The REAL Arvydas Sabonis-Before Injuries 1986

[Bigsmoke]

Sabonis was a good center, but please stop with this "coulda woulda been top 5 GOAT center" crap. It wasn't like he was 27-28 years putting up monster numbers before and then had a major injury. He was 21-22 when those injuries occurred and he wasn't even playing in a more grueling 82-game schedule league.

What is...is what is. It's like forwarding ten years from now and saying how Greg Oden would have been a top 5 GOAT center had it not been for the knee.

co-sign.

Sabonis outplayed a 21 year old David Robinson and people think he's the greatest center ever if it wasnt for his injuries. Being injured is part of basketball. enough of this "if not" bullsh*t.

[magnax1]

I think people just don't realize how skilled he was, when he entered the NBA, as a rookie with basically no stamina, durabilty, or athleticism (except overall strength) left he still dominated especially in his per 36 minutes stats which were
22 ppg
12.2 rpg
2.7 apg (great passer, one of the best of all time)
1.6 bpg
1.3 spg
38% 3p% on 2 attempts
54% fg% on 15 attempts
This when he had very little athleticism, and was facing some amazing competition.
I think in his prime, he'd definitely be a top 5 or 10.

[CB4GOATPF]

co-sign.

Sabonis outplayed a 21 year old David Robinson and people think he's the greatest center ever if it wasnt for his injuries. Being injured is part of basketball. enough of this "if not" bullsh*t.

Sabonis was [COLOR="Red"]only 8 months older than Robinson[/COLOR] and [COLOR="Blue"]ACTUALLY WAS HEALTHY...(Broken Both Achillies Tendons On Bot Legs) [/COLOR]

[COLOR="blue"]Compare his Leaping Ability, Agility, Speed, Quickness, Potence and being able to Bend His Knees Prior to 1987 [/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkRed"]to after [/COLOR]that.

Simple as that....

[CB4GOATPF]

Sabonis 18 Years Old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyzUZWVLJy8&NR=1

[Lakas Fan Yo]

[QUOTE=CB4GOATPF]Are u an Idiot?

What has Oden Prooved Against....Shaq, Duncan CF, Howard, Ming?

Nothing

In Those Clips The Dude Was 22 Years Old and Not Out Playing but [COLOR="Blue"]Totally Demolishing David Robinson [/COLOR]Who Was [COLOR="Red"] 8 months younger only[/COLOR]...

Robinson is easy a Top 5 Center of All Time. Impact Wise It is Shown He is.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]In that same year 1986 He Destroyed his Knee and Never Played Like the Mobile, Leaping and 279 lbs Athletic Sabonis of that 1986 Olympics. [/COLOR]

He Was [COLOR="DarkRed"]Still A Monster Till 1990[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]but not even close to the 1986 Sabonis[/COLOR]...

Just Look At The Clips and Videos from 1987 how He Has a Knee Brace and is Not Even Close to As Mobile Post 1986.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Drafted by the Blazers in 1986 and his injury ruined his Prime:[/COLOR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxO9V...eature=related

[COLOR="darkred"]2.55 to 3.01[/COLOR]

A Non Injured Sabonis Would Have Easy Been A Top 5 Center of All Time.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/special_f...-84264-41.html

[B]As a former stat wizard with the Blazers, I used to calculate his numbers based on if he were to play 40 minutes a game. [COLOR="Blue"]They were always somewhere around 19 points and 14 rebounds a game along with five or six assists[/COLOR]. [COLOR="Red"]The problem is he never played more than 30 minutes a game because of his legs[/COLOR]. [U][I]But the truth was there. I

[KubiliusF]

Just STOP it. This is getting freaking ridiculous on these forums. I'm from Europe and actually followed the game in the 80s. Sabonis was the 4th best player in Europe in the 80s. The FOURTH BEST in Europe in the 80s.

Just stop this nonsense already.

i will say **** you greece fuc^$%% cockriding everything who played for greece in greece or said smth about motha****ing greece! **** you for saying olympiacos is better than some NBA teams , **** you for saying silly motha****ing annoying as hell **** in the past and how you`re going to continue you brainwashed mothafaka i swear to my word you`re dumbest **** cockriding everything random invovled about greece downright hating , underrating FACTS , and you mothafa&%^ peace of sirtakis GTFO the thread were greatest Euro Player Ever is talked about. **** your Galis, **** your neighbours Petrovic and for that matter **** your whole pathetic Greece history in Basketball. MOTHAF867*& got me angry you **** , i would shut up you Pulp fiction style . GO **** YOUR OLYMPIACOS BETTER YET SUCK it

[Bigsmoke]

Sabonis was [COLOR="Red"]only 8 months older than Robinson[/COLOR] and [COLOR="Blue"]ACTUALLY WAS HEALTHY...(Broken Both Achillies Tendons On Bot Legs) [/COLOR]

[COLOR="blue"]Compare his Leaping Ability, Agility, Speed, Quickness, Potence and being able to Bend His Knees Prior to 1987 [/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkRed"]to after [/COLOR]that.

Simple as that....

ok... Sabonis was a better player at an early age than Robinson... so what. Robinson would easily destroy this Sabonis guy in 1992

[KubiliusF]

ok... Sabonis was a better player at an early age than Robinson... so what. Robinson would easily destroy this Sabonis guy in 1992

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHhnDBlBMEE

Watch throughly he blocked i think Robinson at 1992 olympics two times in a row on one possesion

2:26 - 2:32

Now i cant confirm thats Robinson but i think that was Robinson dont you think that Robinsons was That Robinson?

[Big#50]

Sabonis was 7'3 275 on roids. DROB was 7'1 230. Sabonis was a beast. He actually would have been a top 10 player in the NBA. He had it all.

[catch24]

One word: WOW

You see Parish look at Sabonis like, "Damn..you really just did David that dirty?!"

Man, what could of been if not for the injuries.

[Wicked_1]

It was a pleasure watching him in his early 90's in portland. his no look passes and under the leg passes, his 3 point shooting and defense was amazing! he had great chemistry with the old school blazers. it was fun also watching him play with Damon stoudamire and Kenny Anderson. I think he would have probably played another year or two but his wife was having so much problems here in portland. she had 2 DUI's and also got into a small shoving match with a sales assistant at Mario's (high end clothing store) here in portland and it all made the headlines. i remember seeing and interview ith sabonis and he was embarrased and was always afraid to leave her alone when he was on the road.

I hated how the other centers use to disrespect him talk trash/shove him especially shaq he always treated him like he was nothing

[CB4GOATPF]

ok... Sabonis was a better player at an early age than Robinson... so what. Robinson would easily destroy this Sabonis guy in 1992

He couldn`t even destroy him in 92 after Sabonis had [COLOR="Blue"]broken both Achilles' tendons[/COLOR] in 86.

That is Sabonis would have destroyed Robinson even more in 92 at 292 lbs with all his athletic capacity still there intact.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

This forum is full of little kids that make up lies about the game and players of the past. It's really sad.

[Harison]

Just STOP it. This is getting freaking ridiculous on these forums. I'm from Europe and actually followed the game in the 80s. Sabonis was the 4th best player in Europe in the 80s. The FOURTH BEST in Europe in the 80s.

Just stop this nonsense already.

I'm from Europe too and followed Sabonis in his prime. He was considered the best in EU by many fans and specialists, even one of the best in the World, including NBA.

[BlackMamba24]

sabonis = trash...overrated by retards like cb4goatpf