Can somebody please explain why Russell is a GOAT and Rodman isn't?

[LAZERUSS]

@TheMan...

How many playoff series did Rodman ever lead his team in points or assists?

Exactly.

How many times did Rodman average 23 ppg on a .543 FG% in the Finals, including a 30-40 game seven?

Or an 18-25 .702 FG% series in his Finals?

Or, as you said, led his team in scoring in the Finals, at 24 ppg and on a .538 FG%?

Hell, how many times did David Robinson and Patrick Ewing accomplish those feats in their Finals?

[LAZERUSS]

And I always found it fascinating that Rodman, who was not an exceptional leaper, or blessed with incredible size or strength...could just pummel the best rebounders of his era....the Robinson's, the Hakeem's, and the 7-1 325 lb Shaq's.

Russell was 6-10, with a 7-4 wingspan, and world-class leaping ability. If Rodman could outrebound those guys by five per game, just what would have Russell done to them? Obviously the 90's rebounders were very inept and weak.

[ThePhantomCreep]

Russell is a touch overrated (Wilt was clearly better), but comparing him to Rodman is preposterous. Russell was a 5x MVP, and would have won minimum 6 Finals MVPS had they existed in his day. Rodman never came close to winning in any of his 6 Finals appearances.

[LAZERUSS]

I'm going to be brutally honest here...

Rodman would probably have been nothing more than a role player coming off the bench in the 60's. He didn't have the offensive skill-set to start. Maybe with Boston he might have been a Satch Sanders, but most starters in the NBA at the time had to be multi-faceted, and were expected to be capable of scoring.

Russell would have done much better in Rodman's era, than Rodman would have in Russell's.

[KevinNYC]

Yeah, Russell's teams weren't loaded He wasn't even ROY, his teammate, Heinsohn won that award. Russell was often times 3rd or 4th scorer on some of his title runs.

Russell wasn't rookie of the year because no one yet knew what Russell was doing. Basketball writers back when Russell came in almost unamiously thought
guy who scores most points = best player.

Also Russell was in the Olympics that year and didn't join the Celtics until December. Heinsohn played 72 games while Russell played 48.

Red Auerbach in his book, said he didn't even know what Russell was doing. He saw the impact however and he understood his greatness, but he said he didn't know how he did it. He took Russell aside late in his first year and said, "You know you're the best player in this league?" and Russell said "I know." That year Russell finished 7th in MVP voting. Auerbach realized that he needed to coach basketball writers to see the game better and started talking up Russell achievements, prior to that the writers would be shocked when Bob Cousy was injured for several games and the Celtics would keep winning. They almost inevitably lost when Russell was out.

The "stacked teams" of the Celtics were not a dynasty without Russell, they lost before he joined them. They started winning once he joined them. They kept winning once those original squads retired, and the stopped winning immediately after Russell retired.

John Wooden say Russell was the best defensive player he had ever seen.

As for his offensive output, Russell DELIBERATELY took a backseat to his teammates on offense because it made for better chemistry.

In 13 years, his team lost his final game twice, one of those years he was injured in the finals. The other year was his first year as player coach and he lost to one of the all time great NBA teams, the 68 win 76ers, a team that had Wilt Chamberlain playing team ball and averaging 8 assists a game.

The dude is just an amazing winner and had a monster career.

He was far, far, more involved offensively than Rodman was.

[sd3035]

never go full 'tard.

it's way too late for that guy

[KevinNYC]

And I always found it fascinating that Rodman, who was not an exceptional leaper, or blessed with incredible size or strength...could just pummel the best rebounders of his era....the Robinson's, the Hakeem's, and the 7-1 325 lb Shaq's.

I think you're not giving Rodman his due here.



Dude, was very strong and could leap. The thing you are missing that he was truly exceptional, was his motor. He might have had the best cardio in the league. He used to do an hour or more on a stairmaster after a game. Combine that energy with his effort and his strength and his leaping ability even if they were not as elite you may be thinking about and his career because less of a surprise. He understood leverage very well too. I would bet his leg strength was up there with any one.

[SexSymbol]

BR has 11 rings, nobody has ever come close to it that hasn't been in his team.
BR is the undisputed GOAT.

[livinglegend]

Russell wasn't rookie of the year because no one yet knew what Russell was doing. Basketball writers back when Russell came in almost unamiously thought
guy who scores most points = best player.

Also Russell was in the Olympics that year and didn't join the Celtics until December. Heinsohn played 72 games while Russell played 48.

Red Auerbach in his book, said he didn't even know what Russell was doing. He saw the impact however and he understood his greatness, but he said he didn't know how he did it. He took Russell aside late in his first year and said, "You know you're the best player in this league?" and Russell said "I know." That year Russell finished 7th in MVP voting. Auerbach realized that he needed to coach basketball writers to see the game better and started talking up Russell achievements, prior to that the writers would be shocked when Bob Cousy was injured for several games and the Celtics would keep winning. They almost inevitably lost when Russell was out.

The "stacked teams" of the Celtics were not a dynasty without Russell, they lost before he joined them. They started winning once he joined them. They kept winning once those original squads retired, and the stopped winning immediately after Russell retired.

John Wooden say Russell was the best defensive player he had ever seen.

As for his offensive output, Russell DELIBERATELY took a backseat to his teammates on offense because it made for better chemistry.

In 13 years, his team lost his final game twice, one of those years he was injured in the finals. The other year was his first year as player coach and he lost to one of the all time great NBA teams, the 68 win 76ers, a team that had Wilt Chamberlain playing team ball and averaging 8 assists a game.

The dude is just an amazing winner and had a monster career.

He was far, far, more involved offensively than Rodman was.

After this comment and Lazeruss s ones, OP wont ever compare Rodman to Russell.