher BBIQ on both ends.

Peak wise this "might" be debatable but Prime for Prime let alone Career for Career Pau craps all over Amare. Its not even remotely close.

Oh and Pau was a very good all around defender during his Prime and he was a borderline elite defender from 09-10 when he bulked up and was playing great m2m defense along with his typically excellent rim-protection and PnR/perimeter/rotational defense.
He frustrated multiple bigs from Dwight to Boozer and others.

[DaOldLion]

Pau has had some great playoff series.
In 2010 against Denver he averaged 24 / 15 / 3-apg / 3-bpg on 69%TS

He also averaged 20 / 3-apg on 69%TS against Peak Duncan over the last 3 games of his 2004 playoff series when he was a 3rd year player on a crap team.



Amare averaged 30/10 with 2 blocks during the playoffs where he made the WCF. Gasol was never the leading scorer of a team that even won a game in the playoffs, let alone made the conference finals.

[Nick Young]

The man with 2 NBA titles. Prime Amare could never play D and didn't work on the boards. Pau is a solid fundamental defender and is solid on the boards.

[Nick Young]

In hindsight, everyone will pick Pau.

But prime Amare was a legit monster, and at the time most people will take him over Pau.
Yes, a legit monster who couldn't play defense on a team that never was a true contender.


Why do Craptors fans always judge players so poorly?


PAU ALL DAY.

[Norcaliblunt]

I hate to say it but I rather have Pau over Amare. Offensivly Amare is a finisher ( one of the best ever ) with a decent jumper, but nothing else. He doesnt pass, create, or defend at all. After watching every single 05/06 Suns game, the year Amare was out with Boris Diaw at PF, I'm fairly confident that PHX would have been a better team with Pau and his size than with Amare.

[34-24 Footwork]

EASILY Amar'e.

Can't believe people REALLY don't remember him shitting on Duncan/Dirk consistently.

For Amar'e

Defense = Draw
Hustle>>>>>>>Pau
Versatility>>>>>>Pau
Strength>>>>>>Pau

For Pau

Defense = Draw
BBIQ>>>>>>>Amar'e
Passing>>>>>>Amar'e
Fundamentally>>>>Amar'e


But Pau was a better passer and better fundamentally than Shaq, yet no one says he's better than him

[Norcaliblunt]

Pau's size alone made him the much more affective defender.

[34-24 Footwork]

Pau's size alone made him the much more affective defender.

No one was talking about Pau in 2005/2006..let alone his "defense".

[dhsilv]

You obviously have to factor in Nash and the style of offense his team ran, but Amar'e had some monster playoff series. He dropped 29/13 against Dirk & the Mavs in '05, then absolutely shat on prime Duncan & the Spurs, AVERAGING 37 & 10 against one of the GOAT defensive players. One of the truly underrated series of the 2000's

Lets not also remember the spurs intentionally left him in single coverage that whole series and dared him to beat them....he did not do so.

[plowking]

No one was talking about Pau in 2005/2006..let alone his "defense".

Well that wasn't prime Pau was it?

He was miles better as a defender than Amare.

Saying it was a draw is absolutely ridiculous.

[mehyaM24]

Lets not also remember the spurs intentionally left him in single coverage that whole series and dared him to beat them....he did not do so.

single coverage against duncan, who he completely eviscerated. ssol or not, those numbers are praise-worthy.

that series is one of the most underrated of all-time.

[dhsilv]

single coverage against duncan, who he completely eviscerated. ssol or not, those numbers are praise-worthy.

that series is one of the most underrated of all-time.

Underrated by who? Has there EVER and I mean EVER been a guy who was a legit top 5 player in the league offensively who was left in single coverage for a whole series? I don't think you fully understand what that means. It should also be pointed out man on man defense for bigs is no really where they get evaluated and Duncan is certainly an all time great defender, but not an all time great man to man defender.

The bottom line is with single coverage Amare wasn't able to beat the spurs.

[mehyaM24]

Underrated by who? Has there EVER and I mean EVER been a guy who was a legit top 5 player in the league offensively who was left in single coverage for a whole series? I don't think you fully understand what that means. It should also be pointed out man on man defense for bigs is no really where they get evaluated and Duncan is certainly an all time great defender, but not an all time great man to man defender.

he didn't get doubled as much as duncan, but he was doubled quite a few possessions. i would also like to see some footage backing your claims.

since you have access to a bunch of game tape, you shouldn't have trouble digging through the "archives".

:cheers:


The bottom line is with single coverage Amare wasn't able to beat the spurs.

team game. the spurs as a TEAM were better. nothing takes away from the fact amare completely and utterly destroyed duncan on the offensive end.

[masonanddixon]

EASILY Amar'e.

Can't believe people REALLY don't remember him shitting on Duncan/Dirk consistently.

For Amar'e

Defense = Draw
Hustle>>>>>>>Pau
Versatility>>>>>>Pau
Strength>>>>>>Pau

For Pau

Defense = Draw
BBIQ>>>>>>>Amar'e
Passing>>>>>>Amar'e
Fundamentally>>>>Amar'e


But Pau was a better passer and better fundamentally than Shaq, yet no one says he's better than him


He never shit on Dirk.

[Mr. Jabbar]

I can't believe people point out gasols DEFENSE as a plus :lol , I don't care if its amare we're comparing to. Its in bad tatse

[CarlosBoozer]

I'll take amare, offensive monster.

[Akrazotile]

The guy who carried Kobe to two chips.

[dhsilv]

he didn't get doubled as much as duncan, but he was doubled quite a few possessions. i would also like to see some footage backing your claims.

since you have access to a bunch of game tape, you shouldn't have trouble digging through the "archives".

:cheers:



team game. the spurs as a TEAM were better. nothing takes away from the fact amare completely and utterly destroyed duncan on the offensive end.

I'm sure in any series you'll have SOME, it's known that the spurs wanted to make amare beat them. It was a strategy. Do you think any other elite offensive player would be left in single coverage?

[bdreason]

Gimme Pau. Greater defensive impact and infinitely more cerebral.