What are some unpopular basketball beliefs that you have?

[1987_Lakers]

I'll start.

- Shawn Kemp was the best defender on the '96 Sonics, even over Gary Payton who won DPOY that season.

[Tavr]

-If MJ never retired in 93, he loses a Finals to Houston.

-Jokic, while incredibly skilled and high impact, is also overrated and difficult to rank all-time. Mainly due to the lack of competition at his position

-Prime Wade was every bit as good as Kobe and LeBron

-Stats are important, but equally overstated

[Axe]

That the thunder ended up being the 4th-6th seed in 2023, even though it's bright as daylight that it never happened at all.

[post]

jokic is goat and it's not close

[RRR3]

jokic is goat and it's not close

[SouBeachTalents]

I find it crazy how the two bad calls that went against Utah are never brought up when discussing Game 6

Titles/team results are very overrated when evaluating players

Iggy was the most deserving choice for FMVP

Dirk's 2011 title run is very overrated

Giannis had a top 10 peak of all time

[NBAGOAT]

Cp3 was better than kd in their primes. Magic were the best team Jordan faced in 90s

[Xiao Yao You]

Gobert, bum, cotm, sloan, stockton... you all know

[Reggie43]

Stockton could have been a 25ppg scorer if he wanted to.

[Soundwave]

-If MJ never retired in 93, he loses a Finals to Houston.

-Jokic, while incredibly skilled and high impact, is also overrated and difficult to rank all-time. Mainly due to the lack of competition at his position

-Prime Wade was every bit as good as Kobe and LeBron

-Stats are important, but equally overstated

Knicks honestly should have won the 94 NBA Finals ... they had the Rockets beat and on the ropes, if John Starks shoots even 30% from the field for game 7, the Knicks win, he somehow managed to have an 11% from the field game, lmao. Can't even make that shit up.

If Jordan didn't retire I think they do win again because that Bulls team honestly probably would've been the most talented Bulls squad in their run overall. BJ Armstrong was still there with Horace Grant but you add Toni Kukoc as well, that's better than the '96 Bulls, Rodman wasn't as good as Grant + Armstrong combined.

[John8204]

The 77' Ring is the greatest championship of all-time.

Shaquille O'Neal was not the most dominant player of all-time, rather he was the most toxic that cost his teams more titles than he won.

Paul Arizin, Dolph Schayes, and George Mikan all belong in respective top ten lists based on positions.

The Basketball Hall of Fame needs to recognize Iggy, Robert Horry, Bill Laimbeer, Mark Jackson, Derek Fisher, and AC Green

[Phoenix]

Knicks honestly should have won the 94 NBA Finals ... they had the Rockets beat and on the ropes, if John Starks shoots even 30% from the field for game 7, the Knicks win, he somehow managed to have an 11% from the field game, lmao. Can't even make that shit up.

If Jordan didn't retire I think they do win again because that Bulls team honestly probably would've been the most talented Bulls squad in their run overall. BJ Armstrong was still there with Horace Grant but you add Toni Kukoc as well, that's better than the '96 Bulls, Rodman wasn't as good as Grant + Armstrong combined.

I definitely give the 94 Bulls that title, for all the reasons you said. They had 70 win potential talent-wise, but I think alot of what drove the 96 Bulls/MJ to reach that level was the loss to Orlando. Coming off the 93 title they wouldn't have had the same motivation, but they would have benefited from the roster upgrades, Pippen/BJ/Grant basically all hitting their stride and a still-prime 31 year old MJ.

The 95 season though? If Grant ends up leaving anyway, they're too exposed on the front-line against the likes of Shaq and Hakeem. You also figure going for a 5th straight, there's gonna be some fatigue/injury or general malaise that does them in.

[Phoenix]

Knicks honestly should have won the 94 NBA Finals ... they had the Rockets beat and on the ropes, if John Starks shoots even 30% from the field for game 7, the Knicks win, he somehow managed to have an 11% from the field game, lmao. Can't even make that shit up.

If Jordan didn't retire I think they do win again because that Bulls team honestly probably would've been the most talented Bulls squad in their run overall. BJ Armstrong was still there with Horace Grant but you add Toni Kukoc as well, that's better than the '96 Bulls, Rodman wasn't as good as Grant + Armstrong combined.

I definitely give the 94 Bulls that title, for all the reasons you said. They had 70 win potential talent-wise, but I think alot of what drove the 96 Bulls/MJ to reach that level was the loss to Orlando. Coming off the 93 title they wouldn't have had the same motivation, but they would have benefited from the roster upgrades, Pippen/BJ/Grant basically all hitting their stride and a still-prime 31 year old MJ.

The 95 season though? If Grant ends up leaving anyway, they're too exposed on the front-line against the likes of Shaq and Hakeem. You also figure going for a 5th straight, there's gonna be some fatigue/injury or general malaise that does them in.

[jayfan]

The 77' Ring is the greatest championship of all-time.

Shaquille O'Neal was not the most dominant player of all-time, rather he was the most toxic that cost his teams more titles than he won.

Paul Arizin, Dolph Schayes, and George Mikan all belong in respective top ten lists based on positions.

The Basketball Hall of Fame needs to recognize Iggy, Robert Horry, Bill Laimbeer, Mark Jackson, Derek Fisher, and AC Green

+1

Good/interesting takes. My dad still talks that Blazers team.

.

[pandiani17]

The 77' Ring is the greatest championship of all-time.

Shaquille O'Neal was not the most dominant player of all-time, rather he was the most toxic that cost his teams more titles than he won.

Paul Arizin, Dolph Schayes, and George Mikan all belong in respective top ten lists based on positions.

The Basketball Hall of Fame needs to recognize Iggy, Robert Horry, Bill Laimbeer, Mark Jackson, Derek Fisher, and AC Green

I don't agree with the titles part (he won 4 after all), but he should have won the MVP in 2001-2005 or so and be in the GOAT conversation. He was too lazy to do that, though. Anyway, here are my takes:

-Tim Duncan is Top-5 all-time and should be in GOAT conversations.
-If Derrick Rose didn't get injured he would won more Regular Season MVPs and also a championship with the Bulls.
-The 2004 Pistons were as good as the 2008 Celtics, but the players don't milk that ring as much as the Celtics' players.