Top 50 All-Time List - Shot Clock Era = #41

[dankok8]

List

#1 - Michael Jordan
#2 - Lebron James
#3 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
#4 - Bill Russell
#5 - Wilt Chamberlain
#6 - Magic Johnson
#7 - Shaquille O'Neal
#8 - Tim Duncan
#9 - Larry Bird
#10 - Hakeem Olajuwon
#11 - Kobe Bryant
#12 - Stephen Curry
#13 - Oscar Robertson
#14 - Jerry West
#15 - Moses Malone
#16 - Julius Erving
#17 - Kevin Durant
#18 - Kevin Garnett
#19 - Karl Malone
#20 - Dirk Nowitzki
#21 - Charles Barkley
#22 - David Robinson
#23 - Dwyane Wade
#24 - Elgin Baylor
#25 - Scottie Pippen
#26 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
#27 - John Havlicek
#28 - Isiah Thomas
#29 - Bob Pettit
#30 - Chris Paul
#31 - Kawhi Leonard
#32 - Rick Barry
#33 - James Harden
#34 - Patrick Ewing
#35 - Bob Cousy
#36 - John Stockton
#37 - Jason Kidd
#38 - Steve Nash
#39 - Willis Reed
#40 - Walt Frazier
#41 - VOTING NOW

Top 50 Player Pool

For an updated player pool and vote breakdowns see the link (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ARaI3VCNauULLYL1Yu24HIRY768FYQdip56sp6uRFGk/edit?usp=sharing).

Everyone may post in this thread but only votes from serious contributors will be considered. Not everyone has to write an essay but there should be some justification or explanation and some coherent arguments being presented. I encourage people to be open-minded and willing to adjust their rankings in response to strong evidence. Debate and discussion is encouraged.

Opening Vote Tally

Allen Iverson - 11 (gonzaldo, Nike D'Antoni, Phoenix, francesco totti, LBJ, Lebron_James, ClipperRevival, Bankaii, L. Kizzle, Airupthere, kuniva_dAMiGhTy)
Russell Westbrook - 3 (OOO, imdaman99, ELITEpower23)
Kevin McHale - 1 (Round Mound)
Clyde Drexler - 1 (Reggie43)

[dankok8]

I have a tough time deciding between AI and Drexler...

[SouBeachTalents]

Iverson's gonna win this one, but I've got Drexler.

[fsvr54]

Bill Walton

[Phoenix]

Ok I'm a bit confused (apparently it happens easily nowadays). Both Iverson and Clyde reached the 10 vote cut-off last round. Since Clyde won via a tiebreaker poll, shouldn't Iverson be slotted into #41 and we move onto #42?

[dankok8]

Ok I'm a bit confused (apparently it happens easily nowadays). Both Iverson and Clyde reached the 10 vote cut-off last round. Since Clyde won via a tiebreaker poll, shouldn't Iverson be slotted into #41 and we move onto #42?

We still want a minimum of 20 total votes.

Anyways I'll go with Iverson after all. Before I wouldn't hesitate much and gone with AI relatively easily but recently I've come to appreciate Drexler more. Reaching two finals in that era is impressive despite the Blazers' great supporting cast. Clyde was just a monster in the open court, better passer than AI and more adept defensively because he was actually big enough to guard people. AI actually had decent effort on D but was a liability because of his size. AI's low efficiency even relative to league average (around -2 rTS in the playoffs) gives me pause. However putting it all together, I think Drexler's strengths on the break are somewhat easily neutralized in the playoffs. He was still a good slasher but just an ok ball handler, average jump shooter and had little post game. In other words, his scoring really wasn't resilient in the postseason. AI on the other hand was explosive. He'd have some bad games scoring 25 points on 30% shooting but he'd have some 40 point games on 50% shooting and in the latter his team was very likely to win. I have big respect for Clyde's intangibles too but at the end of the day I feel like AI was a bit more impactful around his peak which was 2005 and 2006. Iverson also has a few more accolades like All-NBA teams and yes that MVP in 2001. Then again AI wouldn't win that MVP if there was a 67-win team led by Michael Jordan.

[RRR3]

Iverson wasn’t better than Drexler. Drexler.

[Phoenix]

We still want a minimum of 20 total votes.

Anyways I'll go with Iverson after all. Before I wouldn't hesitate much and gone with AI relatively easily but recently I've come to appreciate Drexler more. Reaching two finals in that era is impressive despite the Blazers' great supporting cast. Clyde was just a monster in the open court, better passer than AI and more adept defensively because he was actually big enough to guard people. AI actually had decent effort on D but was a liability because of his size. AI's low efficiency even relative to league average (around -2 rTS in the playoffs) gives me pause. However putting it all together, I think Drexler's strengths on the break are somewhat easily neutralized in the playoffs. He was still a good slasher but just an ok ball handler, average jump shooter and had little post game. In other words, his scoring really wasn't resilient in the postseason. AI on the other hand was explosive. He'd have some bad games scoring 25 points on 30% shooting but he'd have some 40 point games on 50% shooting and in the latter his team was very likely to win. I have big respect for Clyde's intangibles too but at the end of the day I feel like AI was a bit more impactful around his peak which was 2005 and 2006. Iverson also has a few more accolades like All-NBA teams and yes that MVP in 2001. Then again AI wouldn't win that MVP if there was a 67-win team led by Michael Jordan.

Well, the starting vote count was 16 with Iverson having 11, so mathematically it's impossible for anyone else to win anyway if the minimum vote count is 20.

[RRR3]

Well, the starting vote count was 16 with Iverson having 11, so mathematically it's impossible for anyone else to win anyway if the minimum vote count is 20.
:lol

[dankok8]

Well, the starting vote count was 16 with Iverson having 11, so mathematically it's impossible for anyone else to win anyway if the minimum vote count is 20.

I agree that AI basically clinched it already at the start but it's still a rule to have at least 20 votes. All the other votes will pass on anyways speeding up the next thread...

[Phoenix]

I agree that AI basically clinched it already at the start but it's still a rule to have at least 20 votes. All the other votes will pass on anyways speeding up the next thread...

OK but it's kind of delaying the inevitable :confusedshrug:. Alas, its your show....

[SouBeachTalents]

I think we're at 20 votes now anyway

[dankok8]

Final Vote Tally

Allen Iverson - 12 (gonzaldo, Nike D'Antoni, Phoenix, francesco totti, LBJ, Lebron_James, ClipperRevival, Bankaii, L. Kizzle, Airupthere, kuniva_dAMiGhTy, dankok8)
Clyde Drexler - 3 (Reggie43, SouBeachTalents, RRR3)
Russell Westbrook - 3 (OOO, imdaman99, ELITEpower23)
Kevin McHale - 1 (Round Mound)
Bill Walton - 1 (fsvr54)

AI wins.