Basketball

» JGamble - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

WILT CHAMBERLAIN CAN'T MISS YOUR LIST AND IT BE CONSIDERED LEGIT.

Wilt revolutionized the center position, scored 100 points in a game and was totally dominant. Probably, the most dominant player to ever play in the NBA. He also was at the top of teh league in assists one year. He had no equal. The closest thing he had to an adversary was Bill Russell. Russell had more championships and played on more talented teams.

And there is no way Larry Bird ranks ahead of Magic Johnson. Magic had more titles. Magic beat Bird in college and the pros. Magic played five positions including the 42 he poured in at the center position as a rookie filling in for Kareem Abdul-Jabar [The NBA's all-time leading scorer and another guy you left off your list]

-- posted by JGamble

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» erock21 - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by JGamble:

I agree about Wilt, although when he played he was a foot taller than everone else. 30 points and 23 rebounds a game for his career. That's mind blowing even if you're playing against a team of horse jockeys every night.

LeBron should be posting these numbers right now.

-- posted by erock21

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» markbarnes19 - GREATEST NBA Players OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by erock21:

You're right about LeBron James. He should make this list in a few years, if coaches don't hold him back.

LeBron will be one of the greatest NBA players of all time.

-- posted by markbarnes19

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» markbarnes19 - GREATEST NBA Players OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by JGamble:

Magic was the toughest decision for me. If our greatest NBA players of all-time list was longer, Magic Johnson would definitely be on it.

When you consider scoring, rebounding and the long-range shooting, though, I really can't put Magic ahead of Larry Bird.

-- posted by markbarnes19

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» markbarnes19 - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by JGamble:

If LeBron James or Dwayne Wade shot the ball 40 times per game, they'd average 50 or better, too.

All Wilt was was bigger than everyone else. If he played in today's NBA, he'd be no better than the third or fourth best center in the game.

-- posted by markbarnes19

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» Phil Partington - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by JGamble:

I'm sick of these sorts of rankings and I really should write an article about it (hmmmmm).

Not to take anything away from Wilt, but the guy was 7-2 and about 240lbs, which at the time was HUGE. Every so often he might have faced a guy who came close to 7-0. But, when he did, that player usually weighed from 200-220lbs. More often, he faced guys that were 6-7 to 6-9, including Bill Russell. People forget that Russell was only 6-9 215lbs! Moreover, Wilt had no left, which was OK because he dwarfed everybody.

Again, not to take anything away from Wilt, but comparing players outside their eras is pointless. It's all circumstantial. Wilt didn't have the same type of coaching and athletic training that athletes of today have and players weren't paid like they are today. If you pulled him out of his era and put him into ours, centers like Shaq and Olajuwon, etc..., would have embarrassed him...period.

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» draculabakula - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by markbarnes19:

Okay first off, to say that if LeBron or Wade shot the ball 40 times a game they would average 50 is ridiculous. Chamberlain shot 54% for his career one of the highest of all time, including the all time single season high at 72%. James and Wade don't even come close to him in fg percent.
Also, Chamberlain holds these individual records-
Season scoring average 50.4
Most points single season 4029
Scoring average rookie Season 37.6
Most games 50 or more points, one season 45
Most games 50 or more points, career 118
Most consecutive games 50 or more points 7
Most games 40 or more points, one season 63
Most games 40 or more points, career 271
Most consecutive games 40 or more points 14
Most consecutive seasons leading league in scoring 7 (tied Jordan)
Most points single game 100
Most points by a rookie single game 58
to name a few (there are pages more but im tired)

Oh by the way, if you want to talk about field goal attempts guess who is the all time leader in average field goal attempts. It's Jordan if you didn't already know.

Also, lets take into considerstion that he is the all time leader rebounder and probably blocker (they didnt record blocks when he was playing).

As far as not being able to compete against the athleticism of today, they changed the rules for free throws because he was able to doing a standing slam dunk from the free throw line. Tell me one player who could do that today.

"I still remember the time when one of our strongest men, Gene Conley, decided to fight Chamberlain for the ball. He grabbed it and hung on and Chamberlain just lifted him and ball right up towards the rim."

-- Bill Russell Go up For Glory, p.126.

I forget the exact quote but it was something like, "the NBA tried to make the game harder for me and easier for Jordan"

-- posted by draculabakula

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» Phil Partington - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by draculabakula:
Chamberlain was strong, but it's still silly to compare him in his era to that of players today. The game is different.
As far as the dunk from the foul line thing, he was allowed to do it (as I understand this) for foul shots. Then they changed the rules and he sucked as a free throw shooter from then on.
I've heard a lot of things...good and bad. Another take is that most of his rebounds came from intercepting teammate's shots, going over the back (remember everyone was 5-7 inches smaller and 50 plus pounds less...if Shaq could do that he's average a million boards too), blocking shots by slapping guys' arms before the rules changes. I'm not saying this is all true, but him being able to dunk from the foul line doesn't make him a God. He was a high jump champ before basketball remember.
The fact is, Chamberlain was going up against players who were 6-7 to about 6-10 and weighed roughly 200lbs. Plus, he had no left, or never used it, and the defense back then was less existent than it is today (have you watched old clips? guys look like road cones). The game has evolved.
Does that mean that he wasn't a beast? Of course not. If you took him out of his time and developed him in today's era, I'm sure he would have dominated. All I'm saying is that the game is different and comparing Chamberlain to Shaq or whomever is as pointless as comparing apples to oranges.

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» ryno33 - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by Fantapedia:

This is a debate that will go on forever with no real certainty on who was the greatest or exactly who belongs in the top three all-time, but I would have say besides MJ, number 2 and 3 got to go.

Without a doubt, the Big O was a phenomenal player (reborn in LeBron James), but if I remember correctly he only has one ring throughout his whole career. Larry Bird on the other was one of the greatest shooters all-time (even though it was one of the ugliest shooting forms all-time), but he doesn't belong in the top three (in my opinion) because Magic (his arch rival) was a better all around player and won more championships (5).

If I were to make this list I would definitely go with MJ at the top as he is here, the #2 spot would be filled by the best point guard all-time in the Magic man and finally at the #3 it would be a tie between a number of players like Bill Russell, Wilt the Stilt, Kobe Bryant and Kareem.

Kind of a Lakers bias, but that is just my opinion!

Just my opinion!

-- posted by ryno33

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» Phil Partington - GREATEST OF ALL-TIME

In response to GREATEST OF ALL-TIME posted by ryno33:

I always hate the whole "he doesn't have a ring" or "only has one ring" argument when determining which player is better. I don't think you can use an argument that measures a team's accomplishments and apply it as the sole argument for whether one player is better than another. Championships have as much to do with circumstances than anything else, and all I'd have to do to discredit your argument would be to suggest that had the Big O had a dominant team like Bird or Magic, he might've had more than a few rings, too.

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