Building a Team: Dwight or Alonzo Mourning?

[necya]

can't believe all those teenagers
Howard never played with a PF, that's why his rebounds numbers are high.When Shaq played without Grant, he used to average more rebounds, as well as Robinson who saw his rebounding average down when he played with Rodman and up when he left.
Like Ewing who played his entire career with very good PF, Mourning played alongside nice rebounders who where LJ and then Brown.
don't stay focus on numbers please...we will see how Howard will play with Gasol and the Lakers if he can maintain his scoring and go for 14 rebound per game...
People really need to watch mid 90's basketball before dropping bullshit. as Kblaze said, Mourning came into the league with a good jumpshot and very nice move facing the basket. plus, he wasn't as lucky as Dwight meeting the legendary centers of the last 6 years.

[franchiez]

Dwight but Zo is the better person.

[FatComputerNerd]

Yeah he was mechanical. And no, "MUCH more" athletic? Are you kidding me? You either don't think that Dwight's athletic or think that Alonzo is the most athletic player to ever play the game.

Give me a break. A bunch of youtube videos doesn't teach you about a player.

You are probably too young to have seen 'Zo in his prime, or you didn't watch the vid of him I posted.

He was damn near as graceful as a ballerina, and was able to handle the ball and take people off the dribble.

Dwight is simply catch and dunk. He has far fewer post moves and far inferior athleticism or quickness than prime 'Zo did.

This is not debatable, and I expect any pro' bball analyst would agree with me.

[Carbine]

You are probably too young to have seen 'Zo in his prime, or you didn't watch the vid of him I posted.

He was damn near as graceful as a ballerina, and was able to handle the ball and take people off the dribble.

Dwight is simply catch and dunk. He has far fewer post moves and far inferior athleticism or quickness than prime 'Zo did, and this is not debatable.

I don't think you have seen Dwight for the past 3 years.

[FatComputerNerd]

Never mind the fact that 'Zo could also shoot the rock from the perimeter, and was also a better defender.

[FatComputerNerd]

I don't think you have seen Dwight for the past 3 years.

Dwight doesn't take people off the dribble or nail 18 footers with regularity.

[franchiez]

Never mind the fact that 'Zo could also shoot the rock from the perimeter, and was also a better defender.

Zo can shoot 3s?

[FatComputerNerd]

Zo can shoot 3s?

NBA Three-Point field goal arc radius: 23 feet 9 inches. I said 18 feet. My mistake on using the word perimeter.

But yea, he actually could here and there.

He would hit 15-18 footers w/ regularity though...often after taking his defender off the dribble.

[franchiez]

NBA Three-Point field goal arc radius: 23 feet 9 inches. I said 18 feet. My mistake on using the word perimeter.

But yea, he actually could here and there.

He would hit 15-18 footers w/ regularity though...often after taking his defender off the dribble.

Haha, ok

[FatComputerNerd]

I don't think you have seen Dwight for the past 3 years.

I know he has improved his post game, but 'Zo had far better footwork, and higher IQ, which is a factor.

'Zo was like a mini Hakeem in the post, and with his strength and athleticism there was no stopping him.

Howard on the other hand can be stopped.

[abuC]

Classic example of prior players getting overrated when compared to current players.

Dwight will get the respect eventually. He'll get his fair due being on a national and global team like the Lakers.

No, centers from the 90s are clearly better than the ones today, I don't see how it's overrating Zo to say he's better than Dwight. Their numbers are comparable even though Zo played against much better centers on a more consistent basis.

Who is the best center Dwight has played against, Yao?

[eliteballer]

You make it seem like Zo was playin Hakeem every night. There were just as many bums in the league then as there are now, the exception being that there were 4 or 5 superstar C's.

[blacknapalm]

I know he has improved his post game, but 'Zo had far better footwork, and higher IQ, which is a factor.

'Zo was like a mini Hakeem in the post, and with his strength and athleticism there was no stopping him.

Howard on the other hand can be stopped.

a mini hakeem? zo struggled immensely with double teams in his hornets days. his footwork and post game is nowhere near dream's. it just wasn't that refined. i also don't think many are going to argue that zo was more athletic than dwight.

he wasn't even the clear cut #1 option on that team with larry johnson around and that team failed to make it deep into the playoffs or have a top 5 defense.

in miami, hardaway was the #1 option until about 99-00. this is around the time that zo was getting more comfortable in the post and dealing with doubles much better. unfortunately, not long after is when his kidney issues arose

[abuC]

You make it seem like Zo was playin Hakeem every night. There were just as many bums in the league then as there are now, the exception being that there were 4 or 5 superstar C's.

Shaq/Hakeem/Robinson/Ewing



Then you had -

Rony Seikaly, Dino Radja, Elden Campbell, Vlade Divac, Brad Daughtery, Kevin Duckworth, Dikembe Mutumbo, Rik Smits and Kevin Willis.

He saw more 15-20ppg centers in one season than Dwight has seen in his career.

[eliteballer]

First off, those guys all NEVER simultaneously averaged "15-20 ppg" in the same season, so you're full of it on that one. Second:

Lets take a random look, guys who were worth a damn strictly off the stat sheet

95

Shaq
Hakeem
Drob
Ewing
Zo
Mutombo
Seikaly
Divac
Willis
Bradley
Polynice
Smits
Benjamin( )
Muresan
Montross( )
O Miller( )

2012

Dwight
Horford
Monroe
Lopez
Gortat
A Jefferson
Nene
M Gasol
Noah
Kaman
Bynum
Pekovic
McGee
D Jordan
Duncan
Hibbert
Chandler
Bogut
Cousins

Thats just about all of the guys who are mostly playing center who are worth a damn on the stat sheet. You take out the top 5 guys, and there is not a hell of a lot of difference, let alone night and day between depth and quality. You just got stiffs left on both ends. There's always been stiffs manning the majority of the center(starting and backup) spots in the league.

I mean you want to talk about 93

Atlanta - Willis legit
Philly - laughable
Boston - parish legit
New Jersey - laughable
Cleveland - Daugherty - star
Detroit - laughable
Clips - laughable
Seattle - laughable
NY - Ewing star
Chicago - laughable
Orlando - Star
San antonio - star
Minnesota - laughable
Milwaukee - laughable
Washington - legit for 49 games
Portland - laughable
Utah - Laughable
Phoenix - laughable
Indiana - Smits, 14/5. between laughable and legit
Denver - legit
Charlotte - star
Dallas - between legit and laughable
Sac - laughable
Houston - Star
Lakers - Divac, legit
Miami - Siekaly - legit
Golden State -laughable

So in a league of 27 teams, you've got half the league that is laughable.