Julius Erving vs Kevin Durant

[Lebron23]

Better small forward Julius Erving or Kevin Durant??

[ILLsmak]

If you already have a system kd might be goat. Put him instead of kobe on lal 3 peat, even lal b2b.

Exchange both with ivo early 00s and dr j prol better.

-Smak

[Meticode]

Durant > Erving in every metric of a player. Better stats in almost every single statistical category and he has more accolades than Erving.

https://www.landofbasketball.com/pla...ius_erving.htm

My question is why is this even a question?

[Phoenix]

Durant > Erving in every metric of a player. Better stats in almost every single statistical category and he has more accolades than Erving.

https://www.landofbasketball.com/pla...ius_erving.htm

My question is why is this even a question?

Because some basketball fans have so much reverence for the OGs that we're afraid to say some of them have been passed as players, if not yet legacies which grow with the passage of time. Guys like Jerry West and Oscar, all due respect to their contributions, have been passed by Steph at this point but he's still too fresh and current, so we need his career to pass so this can be viewed with a clear lense in a few decades

[ShawkFactory]

Because some basketball fans have so much reverence for the OGs that we're afraid to say some of them have been passed as players, if not yet legacies which grow with the passage of time. Guys like Jerry West and Oscar, all due respect to their contributions, have been passed by Steph at this point but he's still too fresh and current, so we need his career to pass so this can be viewed with a clear lense in a few decades

I don't know that it's a fear so much as it's a complete unknown (shoutout Timmy Chalamet who killed it). What would Dr. J look like in this league? We have absolutely no idea.

And because we have no idea I think it's appropriate to revere them for the dominance and influence they had in their time. Not to say that should outweigh current dominance/influence, but it can be looked at equally. But KD > J is not a sure thing. Even if we're just counting accolades, if you include the ABA then J had 4 MVPs and 3 rings.

[Phoenix]

I don't know that it's a fear so much as it's a complete unknown (shoutout Timmy Chalamet who killed it). What would Dr. J look like in this league? We have absolutely no idea.

And because we have no idea I think it's appropriate to revere them for the dominance and influence they had in their time. Not to say that should outweigh current dominance/influence, but it can be looked at equally. But KD > J is not a sure thing. Even if we're just counting accolades, if you include the ABA then J had 4 MVPs and 3 rings.

It is an unknown but it seems like alot of people just default to the former player as being better when there is no way to really compare them across completely different eras. I didn't see Doc when he was playing, but looking at( at the least) his NBA accolades the level of era dominance seems comparable or maybe leans slightly his way, but accolades are circumstantial. I think the biggest knock on KD is winning two titles on an already dominant Warriors team didn't give him the props he thought he would get, and he hasn't been able to win a title outside of that situation ( and not due to lack of talent).

As for how Dr. J would look today, I default to the viewpoint that NBA 'alltime greats' are great due to innate talent which would develop skillsets relevant to the era. So I wouldn't just pluck 1980 Dr.J and drop him into today, I would give the benefit of doubt that he would do what all modern players do: develop a 3point shot and his ball-handling would reflect today's rules. KD in 1980 would similarly look like a player who came along in the 70s, and not one who came along in the 2000s/2010s. Stylistically, he'd likely resemble someone like Alex English alot more than the guy you've seen since 2007.

[ShawkFactory]

It is an unknown but it seems like alot of people just default to the former player as being better when there is no way to really compare them across completely different eras. I didn't see Doc when he was playing, but looking at( at the least) his NBA accolades the level of era dominance seems comparable or maybe leans slightly his way, but accolades are circumstantial. I think the biggest knock on KD is winning two titles on an already dominant Warriors team didn't give him the props he thought he would get, and he hasn't been able to win a title outside of that situation ( and not due to lack of talent).

As for how Dr. J would look today, I default to the viewpoint that NBA 'alltime greats' are great due to innate talent which would develop skillsets relevant to the era. So I wouldn't just pluck 1980 Dr.J and drop him into today, I would give the benefit of doubt that he would do what all modern players do: develop a 3point shot and his ball-handling would reflect today's rules. KD in 1980 would similarly look like a player who came along in the 70s, and not one who came along in the 2000s/2010s. Stylistically, he'd likely resemble someone like Alex English alot more than the guy you've seen since 2007.

So you agree that it's completely pointless to compare KD and Doc. It's impossible.

I know the current 3 point conversation revolves around Steph and rightfully so, but KD is low key as influential. Lot's of skinny 6'10 guys handling and launching now and I don't think that really existed before KD. Maybe Tmac had a say but he wasn't as long.

[warriorfan]

send kd in a time machine to the 70’s and his skinny ass would be getting cucked hard by J

[John8204]

I personally rank Dr. J over Durant. I can concede that Durants game is GOAT worthy but the success hasn't been there. But Dr J was far more accomplished...he didn't bounce around from Super Team to Super Team like Durant. He had 3 MVP's and 3 Titles...he was never injured, he was the second man to hit 30K points behind Wilt.

[iamgine]

Better? Definitely Durant. Dr J couldn't shoot threes and that alone is a huge deal.

[John8204]

Better? Definitely Durant. Dr J couldn't shoot threes and that alone is a huge deal.

KD can't play a full season, or win a title with MVP level talent/allstars.

in 2k you take Durant but in real life...it's Doc

[Phoenix]

So you agree that it's completely pointless to compare KD and Doc. It's impossible.

I know the current 3 point conversation revolves around Steph and rightfully so, but KD is low key as influential. Lot's of skinny 6'10 guys handling and launching now and I don't think that really existed before KD. Maybe Tmac had a say but he wasn't as long.

More or less. Generally I think the NBA has been around too long now to be able to accurately compare guys whose careers are 30-40 years apart. Plus, I try my hardest to avoid speaking too much about players I didn't really see much of. Me trying to speak with any degree of authority about Dr. J is like some of these 20 year olds who think youtube makes then an expert on the 90s.

As for KD, I see him as an evolution of Dirk, a 7 foot sniper but he added more athleticism and guard skills.

[Phoenix]

Better? Definitely Durant. Dr J couldn't shoot threes and that alone is a huge deal.

For a guy whose peak was before the 3point shot even came into the league, why would this be a fair knock? How hard is it really to judge people based on their eras? KD coming up in the 70s wouldn't be shooting 3's either. By this logic basically everyone who came before the 3point revolution is inherently inferior. Do we really want to boil the conversation down to that metric?

The best way to judge players across nearly 80 years is how dominant they were against their era, not someone who played 40 years before or after them.

[John8204]

For a guy whose peak was before the 3point shot even came into the league, why would this be a fair knock? How hard is it really to judge people based on their eras? KD coming up in the 70s wouldn't be shooting 3's either. By this logic basically everyone who came before the 3point revolution is inherently inferior. Do we really want to boil the conversation down to that metric?

The best way to judge players across nearly 80 years is how dominant they were against their era, not someone who played 40 years before or after them.

i agree the norms of Basketball change with every generation

[L.Kizzle]

Better? Definitely Durant. Dr J couldn't shoot threes and that alone is a huge deal.

The season the Sixers won the title, he shot the least attempts in his career at 7. So, they actually win when he takes less 3 point attempts.
On the other hand, in the ABA his first championship with the Nets he shot 40% from 3 point land (only took 43 but stilstill... you get the picture.)
Would you not pick Giannis over someone because he can't shoot 3s because that's basically what Dr J was. A smaller Giannis.