PDA

View Full Version : The 10 Best NBA peaks since 1977 ~ Thinking Basketball



Micku
04-30-2021, 04:56 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzzlvnncLOQ


Forgive me if it's been posted already.

His top ten are:
1. Michael Jordan
2. LeBron James
3. Shaquille O'Neal
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. Larry Bird
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
7. Stephen Curry
8. Kevin Garnett
9. Tim Duncan
10. Magic Johnson

Wilt and Russell aren't included cuz there aren't as much data or tapes to really analysis in depth.

Here is imo
MJ and LBJ:

He was back and forward with it. But his reasoning for picking MJ over LBJ was because of his versatility and he thinks that he is able to fit in more teams while LBJ has to be the main engine to get it going. And LBJ would enhance a team better with role players than MJ, but MJ could do more with a star. Which I think so. And I always thought that, and it's pretty much shown in both of their careers. MJ has more versatility in how he played the game. He could run point, play off the ball, play in the pass, and is a very underrated passer. His gravity is pretty much too. LBJ is better at running point than MJ, is one of the best at running the offense in general. But it's more strict than Magic as he requires more 3 and d guys. More spacing for his. But it works so well.

He thinks that LBJ in 12-13 better defensively than MJ in 89-91. I dunno if I would agree flat out, but LBJ did provide better rim protection. MJ had a better motor on defense to me and is a better help defender. While he did gamble for steals and the passing lane, from the games that I watched, he was probably the best ever at it. He was quick enough to disrupt it and get back. LBJ size and versatility was better. His huge frame and quick feet allowed him to guard quicker guards like Tony Parker and D.Rose. While they were quicker, his size and frame bothered them. I don't think LBJ could guard the 5 as much, but with small ball, he could like Roy Hibbert when he was feasting on the Heat or Dwight Howard, Bynum and players like that. But if they played small ball, he was able to guard the 5. And he is a very good rim protector. He could guard 1-4 imo.

Both of them are extremely valued to their teams with both offensively and defensively. Showed some of the best stats in +/- and pretty much 1 or 2 in almost all advance stats. Although you shouldn't compare them across eras, it shows that they were among the best at a historic lvl in respect to their era. So, it's pretty much no wonder they are constantly compared and consider to be the GOAT. To me it's better to put them in tiers of their own, but whatever. If you put a gun to my head and tell my choice, I would put MJ due to the same reason and his superior motor.

3 and 4
Shaq and Hakeem

Shaq is better offensively period. Imo, I think he is up there with MJ and LeBron in that aspect. Had the potential to better. While the stats with MJ and LBJ are better, in this case, for me it's due to the eye test. The defensive attention they gave to Shaq was something I haven't really seen. Maybe with the exception of Curry or how the Pistons defended MJ in the 80s. But Shaq dealt with it constantly. They would throw the whole team after him and it didn't matter. He was so good, they changed the rules to limit him. In comparison, with Curry and his impact, they changed the rules to make it easier. We haven't seen that since Wilt where they changed the rules to limit his dominance. There could be a separate thread on how Shaq changed the rules so much that it shaped the modern nba.

Defensively tho, this is where it change. While Shaq was a good rim protector due to his intimidation like Ben said, he struggles in the pick and roll. Very reluctant to go out and guard the perimeter. Wade joked about it too on inside the nba at how Shaq would just sag and gave him room to shoot. It's part of the reason why they had so much struggle with the Kings too when Bibby was on fire. And with Hakeem you won't have that at all. He was quick foot enough to keep up with guards. He is a contender for the best rim protector period. And he could bang with the big boys of course. His hands are also quick, and he could get steals.

Hakeem got multiple ways and moves in order to score. Skill wise with post moves, he and Mchale are the best at it. He wasn't as good as a passer as Shaq, but he was decent enough in his peak to spot the open guys if he had shooters and if they double. In this case, you would have to see what you prefer the most. With Hakeem you get both offense and with an almost goat lvl defense. With Shaq you get goat lvl dominance offense and solid rim protection.


With the rest of the list, I'm like whatever with. Tho I'm shocked that KG is above Tim Duncan. Kareem probably should be higher along league of Shaq/Hakeem imo from what I saw. Magic/Curry is a bit tricky. Just like Magic, Curry 16 is in contention of the best offensive display I seen. However, it is easier to stop his shooting with teams with a better defense than Magic and his playmaking. Like how Curry is what his shooting, Magic was with his passing. Magic controlled the pace better too. And I think his peak was a bit better due to this and his shot selection. But I understand the reasoning tho. He wasn't a fan of Magic's defense.

I thought KD got the snub here. Like in my heart of hearts, I believe at his peak, (could be still peaking now) he is better than Curry at his peak. Like it's harder to stop KD than it is Curry. However how they impact the game is different. Curry's gravity is bigger than KD I would say. Thus contributed more with the GSW offense in the rs if I were to say. KD is a better scorer and better defender and thus is further emphasis in the playoffs, which I believe KD's play is more important.

I believe Barkley kind'a got snubbed too tho. His peak year was a offensive marvel.

What do you guys think? I think his vid series is probably among the best basketball vids on youtube.

Spain_
04-30-2021, 05:17 AM
Wilt and Russell aren't included cuz there aren't as much data or tapes to really analysis in depth.

[/QUOTE]

As great as Wilt and Russell were, I think they are quite overrated in terms of their era, the more I read and watch about the period the more convinced I am that Baylor, West and Pettit and Oscar were just as good, but suffered from:

A) Not playing in stacked superteams like Russell did.
B) Not having absurd numbers due to the insane usage rate Wilt had, resulting in godly numbers.

Wilt in particular I get the sense I would have disliked if I was around at the time, I dont like chuckers and ballhogs that chase stats, which I very obvious to me that Wilt did.
For as great as Wilt was, his playstyle didnt result to the level of winning you would want for someone thats supposed to be in the GOAT conversation.
In many ways, I think Pettit had an equal or better career.

Micku
04-30-2021, 07:13 AM
As great as Wilt and Russell were, I think they are quite overrated in terms of their era, the more I read and watch about the period the more convinced I am that Baylor, West and Pettit and Oscar were just as good, but suffered from:

A) Not playing in stacked superteams like Russell did.
B) Not having absurd numbers due to the insane usage rate Wilt had, resulting in godly numbers.

Wilt in particular I get the sense I would have disliked if I was around at the time, I dont like chuckers and ballhogs that chase stats, which I very obvious to me that Wilt did.
For as great as Wilt was, his playstyle didnt result to the level of winning you would want for someone thats supposed to be in the GOAT conversation.
In many ways, I think Pettit had an equal or better career.

It's more GOATs peaks than goat careers.

From what I read, Wilt definitely went for the records. Sometimes his team encourage him tho. But he did try to win. He sacrifice his stats in order to win later on. But it's also off the influence of how Bill Russell played. In that time, Oscar had similar criticism if I can recall. I could be wrong, but Bob Cousy wanted to play again to show Oscar and the rest of the team how to play, but he was old and it didn't work out.


I did forget to mention Kobe. I feel he in terms of skill he is definitely up there with MJ. With advance numbers, it was never friendly with him. And I'm not referring to historical numbers like across eras, but in his own era. I still feel he probably got snubbed too. Although it's hard to quantify. At least in Ben's criteria. So I would get it if he isn't on the top 10 of his list. Even at his peak.