Was Kareem Abdul Jabbar really that good?

[JellyBean]

Heck yeah!!

[FlashDwyaneWade3]

Always felt he was abit overrated due to his longevity, college resume, and hook shot

Still a top 10 player, but I personally don't have him in front of Russell/Wilt, and possibly Shaq/Hakeem.

Why not ahead of Russell? He was horrible on offense.

[zizozain]

According to the words of those whom played and coached against him, yes he was.


http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...21&postcount=1

[NZStreetBaller]

The man owns one of the most difficult shots to block in history.

[Hey Yo]

Less than a week ago, NBA TV showed Kareem's NBA debut game against the Pistons. His skyhook looked to be still in the making. The only time I saw it (so far, not done with the game yet) was in the middle of the paint, no baseline hooks.

He contested/tried to block a lot of shots but looked gassed early in the game at times....having trouble getting back on D. A lot of run-n-gun offense by both teams.

[egokiller]

Yes he really was that good. Stop faulting people because they aren't MJ. No one can be MJ.

[Hey Yo]

Yes he really was that good. Stop faulting people because they aren't MJ. No one can be MJ.

Kareem was winning FMVP at age 37 against MUCH better competition, while MJ had already quit the league for a 2nd time years before that.

[Psileas]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the right combination of Chamberlain and Russell - a great scorer who sublimated his game just enough to win titles.

But he was never as dominant as Chamberlain, or as devoted to rebounding and defense as Russell, so you could say that despite having one of the greatest career in NBA history, he still left plenty to be desired.

Correct. For me the question isn't whether Kareem was really that good but whether Wilt was really that "bad", because it makes zero sense what happens here, to routinely rank Kareem in the top 2 and Wilt outside top 5, when a prime Wilt dominated at least as much and didn't win less than a prime Kareem, despite facing the GOAT dynasty. People are too much into the "oooh, it's 6 rings vs 2 rings" bullshit, as if 80's Kareem >> 70's Kareem, because 5 >> 1.

Yes he really was that good. Stop faulting people because they aren't MJ. No one can be MJ.

Yeah, I mean, it would make all the sense in the world that a 7'2 center from the 70's would try to emulate a 6'6 SG and 16 years younger, so obviously Kareem tried, but failed.

[PsychoBe]

I think he's the greatest, but my dad says he didn't work hard enough on defense.

And he says that lots of times he didn't even run down court. And that he didn't really try... except during the playoffs.

Listen kid. I've been hearing that crap ever since he was at UCLA. He's out there busting his buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.

[Replay32]

I don't believe there can be an individual GOAT in a team sport, but if I had to choose an individual GOAT it would be Kareem. He won FMVP at age 38. Should of won it in 1980. I would suggest anybody who hasn't seen Game 6 of the 1987 NBA finals to go watch that game.

Yes he was that good.

to this thread.

[iamgine]

I don't believe there can be an individual GOAT in a team sport, but if I had to choose an individual GOAT it would be Kareem. He won FMVP at age 38. Should of won it in 1980. I would suggest anybody who hasn't seen Game 6 of the 1987 NBA finals to go watch that game.

Yes he was that good.

to this thread.

You're talking about 1980s with Magic in a great Lakers team though. Anyone can shine in that system, let alone a great player like Kareem.

Kareem's team seemed to severely underperformed in the 'weak' 70s, which brings question if he should be that high up the rank.

[BigShotBob]

You're talking about 1980s with Magic in a great Lakers team though. Anyone can shine in that system, let alone a great player like Kareem.

Kareem's team seemed to severely underperformed in the 'weak' 70s, which brings question if he should be that high up the rank.

His teammates were on crack.

And the NBA in the 70's was a dark, dark time for everyone. From Pistol Pete to Kareem, Walton, Wes Unseld, and etc. It was a bunch of stars and fringe stars playing with cracked out NBA players while the ABA shined with Dr. J.

Pre-merger the NBA was almost on its last legs. The merger literally saved the league.

Regardless, Kareem as an old-timer dominated Hakeem, Walton, and pretty much every other center.

To put it plainly - no big man post Kareem comes close to his level of dominance. Period. So if you discredit him, you are by proxy discrediting every other big man not named Russell or Wilt. Which is fine by me, because no other bigs belong in the discussion.

[iamgine]

His teammates were on crack.

And the NBA in the 70's was a dark, dark time for everyone. From Pistol Pete to Kareem, Walton, Wes Unseld, and etc. It was a bunch of stars and fringe stars playing with cracked out NBA players while the ABA shined with Dr. J.

Pre-merger the NBA was almost on its last legs. The merger literally saved the league.

Regardless, Kareem as an old-timer dominated Hakeem, Walton, and pretty much every other center.

To put it plainly - no big man post Kareem comes close to his level of dominance. Period. So if you discredit him, you are by proxy discrediting every other big man not named Russell or Wilt. Which is fine by me, because no other bigs belong in the discussion.

I'm not sure in what way Kareem dominated Hakeem. If you're talking about team, then yeah Lakers raped most other teams. Or was it one-two games instances? I can show Deron Williams owning Chris Paul in some games.

[BigShotBob]

I'm not sure in what way Kareem dominated Hakeem. If you're talking about team, then yeah Lakers raped most other teams. Or was it one-two games instances? I can show Deron Williams owning Chris Paul in some games.

First off, Deron Williams was at worst on CP3's level and at best above him before he suffered from injuries. So your point is moot.

Second, even though Houston beat the Lakers in the WCF in 86', Hakeem averaged 31 and Kareem averaged 27, however, Kareem was 39/40 years old that series and outplayed him in game one.

[iamgine]

First off, Deron Williams was at worst on CP3's level and at best above him before he suffered from injuries. So your point is moot.

Second, even though Houston beat the Lakers in the WCF in 86', Hakeem averaged 31 and Kareem averaged 27, however, Kareem was 39/40 years old that series and outplayed him in game one.

That's your definition of dominated? Outplayed in one game?

I mean, I remember Dirk outplaying Lebron in the finals but that doesn't make me think Dirk somehow dominated Lebron.