Does Moses Malone get overlooked in the all-time great centers discussions?

[pandiani17]

We always hear about Kareem, Wilt, Russell or Shaq when talking about the best centers to ever play in the league. Most fans call that the 1st tier of the greatest C's of all-time. However, I think the name of Moses Malone is not brought up as often as it should in this conversation. After all, he was MVP of the league three times, won a championship in 1983 and was in the finals with the Rockets before that. Where do you guys rank him (especially those who saw him play)? Is he the best 5th center in the history of the league? Better than Hakeem, Willis Reed and others I might be forgetting? Stats, achievements and awards tell me so, but I would like to hear older and wiser posters' opinions.

[John8204]

We always hear about Kareem, Wilt, Russell or Shaq when talking about the best centers to ever play in the league. Most fans call that the 1st tier of the greatest C's of all-time. However, I think the name of Moses Malone is not brought up as often as it should in this conversation. After all, he was MVP of the league three times, won a championship in 1983 and was in the finals with the Rockets before that. Where do you guys rank him (especially those who saw him play)? Is he the best 5th center in the history of the league? Better than Hakeem, Willis Reed and others I might be forgetting? Stats, achievements and awards tell me so, but I would like to hear older and wiser posters' opinions.

The two guys that you are really missing from the all-time discussion are George Mikan and David Robinson. Robinson led the league in blocks, rebounding, and scoring before moving onto becoming a solid teammate. Mikan you don't have an NBA without Mikan he was one of the most efficient scorers and dominant players in the league. And while he was the best player he was also the commissioner of sorts in that he was the guy promoting the league everywhere they went.

As for Moses Malone he is underrated I'd rank him ahead of Hakeem, Shaq, and Robinson. He was a dominant big who was in great shape, he would scrum under the boards for the game. He might not make the first shot but he would get the second or third shot.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0pGQxpSLM8

Notice who Moses is pushing around...Bird, Parish, and McHale

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/malonmo01.html
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealsh01.html

For me he was better than Shaq, because he was in shape he played more games during a season, because he worked harder he could hit free throws.

[1987_Lakers]

He's usually regarded as the 6th best center ever.

The problem with Moses is he was kinda one dimensional when you compare him to the other greats. All-time great rebounder & could score, but his defense wasn't always well regarded & was a black hole on offense.

[iamgine]

Moses are usually ranked around top 15 all time. Behind Wilt, Russ, Shaq, Hakeem, Kareem.

I don't think you can ask for better than that. Moses only won 1 with a stacked team while the rest of them won more.

[pandiani17]

Thank you for the answers.:applause:

[Yeezy]

you would think moses would be ranked ahead of guys like kobe and shaq. he has 3 times as many league mvps

according to lebron fans that is what makes guys legends


meanwhile


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWGXKA0I_Q

:lol

[Yeezy]

He's usually regarded as the 6th best center ever.

The problem with Moses is he was kinda one dimensional when you compare him to the other greats. All-time great rebounder & could score, but his defense wasn't always well regarded & was a black hole on offense.

after moses the next best center is robinson.. then ewing? lol.. its not a very deep class


jokic might pass moses next year for 6th all time

[Xiao Yao You]

Moses are usually ranked around top 15 all time. Behind Wilt, Russ, Shaq, Hakeem, Kareem.

I don't think you can ask for better than that. Moses only won 1 with a stacked team while the rest of them won more.

the best player in the league on one of the greatest teams ever. Probably the most dominant team I saw in the past 40 + years

[Axe]

Not as prominent as the other great centers but still hof-worthy.

[John8204]

after moses the next best center is robinson.. then ewing? lol.. its not a very deep class


jokic might pass moses next year for 6th all time

For me looking at centers it's classes of five
Tier 1 - Wilt, KAJ, BIll, Mikan, Moses
Tier 2 - Hakeem, Shaq, Admiral, Thurmond, Reed
Tier 3 - Ewing, Jokic, Hayes, Walton, Schayes
Tier 4 - Embiid, Gilmore, Cowens, Unseld, McAdoo
Tier 5 - Parish, Mutombo, Howard, Issel, Laimbeer

[Yeezy]

For me looking at centers it's classes of five
Tier 1 - Wilt, KAJ, BIll, Mikan, Moses
Tier 2 - Hakeem, Shaq, Admiral, Thurmond, Reed
Tier 3 - Ewing, Jokic, Hayes, Walton, Schayes
Tier 4 - Embiid, Gilmore, Cowens, Unseld, McAdoo
Tier 5 - Parish, Mutombo, Howard, Issel, Laimbeer

lol

[John8204]

lol

Moses - 9th in Points, 3rd in Rebounds
Hakeem - 14th in Points, 15th in Rebounds
Shaq 10th in points, 16th in Rebounds

[Yeezy]

Moses - 9th in Points, 3rd in Rebounds
Hakeem - 14th in Points, 15th in Rebounds
Shaq 10th in points, 16th in Rebounds

so.... Karl malone > Michael jordan

:lol

[90sgoat]

For some reason, there doesn't seem to be much video of him playing at, same as Big O.

Did he piss off the owners or league?

[John8204]

so.... Karl malone > Michael jordan

:lol

5 vs 3 isn't really that big of a difference especially when looking at Jordan having more steals, assists, PPG, and MVP's. Also different positions

[Yeezy]

5 vs 3 isn't really that big of a difference especially when looking at Jordan having more steals, assists, PPG, and MVP's. Also different positions

Kobe has more points, rebounds and assists than Jordan. is he better

[John8204]

Kobe has more points, rebounds and assists than Jordan. is he better

It's a great point for why Kobe is the #2 at the position but Jordan has more points, rebounds, and assists per game. Also Moses has all-time rankings top ten and top five to me that's important

[Yeezy]

It's a great point for why Kobe is the #2 at the position but Jordan has more points, rebounds, and assists per game. Also Moses has all-time rankings top ten and top five to me that's important

I see you're flip flopping from totals to averages. Moses averaged 20ppg for his career. that sucks ass for an all time great

[ShawkFactory]

Best rebounder of all time.

He was that dude no one wanted to wake up and play. An absolute load to deal with. Playing against Moses was a whole thing.

[John8204]

I see you're flip flopping from totals to averages. Moses averaged 20ppg for his career. that sucks ass for an all time great

Lot of guys at center that haven't hit 20PPG including Jokic how many guys are top ten/top five in major categories?

John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Chris Paul and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

[kawhileonard2]

We always hear about Kareem, Wilt, Russell or Shaq when talking about the best centers to ever play in the league. Most fans call that the 1st tier of the greatest C's of all-time. However, I think the name of Moses Malone is not brought up as often as it should in this conversation. After all, he was MVP of the league three times, won a championship in 1983 and was in the finals with the Rockets before that. Where do you guys rank him (especially those who saw him play)? Is he the best 5th center in the history of the league? Better than Hakeem, Willis Reed and others I might be forgetting? Stats, achievements and awards tell me so, but I would like to hear older and wiser posters' opinions.

He does and he beat Kareem twice and once without HCA.