The top 10 players that have the most to lose/gain for the 2022 NBA playoffs.

The great thing about any “all-time great” list is that it can always get amended. It’s forever changing, and it’s in the playoffs when players can either move up on the list or go further down. That’s why we’re always talking about this stuff. In fact, some people even dedicate years of their lives and thousands of dollars to write/market a book about that very same topic. *Takes shot of tequila straight to the head*. My personal top 100 players are based on what they accomplished prior to the end of the 2021-22 season. As it stands now, there are 7 players from my top 100 that are going to be playing in the playoffs. None of them are in my top 10, and only two of them are in my top 20. This is their chance to make a big jump in the rankings and to cement their legacy even more so. And then there are players who are in the bubble. Players who are lurking in, and could have an intriguing case to make an appearance in the top 100. We’re going to talk about three players who have the most to lose/gain for this postseason, and then we’re going to talk about the top 7 players who have the most to prove.

10) Jimmy Butler

The Miami Heat is the number one seed in the Eastern conference and they would have the easiest road to at least reaching the conference finals. They would most likely have to play the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, but I think there’s no question that the Miami Heat are the deeper team than the Sixers. The biggest question mark is if they can contain James Harden and force Joel Embiid to carry the scoring load. We’ll have to see if James Harden and Joel Embiid have formed enough chemistry to make a deep playoff run. But if they don’t, then the Miami Heat will have a good chance to make a second Finals trip in three years. If they are capable of pulling that off, then we would have to seriously reevaluate the legacy of Jimmy Butler.

Here’s what he has accomplished so far. He has six all-star appearances and four All-NBA selections. That either matches or surpasses all the players from 100 to 89 in my greatest players of all-time list, with the exclusion of Chris Bosh. He has 11 all-star appearances, but only one All-NBA selection. From an analytical standpoint, he currently ranks all-time 7th in career offensive rating, 27th in win shares per 48 minutes, 29th in box plus/minus, 48th in offensive box plus/minus, 55th in PER, and 64th in VORP rating. The numbers clearly indicate that he has been a valuable piece to all the teams that he has been a part of for the past 8 years. If he can be the leading scorer for the Miami Heat during this playoff run, while also beating James Harden/Joel Embiid, and either beat Giannis in the playoffs a second time or possibly knock out Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving to reach the Finals, then his place among the greats has to at least be talked about seriously.

I don’t expect the Miami Heat to end the season with a championship, but I can’t just dismiss the possibility of the best team in the East going all the way. So there is a scenario where Jimmy Butler can be the Finals MVP on a championship-winning team. If he finds a way to do that, then Robert Horry would have no choice but to lift the red velvet ropes and let him in this exclusive club of NBA legends.

9) Nikola Jokic

If Nikola Jokic wins a second straight MVP award, then his entrance into the top 100 is guaranteed. He could get swept from the first round for all I care, and it still wouldn’t matter. He would knock Shawn Marion off the list and we would have to evaluate where he should be ranked from his relatively short career. But there is a possibility that either Giannis or Joel Embiid wins the award this season. If that’s the case, then this postseason run can help cap off what is already a legendary year by the Joker. The bad news is that the Nuggets will have to play Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Defeating an all-time great player like that in a 7-game series will do wonders for his legacy. It will help give substance to a player who is starting his trajectory as one of the greatest centers of all time.

But if Jokic underperforms and loses easily to the Warriors, then it would leave room to question his overall greatness and talent. I believe he would get the same treatment that David Robinson was getting in the 90s. Someone who was putting up monster numbers in the regular season, but could never carry his team far in the playoffs. His toughness and mental fortitude will be in question, just as it was for The Admiral. David Robinson couldn’t help that his teams were lacking any respectable scoring options, and Jokic can’t help that his star teammates can’t stay healthy. The NBA world was not forgiving for Robinson, and they won’t be for Jokic as well. The vultures are already circling.

8) Draymond Green

He is a three-time champion, he has six All-NBA defensive selections, he has four all-star appearances, he’s won a DPOY award, he was a valuable piece of the greatest regular season of all-time (2016 GSW), and for the greatest team in NBA history (2017 GSW). He’s already knocking on the door to reaching the top 100. The problem with his career resume is that his career average for points per game is 8.7. He often gets ridiculed as being just a role player for the Warriors due to the fact that he is not a strong scoring option. However, any student of the game realizes how important he is to the success of the Warriors and his defensive greatness is something that no one can deny. With that being said, I believe his career numbers are too underwhelming for me to place him in the top 100. Even Dennis Rodman excelled at something, and that was rebounding. Draymond isn’t giving us much to work with, other than his career defensive rating, which currently ranks third all-time.

That all can change this season. The Warriors are without Kevin Durant, so this postseason isn’t going to be a cakewalk for the Warriors. If they find a way to reach the Finals this year, that would be six Finals appearances under his belt. If the Warriors win the title, then that’s four titles to his name. If that were to happen, he would officially be deemed as the Dennis Rodman of our generation. He would then be a serious candidate to be a first-ballot hall of fame player, and he would then enter top 75 territory. That’s what he’s looking at if the Warriors raise another banner.

7) Klay Thompson

He’s getting the same opportunity that I mentioned for Draymond, but there is an added element for the case of Klay Thompson. For one, he has an opportunity to be a part of arguable the greatest comeback story in NBA history. Someone who missed two straight seasons due to injuries, but then helped his team reach playoff success in his first season back. Keep in mind that the Warriors missed the playoffs the last two seasons without him. So this would further prove how valuable Klay Thompson is to the success of his team.

He also has an opportunity to prove his value by helping his team win the title as its second scoring option. For two-thirds of the titles he’s won, he’s been the third banana behind Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. For the title he won without KD, he averaged 15.8 points per game on 40.9% shooting. Keep in mind the Cavaliers were without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. In the following Finals series, where they blew a 3-1 series lead, he averaged 19.6 points per game on 42.7% shooting. If we’re going to be fair here, there were some question marks if this team was better served with Klay as your third scoring option. He almost erased all doubt in 2019 before he tore his ACL. Now he has an opportunity to play a big contribution to a team that absolutely needs him to rack up the points if the Warriors want a chance at the title. If that’s something he can provide, then he would make all the people who snubbed him out of the top 75 (including me) look very foolish.

6) Kyrie Irving

What a roller coaster ride it’s been for Kyrie this year. You have the whole vaccination fiasco and the fact that he couldn’t play for his team at their homecourt. Then you have the whole James Harden drama, where it was reported that Kyrie wanted the Nets to get rid of him. So for a team that had the best chance to win the title according to the preseason odds is now starting the postseason as the 7th seed. Even with the struggles that the Nets have had all year long, there are still experts who are predicting that they will represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals. It sure won’t be an easy road for the Nets, since they would most likely have to go through the top 3 teams in the East.

It’s not going to be an easy road for them, not to mention that history is not on their side. There’s never been a team that was the 7th seed of their conference to reach the Finals, and only the New York Knicks in 1999 reached the Finals as the 8th seed. What many NBA experts are predicting is the Nets making one of the most legendary playoff runs of all time. If the Nets want to be a part of history, Kyrie Irving is going to have to play at a level he’s never reached before in the playoffs. The most he’s averaged for a single postseason run is 25.9 points per game in 2017. Kyrie Irving is going to have to average closer to 30 points per game if the Nets are going to get past the Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks, and possibly the Miami Heat.

It was proven last year in the semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks that Kevin Durant can’t do it by himself. He nearly beat the eventual champions by being the only player on the Nets to average over 12 points per game and also playing the full 7 games of the series. He came just short, but the outcome might have been different if his star teammates were healthy. Kyrie looks to be in full strength, and that might be enough for the Nets to make a run at the title. There is no team that is the clear-cut favorite to represent the East. It’s honestly a toss-up between 5 teams. So the Nets have that going for them. If Kyrie can do his part and continue his hot shooting that results in a historic playoff run, then it will solidify his status as one of the greatest playoff performers ever.

5) Giannis Antetokounmpo

In my All-Time Greatest NBA Book, I have Giannis ranked at 30. His talent and resume are that good. There is one thing that I wrote though that Giannis has to do if he wants any chance in reaching the pantheon of NBA greats. This is what I wrote:

“He has checked marked nearly all the boxes in the short amount of time he has played in the league. He has the individual accolades, he has won a championship, he passes the eye test as one of the greatest athletic talents ever, he had one of the greatest playoff runs in history in the 2021 postseason, he passes the Robert Horry test by giving us one of the greatest Finals performances against the Suns in 2021, and he was able to lead his team to a historic dominant season. There’s only one last question that he needs to answer, can he do it again? All the players in the top 25 either have the longevity that Giannis currently doesn’t have, or they were able to have multiple legendary title seasons. That’s the only thing Giannis needs to prove. At the tender age of 27 that he currently is by the time this book has been released, he’s got plenty of time to do just that.”

Can he lead his team to the Finals for a second straight year? Better yet, can he win a second straight Finals MVP? Here are the players that won back-to-back Finals MVPs in history: Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. Those are players that are in my top 15 players of all time. Giannis has a chance to leapfrog a whole bunch of players and I would have to think long and hard if he will enter top 20 territory. But this is his chance to fast-track his progression on the rankings. If he doesn’t reach the Finals, I don’t think he would get that much scrutiny. He’s already got the resume of a first-ballot hall of fame player. He also just wrapped up yet another MVP caliber season. There’s nothing that he can do that can impact his rankings negatively. Out of all the players on the list, he has the least to lose but the most to gain.

4)Kevin Durant 

Kevin Durant has the opportunity of a lifetime. He can give us a playoff performance that only Hakeem Olajuwon could rival. Let’s go back to 1995 to remind ourselves what The Dream accomplished. The Houston Rockets went into the playoffs as the 6th seed, and they only won 47 games. The Rockets were struggling all season long until they acquired Clyde Drexler through a midseason trade. Clyde Drexler gave the Rockets something they never had since drafting Hakeem, a legitimate second-scoring option. Hakeem no longer needed to carry the load for the Rockets, but they still needed him to play big if they wanted to get through one of the toughest roads to the title that we’ve ever seen. He delivered, and he ended up averaging 33 points per game for the 1995 postseason. 

I believe if the Nets are going to make this improbable run to the title, Kevin Durant is going to have to have that type of a legendary performance as Hakeem did 27 years ago. He’s going to have to have multiple games where he scores over 40 points, and he’s going to have to average around 33 points per game if they are to pull this off. We talked about what Kyrie is going to have to do, but Kevin Durant is going to have to shoulder most of the scoring load. A lot of NBA experts are always saying that Kevin Durant is the best player in the world. This is his chance to prove that to the world just as Hakeem did. If he wants to enter the top 10 of the greatest players of all time, then he needs that type of performance for the average NBA fan to give him such a prestigious title. And imagine if he plays the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, and beats his former team. Draymond Green infamously told him that they didn’t need him. This could be the ultimate “screw you” that would put this postseason in legendary status. 

3) Stephen Curry

Here’s the question that every NBA fan that cares about this stuff needs to answer, can you put any player in the top 10 greatest players of all time that have never won a Finals MVP? We understand he’s changed the league. We understand he’s the greatest shooter in the history of the game. We understand he’s been a part of multiple all-time great seasons and he’s got two MVPs to his name. All that is true, but he has never been widely considered as the most valuable player for a team that’s won on the biggest stage that exists in the NBA. That’s the only thing that’s left for him to prove.

He’s in a similar situation that Kobe Bryant found himself in after Shaq left for Miami, and before the NBA gift-wrapped Pau Gasol to the Lakers. No one could deny his individual greatness and what he meant for the Lakers during the years they won three straight titles. He was already in the eyes of many, one of the greatest players of all time. But there was still some hardware that he needed to acquire before he could enter the top tiers of NBA legends. He got the regular-season MVP in 2008, and then he got two straight Finals MVPs in the following two seasons.

It was fair to expect that from Kobe, and it’s fair to expect the same from Curry. His road to the Finals won’t be easy though. He will have to get through Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the first round, then (most likely) Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies, and I’m predicting they would reach the conference finals to face the dominant team of the Phoenix Suns. I believe the winner of that series will end up winning the title. The good news for the Warriors is that they have the championship experience that no other team in the Western conference has. They’re the team that every team is fearing to face in the playoffs. If Curry can pull it off, then he might just enter the top 10 just as Kobe did when he also won his fourth title and his first Finals MVP.

2) Chris Paul

Think about how we viewed the career of Chris Paul 5 years ago. He was the butt of all jokes for never leading his team passed the second round. He then helped the Rockets have one of the most dominating seasons of all time and they were one game away from reaching the Finals. Then last year, he helped the Phoenix Suns, which had no one from their starting rotation with any playoff experience, reach the Finals. Now he has an opportunity to win the title for a team that just capped off one of the most dominating regular seasons of all time, and they will have home-court advantage for the entirety of the 2022 playoffs. If he can win a title, and possibly win Finals MVP, then he would have an intriguing case to be as high as one of the 20 greatest players of all time. But his rankings won’t see any major jump unless he reaches the Finals. Anything less than that would be considered a disappointing season. 

1) James Harden

Harden has mentioned before the start of the playoffs that he feels no pressure going into this postseason. Well…. let’s just say that no one took that comment very well. If anyone needs to reach the Finals this season, it’s James Harden. Out of all the people that are in my top 50, only three players have never reached the Finals in their career while being in the starting rotation. It’s Dominique Wilkins, George Gervin, and James Harden. I personally refuse to put any player in my top 30 if you never helped your team reach the Finals. I could care less how staggering your numbers are in the regular season. 

James Harden also needs to prove that he can play competently in a do-or-die scenario in the playoffs. He’s fallen extremely short way too many times in past years. There’s no question that no one expects the Sixers to run the table and dominate this postseason. I fully expect the Sixers to have long hard-fought battles with some strong teams in the Eastern conference if they are going to reach the Finals. Joel Embiid will absolutely need James Harden to play like the MVP that we know him to be. The unfortunate thing is that we’ve never seen it from him when it truly counted in the playoffs. I’m starting to think that he just doesn’t have it in him, but I would love to be proven wrong. His resume is top 25 worthy, but it’s his playoff resume that is holding him back in a major way. He’s playing alongside a legitimate MVP candidate, and that might be just enough to not only reach the Finals but to validate his career to his biggest detractors. 

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Has LeBron James underachieved with the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers have ended their season with a 33-49 record. I just did a video/article where I proved that the 2021-22 season is the most disappointing season in franchise history. Some people are going as far as to say it’s the most disappointing in NBA history. I’m not willing to go that far, but one thing we can all agree on is that no one predicted that the Lakers would be in this position. So with this season coming to a close, we are now entering the final season of LeBron’s 5-year contract. Here’s what he has accomplished: He won a championship. He won the Finals MVP of the 2020 bubble title. The Lakers got bounced from the first round in 2021, and the Lakers failed to reach the postseason in 2019 and this year.  So with another disappointing season under his belt, I think the next question that we’re going to ask is a fair one. Has LeBron James underachieved since he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers?

The answer is yes. Now a couple of things that we need to keep in mind. I’m in no way trying to indicate that I’m not appreciative of the title he won for the Lakers. I understand that the Lakers don’t bring in Anthony Davis if LeBron didn’t sign with the franchise first, and the Lakers don’t win the title in 2020 without the legendary performance by LeBron. In fact, I have his 2020 playoff run deep in my top 50 of the greatest playoff runs by a player in history in my “All-Time Greatest NBA Book”. LeBron James also had an MVP caliber season in the 2019-20 season, while leading the league in assists. The dude was a monster that season. That is something that none of us can deny. I would never just dismiss all that just because we had a disappointing season this year.

Here’s why at this point LeBron has underachieved. He is playing for the most successful franchise of the last 50 years. There is no other team in the history of the sport that has employed more legendary players throughout its history. And you may say, well Jerry West only won 1 title, Wilt Chamberlain only won 1 title with the Lakers, and Elgin Baylor never won a title. Here’s the difference though. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor went to the Finals 7 times in his career. Jerry West went to the Finals 9 times in his career. These were players that never played for any other franchise and the Lakers were competing for a championship every year that they were there. So LeBron can’t compare with that. A better comparison would be Wilt Chamberlain. He also signed with the Lakers late in his career, and he played with the Lakers for 5 years. I’m willing to bet LeBron is only going to last that long with the franchise. For those five years, the Lakers won a title and went to the Finals three other times. In fact, there were two different years where the Lakers were only one game away from winning the title. They were always in the hunt to win the title, and that’s all you can ask for. LeBron can only say that for just one year, which was the year the Lakers won it.

But for all of you reading this article, I’m willing to bet no one was alive when Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Wilt were playing. For some of you, you were alive when Kareem and Magic were playing. And what did they do? They won 5 titles. Now for the majority of us, we were alive when Shaq and Kobe were dominating the league. What did they do? Shaq won three titles and three Finals MVPs, and Kobe won five titles. These were players that won multiple championships. That’s the bar that these legendary players set. Championships with an “S” in the end. That’s what we’re used to. So now you bring one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and for some, he’s the GOAT, and you only get past the first round one time in four years?! How are we supposed to take that? We take it as an underachievement, as crazy and as unreasonable as that may seem.

One final thing has caused many Lakers fans to have a negative perception of LeBron’s tenure. I call this the Kobe Bryant effect. Keep in mind that this argument has nothing to do with Kobe fans thinking that LeBron would never pass him in the GOAT debate or whatever silly rivalry these fans have. Laker nation is currently a divided nation, and some Kobe fans haven’t fully embraced LeBron James, and in all honesty, never will. For those who don’t understand this conundrum, let me explain this to everyone. FYI, I was one of the few that did embrace them and was ecstatic the moment we signed him. I am not part of this club, but I can speak for them. I do share part of their sentiment.

Kobe Bryant set a bar that will be impossible for any great player to reach. It’s not just the numbers. It’s not just the championships. Forget about all that, because we all know what he accomplished. Obviously, LeBron was never going to accomplish all that at the advanced stage of his career for the Lakers. So that’s not a fair expectation, but it’s the way Kobe Bryant carried himself. It was his “win at all costs” mentality that we were accustomed to seeing. When the Lakers were struggling in 2013 with all that talent on the roster, he guaranteed the Lakers would make the playoffs. He put the pressure on his teammates, but he backed it up. So in the last 7 games that he played that season, he played over 40 minutes every time to ensure a victory. It meant his body breaking down, but that’s what he was willing to risk. He gave it his all every time he stepped on the court, and he couldn’t accept anything less. That’s what we saw for 20 years. That was true even after he tore his Achilles.

I have a quick story to share with you that exemplifies that. In December of 2014, I went to see the Lakers play in Indianapolis, and the Lakers were getting torched! The score was 27 to 60 going into halftime. The game was all over because they were just a pathetic squad. But what I saw for the next 12 minutes of game action is the reason why Kobe Bryant is my favorite player. He recognized that the hole was too deep for the Lakers to come out of and he was most likely going to have to sit out the fourth quarter. Bankers Life Fieldhouse was full of Lakers fans trying to take advantage of watching their favorite player play live because we knew he didn’t have many years left. I’m willing to bet that Kobe knew this, so it seemed like he made it a mission to give the Pacers hell for the next 12 minutes. There were times when Kobe was guarding his man 90-feet out, and there were two times he caused a turnover before the ball-handler could reach half-court. He was attacking the rim, and he even gave us a vintage drive to the hoop where he dunked the ball while drawing the foul. It was like it was his way of saying, “I’m sorry we’re playing like crap, but I promise I won’t let you all leave empty-handed.” The Lakers ended up losing by 19 points and Kobe did not play in the fourth quarter. It was a meaningless game, but it’s a moment that I’ll never forget. I learned something new about this player that I never would have noticed if I wasn’t in the building that night. I gained even greater respect from this player, who refused to give up in a meaningless game at the age of 36.

Then I got to see LeBron James play for the first time in Indianapolis in 2019 as a member of the Lakers. This was around the time when there were a lot of rumors circulating that the Lakers were going to make a push to trade for Anthony Davis. So this young core of players that consisted of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball, who was supposed to be the future of this franchise, was now uncertain of their future with the team. That all led to the worst defeat of LeBron James’ career. And of course, that was the first time I ever saw this legendary player live. But that’s fine with me. I’ve seen way too many games live where the game was over by the third quarter. It happens. But I wanted to see how LeBron responded to all that after the Lakers were down 46 to 69 at half-time. Would I see something similar that Kobe gave me in a similar situation? No, it was quite the opposite. I saw someone give up. I saw someone who played half-heartedly. I saw someone who didn’t want to be there. And that was obvious when we saw LeBron sitting by himself on the bench with none of his teammates around him. It was a sight that I also would never forget.

So say what you want about Kobe. Was he selfish at times? Yes. Was he too preoccupied at times with reaching personal ambitions and goals throughout the course of a season? Yes. Those were all things he was guilty of. Just like every other player, he had his flaws. But if Kobe was not winning at the end of the game, he could honestly care less about anything else. I’ve seen it so many times when observing the way he acted with reporters after games. If he happened to have a big scoring night, but it resulted in defeat, Kobe was grouchy and was bitingly sarcastic with them. And it also seemed like he wanted to bite off the heads of all his teammates. He was miserable because they didn’t get the job done. He was selfish, but nothing was more important to him than winning. We all got the sense of that, so that’s why we were ok with his playing style and his personality. How could we complain about someone who is that obsessive about winning?

If you were to ask any fan of the Lakers if they get that same sense with LeBron James, I’m willing to bet that you would get mixed results. We can point to the 2021 first-round series against the Phoenix Suns where it seemed like LeBron James gave up in the series-clinching game 6. This was against the same team where Chris Paul refused to sit out any games while playing with one bad arm. And then we have this disaster of a season. With the Lakers racking up Ls after Ls, it didn’t leave a good impression among “day one” Lakers fans that LeBron James celebrated certain achievements and milestones that he accomplished throughout the year, even after defeat. That’s something that we’re not used to. It’s not Kobe-esque. No one’s questioning LeBron’s desire to win ball games. He wouldn’t be this great if he didn’t care that much. He wouldn’t be averaging over 30 points per game at the age of 37 if he didn’t care. 

What Lakers fans were questioning when he decided to take his talents to Hollywood is if he would give the purple and gold everything. You can star in all the movies that you want. We had Shaq that was doing the same thing when he signed with the Lakers in the late 90s. You can make as many appearances on TV shows that you like. Lamar Odom was no stranger to that, and even Kobe Bryant had many cameos on various TV shows. That all comes with the territory when you play with the Lakers. But these were players that had the reputation of trashing locker rooms and snarking at teammates when the job didn’t get done. They gave us the peace of mind that our star players were going to put winning above everything else. 

The unfortunate thing for LeBron James is that he’s following up a player that is the most obsessive and maniacal competitor since Michael Jordan. There are very few players in the history of the league that is wired like that. For a player that will be playing in his 20th season and will be turning 38 years old next season, you can’t expect him to care that much. No one can after that many years, especially for a player that didn’t dream of wearing the purple and gold since he was a child and that owns countless NBA records. But that’s the legacy that Kobe Bryant built, and it’s the standard that we expect from every future NBA star that puts on that Lakers jersey. It’s not just about the numbers. Hell, it’s not just that you won a championship. Are you going to give the most decorated franchise and its city everything you got? Blood, sweat, tears, body, and even health. If you do, the titles would then soon follow. We were doing the same thing to Shaq before Phil Jackson came to the town. 

So as much as people think Lakers fans view every season as a disappointment if it doesn’t end with a title is wrong. In fact, I can almost guarantee that the Lakers will not win a title next season. I don’t believe it’s logical to say that a 38-year-old player can lead a team to a championship. Anthony Davis is going to have to take the keys to the car and drive us there, but it’s even less logical to say that Anthony Davis will be healthy and play all 82 games of the season. And don’t even get me started with what we’re going to do with Russell Westbrook. There are just too many question marks with this team. So I don’t think anyone is planning a parade in Los Angeles.  

All that we ask is that you give the impression that nothing else matters but winning. Failing to reach the postseason in half of your tenure here is unacceptable. It should be driving you crazy like it’s driving us crazy. I honestly didn’t expect LeBron to win more than one championship during his time with the Lakers. My expectations have honestly been met. But for a large portion of Lakers nation that was skeptical about the arrival of LeBron James, they want to see more. Maybe not a title, but a Kobe-esque season. And we’re not talking about the numbers. We’re talking about your will to win and not accepting anything else. We will then follow your lead. The question is, what is LeBron playing for at this stage of his career? 

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Which is the most disappointing Lakers season ever?

The Los Angeles Lakers are wrapping up one of the most disappointing seasons in their franchise history. The Lakers are officially out of playoff contention. If you’re keeping count at home, they’ve failed to reach the postseason 2 out of the four years that LeBron James has been a Laker. So that now leads us to this next question, is this indeed the most disappointing season in Laker history? So I’m in opinion, and keep in mind… I’m speaking as a Lakers fan, there are only two years that can compete with this disaster of a season. And I’m not including any season where they actually made the Finals. So I’m not including the 2004 season or the 1969 season. Yes, these were teams that were loaded with talent, but they did make the Finals. They were bitter Finals losses, and that’s why we as Lakers fans, have a negative perception of that season. But when you come that close to winning the title, I can’t put you in the top 3. So let’s get with the only two seasons that I believe are comparable. 

The first one that we’re going to talk about is the 1980-81 season. Now you may look at this season and say, well this team won 54 games in the regular season, and they had the second-best record in the western conference. How is that disappointing? The main reason is that they lost in the first round to the Houston Rockets. We’ll get to that in a second. But when you dig deeper into the details of this season, then you’ll see why this team never even had a chance at repeating as champions. In the previous season, the Lakers won 60 games and only lost two times in the playoffs on their road to the Finals. This was a team that was loaded with offensive weapons. You had the tandem of Magic Johnson and Norm Nixon in the backcourt, who were excellent distributors. Jamaal Wilkes, who was as smooth as they come, was a walking bucket. He averaged over 20 PPG for the team, while shooting north of 53% from the field. And then, of course, you had the MVP of the 1980 season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And keep in mind, Magic Johnson was only a rookie that season. So this team was only going to get better.

So what happened? Pat Riley gave us some insight on that season in what ended up being one of the best basketball books you’ll ever read. In his book titled, “Showtime: Inside the Lakers’ Breakthrough Season”, Pat Riley infamously talked about an important basketball principle that prevents teams from duplicating a previous successful season. He called it, “the disease of more”. He stated that “success is often the first step toward disaster” and that defending champions often fail the following season because every player who returns wants more playing time, more shots per game, and more money. According to reports, that’s exactly what was happening in the locker room.

Check out what Anthony Cotton wrote for Sports Illustrated in 1981, “They had lost their last two regular-season games, and stories were circulating that some L.A. players were less than enchanted with the ballyhooed return to the lineup of Magic Johnson, who had missed 45 games following knee surgery. Norm Nixon, who went from shooting guard to point guard and then back to shooting guard, was quoted as saying the changes were disruptive to his game. Other reports indicated that several Lakers were jealous over the media attention given Magic’s comeback.” Anthony cotton continued saying this, “Johnson was crushed by the talk, and he stayed up until five in the morning after the first-game loss to the Rockets in a state of bewilderment. “I try to give everybody the ball, keep everyone happy, but I guess it’s never enough,” Magic said. “I never heard of this kind of situation on a winning team. Everybody can’t get the pub. Before me it was Kareem, and if they weren’t getting it then, I don’t know how they could want it now.”

And then, check out what a New York Times article said in that same year, “On the negative side, Jim Chones, a veteran forward, was angered when he and Michael Cooper were replaced in the starting lineup by Jim Brewer and Butch Carter. A teammate, quoted anonymously, said, ”How can he bench our best big man?” And even Kareem was reported to causing some rift in the locker room, and he experienced a drop in production from his previous MVP season. The same article says this, “This season, the Lakers have often appeared to be a different team. Abdul-Jabbar has been criticized for an alleged lack of motivation and has gone through a rare shooting slump. Starters have been benched and unhappy, and major player changes have been considered.” The article continues saying, “He missed a practice last November and reportedly told teammates he needed to catch up on his sleep. A teammate, who asked to remain anonymous, was quoted as saying: ”He doesn’t want to play. He wants to retire. He’s always joking about it, saying, ‘I wish there was somebody to replace me.”’

It was just a drama-filled season. And the internal problems that the Lakers were having made this team seem less invincible. Think of the Brooklyn Nets this year, and how their internal problems made them an inferior team from the previous season. So once the playoffs began, the Lakers were expected to at least get past the first round. However, the Lakers lost to a Rockets team, that went 40-42 in the regular season, in a shortened three-game series. In the series-clinching game 3, Magic Johnson had one of the worst performances of his career. He ended the game with 10 points on 2/14 shooting. That set up one of the most improbable playoff runs in the history of the game, and I’m thinking of doing a video about the 1981 Rockets soon. But it also set up one of the most shocking playoff defeats in modern-day history. Changes needed to be made, and it eventually led to the Pat Riley-era of the Showtime Lakers in the following season. So it ended up being a good thing, but at the time… you were wondering about the future of this team. And unlike some of the early playoff exits that the Lakers suffered in the past, this Lakers team had everyone healthy for the playoffs. They weren’t missing any key pieces. So that’s why this particular year was very disappointing.

The last season that we’re going to talk about is the 2012-13 season. This was a season that was filled with promise. The Lakers added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to their roster in the offseason, and it opened up exciting possibilities. Many people were predicting that we were going to finally see a Kobe and LeBron Finals matchup, that also included 6 other future hall of fame players going head to head. The Miami Heat held their end of the bargain, but the Lakers were struggling right from the get-go. The Lakers started the season going 1-4, and that resulted in Mike Brown getting fired. Then Bernie Bickerstaff took over, and the Lakers went 4-1 for the next five games. It seemed like just letting all these experienced and championship-winning players take the lead and letting them play their game was the way to go. But then the Lakers infamously hired Mike D’Antoni over Phil Jackson to coach this team, and then all hell broke loose. A lot of it was due to injuries. Steve Nash got hurt in just the second game of the season and didn’t come back until the game before Christmas. Dwight Howard suffered a serious back injury and postponed surgery to try to compete for a championship. There was a lot of pressure from his teammates, more specifically Kobe Bryant, to play through the pain. He did not look himself, and he was obviously hurting. In fact, Ron Artest said this according to Bleacher Report, “I don’t even know how the hell he played”. We also have to take into account the injury that Pau Gasol suffered that caused him to miss nearly half the season.

But aside from all the injuries, there were a lot of issues that were going on inside the locker room. Pau Gasol was not happy with his role within the system. There were also times when he was benched in crunch time of many games, and that caused even more friction between Gasol and Mike D’Antoni. And then Dwight Howard was unhappy with his role. He was complaining throughout the season that he wasn’t getting enough touches. There were also some other concerns that he had with the offense. Mike D’Antoni told the Los Angeles Daily News that Howard envisioned himself as a dominant low-post scorer whom the offense should run through rather than a pick-and-roll player. D’Antoni thought that Steve Nash and Dwight Howard would dominate the league with their pick and roll tandem, but Howard was simply not buying in. So with all those factors, the Lakers struggled to maintain a winning record. It wasn’t until the end of the season that the Lakers started picking things up, but it ended with the biggest blow of all. Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles after he tried to will his team to the playoffs. That injury ended all talks of the Lakers making any sort of run in the playoffs, it ended Kobe’s prime, and it ended the Lakers dominating stretch of relevancy for the next 6 years.

So which of these three seasons do you think is the most disappointing? In my opinion, I think the 2021-22 season tops them all. The Lakers at least made the playoffs in 1981 and 2013. But for this season, we’re talking about a team that had championship aspirations for some NBA experts. The move of adding Russell Westbrook was a controversial one for Laker fans. For people like me, we hated it from the beginning and thought it would never work. For some, they thought the Lakers were going to be a serious title contender. According to the preseason odds, they had the second-best chance of winning the title. So they had every right to have high hopes. But there was one thing we could all agree on, none of us thought the Lakers would end up being a lottery team. And that’s what the Lakers ended up being. They are the most frustrating and disappointing Lakers team in franchise history.

Tim Hardaway: Biggest Snub from “The All-Time Greatest NBA Book”?

The 2022 basketball hall of fame class has just been announced, and the finalists include players like Manu Ginobili and Tim Hardaway. I think there’s no question that Ginobili deserves to be a first-ballot hall of fame player, and I personally think that he got snubbed from the NBA 75th team. In my personal top 100 players, I have Ginobili at 75. Now I was pleasantly surprised to see that Tim Hardaway got in. It’s been 16 years since he retired from the game, and I didn’t think that he would ever get the call. But he did, and I’m happy for him. If you were watching basketball in the 90s, then Tim Hardaway was probably one of your favorite players to watch. I was personally always tuning in when the Miami Heat were on TV, and it was mostly because of him. I wasn’t old enough to remember the Run TMC Warriors, but from what I’ve observed from watching their games, he was one of the best individual talents in the league. His greatness is undeniable, but I think there was no one that was shocked that he didn’t make the NBA 75th team. There’s no legitimate case for him. But what about from 100 to 76? There are a lot of people who think he’s good enough to at least make the top 100. When I was writing my book and gathering the players to rank my top 100, I had to think long and hard about his legacy, and I ultimately decided to snub him. I’ll get to the reasons why in a second, but I want to first highlight the case for him. Since I don’t want this to be a video that just talks about the negative aspects of his game.

The first thing that most people think about when talking about Tim Hardaway is his offensive greatness. He had a modern game that paved the way for players like Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Deron Williams, Kemba Walker, John Wall, and Kyrie Irving. He was the prototypical scoring point guard that also had incredible ball-handling skills. It was impossible to stay in front of these players, and it was even more impressive when the league allowed defenders to use their bodies to prevent the ball handler from passing them. And Tim Hardaway is one of the first players you think of when talking about the greatest ball-handlers in the history of the game

Here are some of the noteworthy things that he accomplished. His best year came in the 1991-92 season. He averaged a career-high 23.4 PPG on 46.1% shooting, 10 APG, 3.8 RPG, and 2 SPG. Those are numbers that only players like Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Tiny Archibald, and John Wall were able to top. These are mostly players who are not only in the pantheon of NBA greats, but players who either won the MVP award or were legitimate candidates for the MVP. In the prior season, he averaged 22.9 PPG on 47.6% shooting, 9.7 APG, 4 RPG, and 2.6 SPG. He also made five all-star appearances, five All-NBA selections (including one first-team selection), and there was one season where he finished 4th in MVP voting. That occurred in 1997.

From the analytical side, he currently ranks all-time 39th in career offensive box plus/minus, 60th in value over replacement player ranking, and 61st in box plus/minus. What impressed me most is that he currently ranks higher than players like Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Alex English, and Kevin McHale in career VORP ranking. And if we’re talking about what he accomplished in the playoffs, he was able to reach the conference finals once in 1997 as a member of the Miami Heat. His most noteworthy playoff series came in 1991 when the Warriors shocked the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Spurs were the second seed, and they won 55 games in the regular season, compared to the 44 games that the Warriors won. But the Warriors defeated the Spurs 3-1 in that series. Hardaway averaged 23.3 PPG on 47.4% shooting, 9.3 APG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.3 SPG. His best game came in the series-clinching game 4 when he led all scorers with 32 points on 52% shooting, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. And we should also point out his clutch performance in game 7 against the New York Knicks in the 1997 semifinals. He had 38 points on 60% shooting, including going 6/10 from the three, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 3 rebounds. He carried his team to victory in that game. So for right now, he’s got a pretty intriguing case to be mentioned among the greatest of all time.

But here’s why I decided to snub him. The first thing is that his prime didn’t last long enough, and that’s all thanks to injuries. He suffered a major knee injury in practice in 1993 while getting ready for the upcoming season, and it caused him to miss the full season. Unfortunately, he was never the same after that. He started playing at an all-star level three seasons later, but by that time, he was thirty years old. He only had a small window of opportunity left since his quickness and athleticism were diminishing at the advanced stage of his career. If it wasn’t for that, then I think he would have racked up major accolades for his career. I think he is definitely one of the biggest what-if players in history when it comes to players that had their prime shortened due to injuries.

That was something that was out of his control. But the biggest reason why I decided to snub him from my top 100 is that his playoff career resume is rather lackluster. If you were a fan of the Miami Heat in the late 90s, then there were plenty of times when you were frustrated and disappointed by the fact that Tim Hardaway was nowhere to be found in a huge playoff game. Let’s look at the evidence. From 1996 to 2000, we’re talking about a five-year period, the Miami Heat lost in the first round 3 out of those 5 seasons. For two of those seasons, the Heat were one of the best teams in the league and suffered major upsets, primarily to the New York Knicks in 1998 and 1999. But the 1999 first-round series is the biggest black mark in his career. He averaged 9 PPG on 26% shooting. There were even two straight games where he made just one field goal. Poor Alonzo Mourning was the only one that showed up for the Miami Heat. Then in the following postseason, Tim Hardaway had 1 point in game 3 of the second-round series against the Knicks. With the Heat up 3-2 in the series, he had 2 points in game 6. And he followed that up with 15 points on 6/20 shooting in game 7. And we can’t forget his performance in the 1997 first-round series against the Orlando Magic when he averaged 14.4 PPG on 30% shooting. This was the season where the Heat won 61 games, but they nearly got bounced in the first round. Credit to Penny Hardaway who nearly beat the Heat by himself.

But that was something that I couldn’t just ignore. If you read my book, you’ll see that the way a player performs in the playoffs is a big factor in determining their rankings. And there were too many times where Tim Hardaway had awful performances in the playoffs. The reality is that the Miami Heat underachieved during the Alonzo Mourning era. They won 55 games in 1998 and got bounced in the first round. They were the 1st seed in the east in 1999 and got bounced in the first round. They won 52 games in 2000, they were the 2nd best team in the east, and they lost in 7 games in the semifinals. Alonzo Mourning, as we know, was a beast in the defensive end, and was a respectable scorer. He could put up numbers on the offensive end, but he needed someone else to help carry the scoring load. Tim Hardaway was supposed to be that guy for the Heat, but he fell short too many times in important playoff games when the Heat needed someone to take over. In game 5 in 1999, the Heat lost by one point, and Hardaway was nowhere to be found. In fact, before Allan Houston made that legendary game-winning shot, Tim Hardaway turned the ball over giving the Knicks a chance to win the game. In game 6 in 2000, the Heat lost by two points. Then in game 7, the Heat lost by one point. For both games, Hardaway was nowhere to be found. I just can’t put you in this elite club with all these legendary players with that in your resume. I think he deserves an honorable mention, but I just can’t let you in the club.

The Ultimate NBA Endgame (Excerpt from “The All-Time Greatest NBA Book”)

While doing my research for this book, I read a few times where Bob Ryan would write, “If Planet Earth were involved in a winner-take-all one-game basketball playoff against an alien invader, the loser to go into servitude for all eternity, my first pick of anyone who has ever played basketball in our known world would be (…)”. Can you guess who this writer for the Boston Herald picked? It’s not who you think! He ended up picking a healthy Bill Walton. That should tell you a little bit about how dominant Bill Walton was in his prime. But that got me thinking about a fun, but yet important basketball discussion that helped me rank a few of the players from the last chapter. If there was a winner-take-all game with billions of lives at a stake, which players would we trust with our lives? (*)

It’s no secret at this point that I am a fan of the MCU movies. I’ve referenced a lot of their movies throughout this book, but I’m going to dedicate this whole chapter to the premise of their biggest movie, “Avengers: Endgame”. This book is about to get super geeky real quick! Since that movie is currently the highest-grossing film ever, it feels like everyone has seen or heard about what happened in the movie. But I would be remiss if I at least didn’t put the disclaimer that there are going to be some pretty big spoilers from this movie. The Endgame movie presents and executes the theory that they could travel back in time using the Quantum Realm to help the Avengers retrieve the Infinity Stones from the past to reverse the actions of Thanos in the present. They use Pym Particles to shrink to subatomic size and enter the Quantum Realm. Tony Stark (Iron Man) and the Hulk then make the necessary technology and voilà, the Avengers are now time-travelers. They are now able to go to specific periods of time to retrieve all the Infinity Stones. That helped set the epic battle between the Avengers against Thanos and his Black Order army.

That’s what we’re going to be doing here. In a hypothetical winner-take-all game against the aliens, we’ll surely want the best of the best fighting to save life as we know it. So as we’re getting together the best 12-man rotation possible, we’re surely going to think of players like Michael Jordan or LeBron James to be in the team. That’s a given, but what version of Michael Jordan are we picking? Do we want the 1996 version of Jordan that led his team to 72-wins? Or do we want the 1991 version where he was in his athletic prime? That specific detail is extremely important, as we want to make sure that we are picking, not only the best version of that player but also the version that would fit seamlessly with the group of players that they’ll be surrounded with. 

For this 12-man rotation, we are not simply picking the best two players of each position, or the 12 greatest players of all time and putting them on a team. There are two specific characteristics that I’m looking for in the players to be able to fight for our existence. The first thing is that they have to be complete players. They have to have little to no weaknesses in their game. If there are question marks to their offensive game like Russell Westbrook or Dennis Rodman, or if they’re too much of a defensive liability like Steve Nash or James Harden, then it would too risky to include those types of players on the team. The second thing would be the toughness factor. This is going to be the fight for their lives. Not all players play the same when the pressure is that great. Remember, this isn’t a seven-game series that they’re playing. This is a game 7 type of scenario. It’s a winner-take-all game. So we are looking for players that don’t shy away from the big moments and that have the reputation of having that “dawg” in them. This is when the Robert Horry test comes to play.

The last thing that I want to point out is that I don’t care too much about the chemistry of the team or if certain players don’t like each other. If the lives of billions are at stake, one would assume that a person is willing to put that petty stuff away for the sack of all of us. Since the aliens have no idea what’s coming, they would have plenty of time for a training camp so the players can learn how to play with each other. There can even be scrimmages with the current players so they can have some playing action before the big final battle. So I’m going to play the role of Nick Fury and choose the players that are going to save the world.

At point guard, we are going back to 1987 and taking Magic Johnson. There is no debate that this is the best version of him. For this season he averaged 23.9 PPG on 52.2% shooting, 12.2 APG, 6.3 RPG, and 1.7 SPG. He was the league MVP and the Lakers had the most dominant season of their storied franchise history. Magic was still the game’s best distributor, as he led the league in assists. This season he also displayed a complete offensive game. He was lethal in the fast break, he had an unstoppable post-up game with his baby skyhook, and he had a respectable outside touch from the perimeter. He also had plenty of clutch moments that season. In the regular season, he played huge under pressure against the Celtics and Sonics, and this was also the year he made the game-winner in game 4 of the Finals on the road against the Boston Celtics. This pick is a no-brainer.

At shooting guard, we are going back to 1992 and taking Michael Jordan. We want Michael to still be in his athletic prime, but it’s important that he has some championship experience under his belt as well. This season he averaged 30.1 PPG on 51.9% shooting, 6.4 RPG, 6.1 APG, and 2.3 SPG. For this version of MJ, he was able to display an incredible array of offensive weapons. He was still the best at finishing above the rim and using his hang time to convert on impossible shots. He was also very efficient in the mid-range. And at this point of his career, he had developed a dangerous post-up game. We already know that he had a killers mentality, and that was specifically shown in the way he performed in game 7 of the semifinals against the New York Knicks. He had 42 points on 51.7% shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. He is the unanimous pick for this position.

At small forward, we are going to 2013 and taking LeBron James. We want the greatest physical specimen at his athletic peak. At this point of his career, he had already won a championship and had experience with playing in a team full of talent. He also fully embraced the “villain” role, and was a lot tougher mentally because of the aftermath of “the decision”. This version of LeBron was simply unfair. He averaged 26.8 PPG on 56.5% shooting, 8 RPG, 7.3 APG, and 1.7 SPG. Whenever he decided to go “freight train” mode on his defenders, there was no stopping him. But he was at a point where he developed a consistent outside shot. This season he averaged a career-high 40.6% from the three. There were no major weaknesses in his game. LeBron also built the reputation for being a clutch performer for the Miami Heat. He came up big in the two deciding games in the Finals that season. He had a 30 point triple-double in game 6, and in game 7 he had the stat line of 37 points on 52.2% shooting, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. The aliens are already in trouble with this unstoppable backcourt.

At power forward, we are going back to 2003 and taking Tim Duncan. What makes him perfect for this squad is that he doesn’t need the ball to make an impact on the game. We already have players like Jordan and LeBron to take the scoring load for the team. Duncan will do the little things, especially on the defensive end, to help the team win. However, if you need to give him the ball, he’s more than capable of holding his own on the offensive end. He’s right behind Kevin McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon for having the most post-up moves, especially at this point of his career. He was the MVP for that season, as he averaged 23.3 PPG on 51.3% shooting, 12.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.9 BPG. 

He might even be the unsung hero for this game. With all the attention going at the other players in the starting lineup to produce, they might dare Tim Duncan to be the one to save the day. And we would have no issue with that. All we have to do is point to his game 6 performance in the semifinals when he unofficially ended the Kobe-Shaq Lakers era. He finished the game with 37 points on 64% shooting, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. We also have the time when he averaged a combined 35.3 PPG on 61.7% shooting, 18 RPG, 6 APG, and 3.3 BPG for the first three games of the conference finals series against the Dallas Mavericks. When he was asked to carry the load offensively, he showed that he was more than capable of doing so. There’s a reason why he’s the greatest power forward of all time.

At the center position, we are traveling back to the year 2000 and taking Shaquille O’Neal. He’s the Incredible Hulk for this team. He is the biggest mismatch in NBA history, and the aliens are officially screwed with this starting five. Shaq was in the best shape of his career at this point, and he was out to prove that he was a champion. We don’t want “content” Shaq. We want the Shaq that was out for a mission, and indeed he was. He was almost the unanimous MVP this season, as he averaged 29.7 PPG on 57.4% shooting, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 3 BPG. This postseason he had 5 total games where he scored over 40 points. Some might point out his game 7 performance in the conference finals when he had only 18 points to argue that he wouldn’t be himself in such a high stakes game. Just like when the Hulk decided to bench himself for the entire “Avengers: Infinity War” movie after getting obliterated by Thanos. However, we should remember that the game plan of the Blazers was to throw three to four guys around him and force the others to win the game. With this squad that we have, the aliens are going to have a tough time deciding if to play him straight up or give the poor defender some help. Either way, they’re screwed.

So here is the starting five: PG) 1987 Magic Johnson SG) 1992 Michael Jordan SF) 2013 LeBron James PF) 2003 Tim Duncan C) 2000 Shaquille O’Neal

This starting lineup has size. This starting lineup has the greatest initiator of a fast break offense along with two of the greatest finishers with LeBron James and Michael Jordan. If they want to play in a half-court setting, all five of these players are great individual scorers and they all are great at setting up their teammates. At the defensive end, we have two great rim protectors that will use their size to clog up the paint. Our backcourt defenders are all great at playing “free safety” and intercepting passes. Jordan is a tough individual wing defender and LeBron is one of the most versatile defenders in history. Now we want a bench that fits with the identity of the team and that can keep up with the aliens for long stretches to keep our starting five fresh to close it out.

For the backup point guard, I originally wanted to pick the 1989 version of Isiah Thomas. He just fits the criteria that I’m looking for in a player. He’s one of the greatest playoff performers of all time, he’s one of the best on-ball defenders at his position, he has plenty of experience with playing with a team full of all-star level talent, and he’s one of the toughest SOB’s the league has ever seen. I just think that he would thrive in a situation like this. However, although I don’t care too much about the chemistry between the players, I think that the rift that exists between Thomas and Michael Jordan is just too deep. They have such disdain for each other. It’s not just a professional rivalry, I believe it goes beyond that. The team is not going to be able to function properly when there’s that type of tension in the locker room. So as much as I admire Thomas’ toughness and what he can bring to the team, I’m going to have to look elsewhere to fill this roster spot.

So for the backup point guard, we’re going back to 2017 and choosing Stephen Curry. For this season, he averaged 25.3 PPG on 46.8% shooting, 6.6 APG, and 4.5 RPG. We saw how perfectly he adjusted his game with the addition of Kevin Durant. We saw how his impact on the floor allowed the Golden State Warriors to have the most dominant season of all time. So we know that Curry has experience with fitting in with a team that is full of talent. Our starting rotation doesn’t have a player that is a strong three-point shooter. LeBron James shot over 40% from the field in 2013, but we don’t want him to be our go-to guy if we need a three. That is when Steph Curry will come and make an impact in a major way. He’s going to be able to help spread the floor and he will draw so much attention from his defender from the moment that we start our offensive possessions. He will be able to open things up for everyone else, even if he doesn’t catch fire from the outside.

And if we’re worried about Steph Curry not having enough toughness to perform in a high-intensity game, then we can simply point to his nickname “The Baby Faced Assassin” that was given to him with good reason. This is what assistant coach for the Warriors, Ron Adams, said about Curry in a 2020 article for NBC Sports, “But he is (on the court) guided by his will to succeed, his will to win. And, more than that, his will to do it his way. That’s not unlike Jordan and the other great players. Steph is playing in a different era, with different defensive rules, but the way he is wired, he would have adjusted to any time period. His drive is very similar to all the great players that have played the game.” There is no question in my mind that Curry is not afraid of the moment and will not shy away from playing his game. He might have had an off-game in game 7 of the 2016 Finals, but he did play very well against the OKC Thunder in game 7 of their conference finals matchup. He finished the game with 36 points on 54.2% shooting, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. He also shot 7/12 from the three. We’ve seen plenty of times throughout his career where he also had a big performance in a high-pressure game.

For the backup shooting guard, we are going back to 2006 and picking Kobe Bryant. When you talk about bringing a player off the bench for instant offense, this version of Kobe Bryant is on another level. This season we have the game where he scored 55 points in the second half against the Raptors when he had the legendary 81 point game. We have the game where he scored 30 points in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks when he scored 62 points in 3 quarters. We also have the time when he scored 40 points in the second half against the Clippers that resulted in a 50-point game. There were seven total times that season where he scored over 20 points in one quarter. Just like the 1992 version of Michael Jordan, Kobe has every offensive weapon in his arsenal, and there was no one in the league that could stop him. He averaged for the season 35.4 PPG on 45% shooting, 5.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 1.8 SPG. 

For those who are worried that Kobe would take this opportunity to exert his dominance and sabotage the game by trying to prove that he’s greater than Michael Jordan or LeBron James, well let me ease your mind by reminding you how he conducted when he was playing for the “Redeem Team” in the 2008 Olympics. The coach for the USA Team, Mike Krzyzewski, said this in a 2016 interview, “People confuse the fact that he wants to be who’s scoring (…) but Kobe will do whatever you ask him to do to win. Whether it be play defense, rebound, pass, he just wants to win. (…) I think he’s extremely coachable. You tell him what you need and he’ll do it. (…) A lot of times he’ll come to you and say, I’m ready to do this before you even say it because he’s so darn smart. Really, he’s brilliant.” And then on the “Road to Redemption” documentary that NBA TV did, he also mentioned that Kobe showed selflessness when he offered to focus more on defense and guard the best player on the opposing team every time. He was on his best behavior for the two Olympics teams that he was on in 2008 and 2012, and he showed that he can impact a game in a variety of ways other than scoring.

For the backup small forward, we are going back to 1986 and picking Larry Bird. For this season he averaged 25.8 PPG on 49.6% shooting, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, and 2 SPG. He was the MVP for this season and was the leader of arguably the greatest team in history. This was the season where people were hinting that they were witnessing the greatest player who has ever lived after he won this third championship in six years and his third consecutive MVP award. Everyone was in awe of him, and it was for his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. We need someone who can complement some of the superior scorers that we have on the team, and just focus on the little things that can mean the difference in winning. And that includes on both ends of the floor. 

He’s someone that’s going to force turnovers by picking off passes while Jordan and Kobe guard the other team’s best player. He’s almost a guarantee to pull down at least 10 rebounds in the game to eliminate any second chance opportunities. He’s someone that’s going to keep the ball moving on offense. He’s going to punish the smaller defenders on the block. And he’ll make the defense pay if they dare leave him open for a wide-open three-pointer. I have a feeling that we would insert him for a variety of lineups that we can use, which can include a small-ball lineup where he can play any position from 1 to 4. By the end of this game, the aliens might come to fear him more than anyone else on this team other than Jordan.

For the backup power forward, we are going back to 2004 and picking Kevin Garnett. We want the “bang his head against the basket as he shouts curse words at himself” KG. This choice was easy, as he completely fits the criteria that we’re looking for in the players. For this season he averaged 24.2 PPG on 49.9% shooting, 13.9 RPG, 5 APG, 2.2 BPG, and 1.5 SPG. This was the season where KG convinced many experts to be on his side of the Duncan vs Garnett debate. If you weren’t around during this time, basically people were saying that if you put Garnett in the Spurs for his whole career he would be the one winning all the championships. That argument died out the following years, but his numbers for the 2004 season look a little better than Duncan’s 2003 season. By the way, that was both of their peak seasons. You have a strong case if you are one of those that argue that you would take peak Garnett over peak Duncan.

The prime example of Garnett showing up big in a high-pressure game came in game 7 against the Sacramento Kings in the semifinals. He posted an impressive stat line of 32 points on 52.2% shooting, 21 rebounds, 5 blocks, 4 steals, and 2 assists. The performance was all-time great, but what impresses me the most is the mentality that he had going into the game. The day before the game, Garnett said that he was ready for war. Some people took offense to that, but he stood by his comment. This is what he said to reporters according to the Washington Post, “I felt like I had to be an example to everybody. I didn’t want to drive home and wonder if I could have done more. My analogy was inappropriate, but it described how I felt. I had to let it all hang out. Sometimes you have to be passive, but tonight was not that time.” 

If he was comparing a game with the Minnesota Timberwolves season on the line as war, imagine how he would prepare for a game with the future of humanity on the line. His head just might explode before the game, and that’s what we want. He is going to be all over the floor, and he’s going to light a fire on this team that will get everybody going. We won’t need him to score many points, but to focus on doing all the dirty work. It’s a role that he was born to play.

For the backup center, we are going back to 1972 and picking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. When you are the owner of the “surest two points in history” title, then you have to be on this team. He had 5 total games that season of scoring over 50 points. He was a huge problem for defenses that season. We also have to take into consideration that we have to replace Shaq in crunch time of the fourth quarter because they will surely use the “hack of Shaq” tactic. He has proven to deliver in the clutch and he’s also an underrated rim protector. To prove this, check out what the former player for the Baltimore Bullets, Kevin Loughery, said about Kareem’s defense according to Sports Illustrated in 1971, “You’ve got to give Lew all the credit. He may only block one shot here or there, but guys have to change their shots because of him. He’s the greatest defensive player I’ve seen since Bill Russell.” 

He averaged for that season 34.8 PPG on 57.4% shooting, 16.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG. Those impressive numbers helped him win the MVP. We’re not used to seeing the “athletic” Kareem, but he’s known as the greatest center in history for a reason. And it was because of what he accomplished in that 70’s decade. He will certainly play a big role in this game. 

For the last two picks for the roster, we want players that can play multiple positions. Ideally from point guard to power forward. That way they can play any role on the court and present matchup problems for the defense. So we are going to travel back to 2017 and select Kevin Durant. For this season he averaged 25.1 PPG on 53.7% shooting, 8.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.6 BPG, and 1.1 SPG. We mentioned under his player profile that no matter what kind of teammates he’s surrounded with, he was going to play his game within the flow of the offense and help his team reach a level of offense of historic proportions. It doesn’t matter if he’s playing with Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, James Harden, or Kyrie Irving. He’s guaranteed to get you at least 25 points on 50% shooting from the field. Do you need him to be a spot-up shooter? He can do that. Do you need him to bail you out if you’re bent on stopping Michael Jordan or every other legendary scorer we have on this team? Then he can do that as well. He is a matchup nightmare that can open things up for everybody else on the floor, and he will also be a key component for our small-ball lineup that would be implemented when we want to blow up the scoreboard.

Last but not least, we are going back to 1994 and selecting Scottie Pippen. He is mainly here for defensive purposes. When the aliens make a run, we are plugging Pippen in there to stop it quickly. We can put him in there along with MJ and LeBron, or MJ and Kobe, and play a murderous press defense on them. There is no way that they would allow the aliens to even get close to passing half-court. You can also plug him in to run the point, and he can help get the offense going. His size and extraordinary play-making ability is the reason why I decided to go with him instead of a player like Kawhi Leonard. For that season he averaged 22 PPG on 49.1% shooting, 8.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, and 2.9 SPG.

This is what the bench looks like: PG) 2017 Stephen Curry SG) 2006 Kobe Bryant SF) 1986 Larry Bird PF) 2004 Kevin Garnett C) 1972 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The last two spots are 2017 Kevin Durant and 1994 Scottie Pippen.

The coach that we are selecting to lead this group is Gregg Popovich. We saw how he helped the 2007 Spurs become one of the greatest defensive teams of the modern era, and we saw how the 2014 Spurs were the blueprint of the modern NBA with their perfectly executed offense. He was successful in the “slow it down and feed the big man” era of the 2000s and he was successful in today’s game. He’s a basketball genius and a proven champion. He’s the perfect leader for this group of basketball greats. We’ll allow him to pick the coaching staff that he needs.

This hypothetical scenario is more than just a game. It’s more than a game that will impact a player’s legacy. It’s more than just winning a title for a city or an organization. This game is for their lives, the lives of their families, and the lives of the world. Think of it as game 7 of the Finals. Those games are usually ugly and very physical. I believe we picked a group of guys that will play at a high level on both ends of the floor under such heavy pressure. This proves that the measure of greatness is more than just the individual talent of the player. It’s how you respond under big moments of a game, and if you were able to do enough to lead your team to victory. I believe the world is in safe hands with these proven greats.

(*) Bill Simmons had a similar discussion in his Book of Basketball, but he used the examples of wine bottles. What a nerd!

Introduction (Excerpt from “The All-Time Greatest NBA Book”)

For many of you who have purchased this book and have taken the time to read my work that I’ve dedicated years to complete, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance. I am not a well-known author and I’m not a well-known journalist that’s been writing about the league for an extended period of time, and that might have given you some doubts if it’s really worth your money to purchase this book. So I want to start by giving some clarity about me and what my expertise on the subject matter is.

First things first, I’m 29 years old and my memory of watching basketball goes as far back to the glorious 1999 lockout season. I remember being a huge fan of Michael Jordan. I remember the day my parents purchased me a Michael Jordan jersey from K-Mart, and I wanted to wear that jersey every time I played basketball on my Fisher-Price goal. In my mind, I was Jordan playing for the Chicago Bulls. I must have watched him for me to be such a fan, but I just don’t remember watching any of the games he played in as a member of the Chicago Bulls. So that means I never got to witness Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and all the other greats from the ‘80s and beyond play. 

Since this book is solely about ranking the greatest teams and players of all time, one might conclude that a person that’s never witnessed so many great players play cannot objectively rank the players that were around before my time. I don’t blame you for thinking that way, but there is a well-respected journalist that has come to the defense of people like me who have such a love for the NBA.

That person is Bob Ryan, who’s been around the NBA since players like Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor were playing. He’s an award-winning columnist and he wrote for The Boston Globe for decades. He wrote this article for Boston.com in 2008, and he said something that resonates with me deeply. He wrote this, “I’d tend to forgive him on the basis of him not being there, but that would mean that history requires that you had to be there. I wasn’t present for the Gettysburg Address or the Bobby Thomson home run, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a good idea of what it must have been like to be there. That’s what being an historian entails. You do your homework.”

I consider myself a historian of the league. I care about it deeply. I pay more attention to the events that transpired decades ago than what’s going on in the league right now. That love for the history of the game all started when my dad saw the love that I had for the game of basketball. So just like any father would do, he wanted to pass on all the memories that he was able to gain watching his favorite team and player play. My dad is from Providence, Rhode Island, so he was a fan of Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. So one day, he bought the documentary “Larry Bird: A Basketball Legend” on VHS. After watching that with my dad and my brother, I was enamored with what I saw. It was the rich tradition of the Boston Celtics. It was the legendary rivalry between him and Magic Johnson, and all the classic Finals matchups that they had. It was the pure shooter that he was, the unselfish nature of his game, the behind the head passes that he would do, and all the crazy late-game moments that he was a part of. I just wanted to know more and more. 

Luckily, my dad had boxes of Celtics games that he recorded in VHS, and we went through all the games that were televised on the CBS channel. Watching the highlights of Larry Bird’s greatest moments was awesome, but watching the full 48-minute games is what made me appreciate even more so the greatness of Larry Bird. It was all the little things that he would do during the game that made a difference in the Celtics winning a large portion of the games that I saw. Then when you have players like Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson in the mix, and it’s no wonder they won all the championships that they did. 

The way the NBA is played now and how it’s revolved around the three-point shot is great and all, but how could you not be entertained when Kevin McHale would introduce a new post-up move on every game. I came to realize that Larry Bird and Kevin McHale were improvisers. Nothing ever seemed planed and you would never define their game as repetitive. They were masters at reacting on the fly, depending on the situation of the game. My allegiance was with the Los Angeles Lakers, but I couldn’t help but have a deep appreciation for the way the Celtics played and how much fun they were to watch. Allow me to speak for all the so-called “old heads” that repeat this same phrase every time they talk about the NBA in the ’80s. This was indeed the golden era of basketball.

I was also introduced to a lot of the great teams and players of the ’80s. I saw some of the battles that the Celtics had with teams like the Milwaukee Bucks. Jack Sikma was always the player that stuck out to me because of his curly blonde perm. But man he was such a versatile player that could do it all on the court. And Terry Cummings always seemed to have a big game every time he played the Celtics on national television for the world to see. I saw the Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks, and I instantly became a fan of Dominique Wilkins for his powerful rim-shattering dunks that he would make a point to do against Boston. I saw the battles that the Celtics had with the Philadelphia 76ers, and how it always seemed like Andrew Toney would go all game without missing a shot. I was taught that the Detroit Pistons were the enemy of the state, and Bill Laimbeer was public enemy number one. But I could not resist marveling at how smooth Isiah Thomas was with the basketball, and how he always seemed to make the biggest shots of the game. 

But the two teams that my dad was able to catch on film that I felt the most excited to watch were when the Celtics played the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of Magic Johnson, or you might miss a pass being darted half court to a teammate that didn’t seem open for a basket, but somehow Magic was able to pass it at just the right angle for an easy bucket. I’m sure his teammates learned to always be ready for an unexpected pass. And then there were these two men with goggles that seemed to dominate the Celtics every time they played them. James Worthy seemed to always be right there with Magic Johnson on the fast break that would usually end with his trademark one-handed swooping dunk. 

The few times the Lakers weren’t looking to push the pace, there was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who always seemed to make the exact same move, but the result would always be the same. He would back down Robert Parish, turn over his shoulder, his right leg bent and suspended in midair, he would hold the ball as high up as possible, he’d then follow through, and that ball would hit nothing but net. Then when I found out he was the all-time leading scorer in league history, my initial reaction was, “well why don’t all the centers in the league just do this move every time? Why is he the only player I’ve seen to do this?!” 

Then the moment arrived when he pulled out the tape that had the words “Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics” written in sharpie on the front end of the VHS cassette. I was so excited to see how Michael Jordan would play against one of the greatest players and teams of all time. I was sure that Michael Jordan would find a way to win the game at the Boston Garden. However, the Celtics would end up crushing the Chicago Bulls by like 20 points, which baffled me at the time. Everyone was calling Michael Jordan the greatest player to ever live, how could he allow his team to lose in such a fashion? It took a while for my younger self to realize this, but a basic basketball principle was being taught to me. A great team will always beat a great player. 

Even though the game was a rout, I couldn’t help but to be fascinated by the grace, the beauty, the effortlessness, and the way Michael Jordan carried himself during the game. But the most exciting part of his game was his ability to hang in the air and convert on the most difficult shots at the rim. And when he was in the open court all by himself for a dunk, it seemed like everyone came to their feet (including me) to see Jordan soar to the hoop. It was one of the most entertaining blowouts I’ve ever seen. In the end, it saddened me that I just missed out on witnessing his playing career when he was dominating the league.

Now before my dad started showing me all these recordings of games, and before I even knew who Larry Bird was, my dad wanted to reintroduce the tradition of recording basketball games for me and my brother to watch. It started in the spring of 1999. I specifically remember my dad having some of his buddies over to watch the NBA on NBC on a Sunday afternoon. The game was the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Orlando Magic. It was such a coincidence that the first game I ever remember watching was the team that had the player that ended up being the closest thing that we have ever seen to Michael Jordan. And not only that, but he ended up having a career game. He ended the game with a career-high 38 points. 

Looking at the way his career ended, this might seem like just another day at the office for Kobe Bryant. In fact, he averaged close to 38 points per game in the 2005-06 season. But just as it has always been for Kobe, it’s not about the numbers. It’s not the fact that he scored 33 points in the second half on 13/16 shooting. It’s not the fact that he scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers come back from a 20-point deficit in the second half. It was all about how he got each of those points.

He was in one of those zones where whatever shot he put up was going in. Fadeaway jumpers, pull-up three-pointers, heavily contested jumpers after dancing with the ball on Penny Hardaway, and strong finishes at the rim. There was one play where he had the ball on the open court and one of the Magic players fouled him to prevent an easy bucket. Kobe saw that coming, so he tried to dunk it anyways to trick the referee to make the following play count on continuation. And I swear to you, it seemed like he took off just below the free-throw line. When I saw that, I thought to myself, “this is the next Michael Jordan”. My fandom for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant started right then and there.

That was the first year that Kobe was in the starting rotation for the Lakers, and I began watching his career closely ever since. Every big game that Kobe and the Lakers were a part of, I was right there in front of the TV set with the VHS tape rolling. From the lob to Shaq against the Blazers in the 2000 playoffs, to Kobe’s coming out party in game 4 of the Finals when Shaq fouled out against the Pacers, to the most dominant playoff run in the history of the game in the 2001 playoffs, to Robert Horry’s game-winner against the Sacramento Kings in 2002, to Derek Fishers miracle game-winner against the Spurs in 2004, to Kobe’s game-tying bucket against the Detroit Pistons in the Finals, to Kobe’s fall from grace after being accused of sexual assault, to the ugly breakup between Shaq, Kobe, and Phil Jackson, to Kobe’s 2006 revenge tour where he was looking to prove all the doubters wrong in a major way, to his game-winner against the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, to Kobe saying on live radio to Stephen A. Smith that he wanted out of LA, to the Memphis Grizzlies gift-wrapping Pau Gasol to us, to the ugly Finals defeat against Boston in 2008, to Kobe coming back and winning two straight titles without Shaq, and to the game where Kobe had his achilles injury against the Golden State Warriors in 2013. 

I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’ve gone through every emotion when rooting for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s like any other relationship you have with your family or friends. We felt like we were a part of the ride. So on the day that Kobe was going to play the final game of his career against the Utah Jazz in 2016, I felt the same way that I did on the day the Lakers played the Boston Celtics for game 7 of the 2010 Finals. I was nervous. I had the jitters all day long. It was the most meaningless game of the season, but at the same time, the most meaningful game of that decade for the Lakers. It wasn’t enough that Kobe scored 30 points or he that wouldn’t go 6/20 from the field like he did all season long. He needed to come out on top because that’s what he was all about. To win the game at all cost. And we knew “the mamba” was still in there, even if he did soften up during his retirement tour.

As the game went on, he gave us one final vintage performance. I would have been happy with a win and for Kobe to score at least 35 points. That was a realistic expectation for me. However, he exceeded those expectations times a thousand by the end of the game. He already had 37 points through three quarters, and I was happy with that. But we were still down by double-digits in the fourth quarter. I remember thinking, could Kobe give us one last clutch moment before hanging it all up? What if he went for 50 points and made a game-winner?! There are wild things that you imagine in your head when watching the game. It’s called wishful thinking. 

But in the last 6 minutes of the game, he scored 17 straight points that brought the Lakers back from a 10-point deficit with about 2 minutes left in the game. The moment that still sends a chill through my spine was when he was walking up the court with 40 seconds remaining to take the lead. After Julius Randle made an illegal screen that would have never been called back in a million years at that moment, Kobe got free to go to his favorite spot on the floor. He rose up on the right elbow and he converted on the last field goal attempt of his career. Once that shot went through the hoop, my brother and I were jumping up and down and going absolutely nuts! It felt like we were kids again, watching our hero save the day for our favorite team one last time. Oh, what I wouldn’t do so I can feel that feeling once again when watching sports. I still care about the Lakers and I root for them, but it’s just doesn’t feel the same. 

Then it was time to say goodbye. For those who have moved out of state and had to say goodbye to close friends and family, you know that feeling I’m talking about. It’s that feeling when you have to move on with your life and start a new chapter without your dear friends and family by your side. You’ll get to see them on special occasions, but it’s not the same. When Kobe went to center court to say a few last words to the NBA world, it was his way of saying goodbye. It was time to move on, and start a new chapter in his life. It’s a bittersweet moment, but we still saw him on occasions like when he got his jersey retired or when he would occasionally show up to Laker games with his daughter Gianna. He was still actively a part of the Lakers community, and we showed him love every time he swung by. 

But there’s one human emotion that I never thought I would experience with Kobe Bryant, and that’s grief. When I first heard the news that Kobe passed away, I honestly didn’t know how to react. I felt guilty at first for the pain that ripped through my heart. We didn’t have a personal relationship, and I’ve never met this person before. But as everyone in the sports community started mourning his death, I naturally started to shed tears. That was especially the case when we all heard the devasting news that his daughter, Gianna Bryant, passed away with him in that helicopter crash.

And throughout the day, something curious happened. I first got a phone call from my brother, and we were just in the moment. We didn’t know what to say, we just needed to hear each other’s voices to mourn together the loss of our fallen hero. Then my mom called, and she started talking about how sad she was that her children’s favorite player was gone. And we started talking about the moments when she could hear us playing in our nerf hoop from our bedroom, or when we were playing in the driveway trying to emulate our favorite player. And then my father called, and he talked about how devastated he was that his favorite player was gone. I was confused, and I asked him, “I thought Larry Bird was your favorite player?” He told me that he was at first, but that this couldn’t compare. He is primarily a Boston Red Sox fan, and he didn’t really pay attention to the NBA until the mid-’80s. By then, Larry Bird was halfway through his career. But for Kobe Bryant, he mentioned that he saw him grow up. He saw him make mistakes. He saw him reach the mountain top, and he mentioned all the moments that we saw as a family. And then he asked me rhetorically, “how could he not be my favorite player? He was a part of our lives.”

He was right, he was a part of our lives in a way. Why else would we all be calling each other during that day? And it made me realize something about what the first thing we think of when remembering a player’s legacy, it’s all the moments that stuck with us. We didn’t mention once the fact that he was fourth in scoring or that he has the 16th highest career win shares in league history, because who cares. It was the moments that made us jump from our couches out of excitement. It was those moments where we can point to and say, I was there watching it happen live and I witnessed history. It was in those historic moments where he was able to prove time and time again that he was great. Whenever we look back fondly on a player’s legacy, that’s always going to be the first thing that we naturally think of. And then the numbers simply validate it.

So the purpose of this book isn’t to belittle a player that I hold a grudge on or to start debates. The purpose of this book is to relive all the moments that these legendary teams and players gave us. Because that’s why we’re all fans of the game. And yes, maybe we can have a friendly discourse on the rankings of the players and teams. You’ll surely disagree with some of the rankings that I have on here. But hopefully, you’ll find this book informative. Hopefully, I make you chuckle a bit. And hopefully, we can go back through memory lane and relive the great moments that make the NBA the greatest sports league in the world.

Proof that Damian Lillard is worthy of making the NBA 75th team

Let me just get this out the way, I think we’re all in agreement that Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, and T-Mac got snubbed. I think there’s no question they are top 75 worthy. I also think Tony Parker and Pau Gasol should be in there too. If you’re the NBA, you can’t dismiss the greats of the 50’s and 60’s, so it’s not surprising that a lot of the modern players of the last 15 years got snubbed out. But we’re here to talk about Damian Lillard, who a lot of people think he’s not worthy to be on this list, especially over players like Dwight, Carter, and McGrady. Now I’m not arguing that he’s better or greater than them. The argument that I’ll be making is that numbers indicate that we’re overlooking some of his accomplishments, and he does indeed have a strong case to be in the top 75.

Let’s start with seeing where he currently ranks in some of the advanced metrics, compared to other NBA greats. He currently ranks 7th all-time in offensive box plus/minus, 15th in career points per game, 26th in offensive rating and box plus/minus, 32nd in PER, 42nd in offensive win shares, and 44th in VORP.

For his offensive win shares, he’s already higher than players like Dwyane Wade, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Carmelo Anthony. For his VORP rating, he’s already higher than players like Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas, and Dwight Howard. Damian Lillard is only 31 years old, so he obviously hasn’t racked up high career numbers like the other greats who have retired or the players who are in the twilight of their careers. But those numbers show us the immense value that he has on his team, and it is indeed comparable to the all-time greats who are first ballot hall of famers. And his prime is just as good as many of the players who made the list.

Take for instance the number of times he’s been selected to be in the All-NBA. He has 6 appearances. One 1st team and four 2nd team. That’s more than players like Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, James Worthy, Reggie Miller, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Nate Tiny Archibald, and Earl Monroe. All players who made the list. He also has the same number of All-NBA’s as Walt Frazier, Elvin Hayes, and Carmelo Anthony. Now let’s dive deeper into Carmelo Anthony real quick. Now I would like to compare.. not the totality of their careers, but the primes of Damian Lillard and Carmelo Anthony. Since they are very similar in the sense that they’re both one of the greatest scorers of all-time.

They both have been selected to one all-NBA first team, but Carmelo has only been selected to the 2nd team twice. Now let’s looks at the MVP shares for both players. There was one year where Carmelo Anthony was voted 3rd in the MVP voting, and the highest Damian Lillard ever got was 4th. However take a look at this next stat. There was only one other season where Carmelo was voted in the top 10 for the MVP. Damian Lillard was voted in the top 10 in four other seasons. So that’s a good indicator of how many times Carmelo was considered to be a top 10 player in the league, compared to Damian Lillard. Now let’s look at their playoff success. Damian Lillard was able to make the conference finals once, so has Carmelo. Now Lillard was able to get past the 1st round two other times in his career, but Carmelo Anthony was able to get past the 1st round one other time. As far as their team success, Damian Lillard was able to help his teams to three 50 win seasons, and Carmelo was able to help his teams to four 50 win seasons.  So if we’re being honest here, how much better was Carmelo Anthony in his prime compared to Damian Lillard? They’re very similar. And you could probably give the edge to Damian. Especially if we look at their scoring ability.

Now Carmelo Anthony was able to lead the league in scoring in the 2012-13 season, and the most he’s ever averaged for a season was in 2007 when he averaged 28.9 ppg. Damian Lillard was able to top that in 2020, when he averaged 30 ppg. But he’s never led the league in scoring. Now what he lacks in scoring titles, he’s made up for in his insane ability to produce high scoring games. He currently has twelve 50 point games. That is tied for 7th all-time with LeBron James. He has more 50 point games than Iverson, Kareem, Curry, Kevin Durant, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins, and of course Carmelo Anthony. All players who were among the NBA 75th team. He also has a total of three 60 point games. The number of players that has multiple 60 point games in their career are Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, James Harden, and Elgin Baylor. That’s pretty good company right there. Now another interesting stat is that Damian Lillard is the only player, along with Wilt Chamberlain, to score at least 60 points three different times in the same season. And if you’re wondering if he’s ever scored that much in the playoffs… he has. He currently has two 50 point games in the playoffs. He’s only among 7 players to have multiple 50 point games in the postseason. We’re talking about one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, and there’s absolutely no debate about that.  He’s the Allen Iverson of our era, except with a three-point shot. How could you leave out such an incredible scorer off the list?

There’s one more factor that we want to consider, and that’s the Reggie Miller effect. Let me explain. I believe there is no question that Reggie Miller deserves to be in the NBA 75th team and he even has a case to be in the top 50. I think he’s just outside of the top 50, but if you have him there, I wouldn’t blame you. His career was legendary. He has over 25k points for his career, he led his team to the finals, he nearly beat MJ during one of his MVP seasons in the playoffs, and he currently ranks 3rd al-time in three pointers made, 4th all-time in offensive rating, 9th in offensive win shares, 15th in win shares, and 21st in vorp. He’s an accomplished basketball player. However he’s only been selected to 3 all-NBA’s (all 3rd teams), he’s never finished in the top 10 in MVP shares, and he’s only finished once in the top 10 in points per game. So his peak was rather pedestrian, and it’s what many people use against him to snub him out of the top 75. But his clutch playoff performances can be described as legendary. We think so highly of him because of all the clutch moments that he’s given us throughout his career. The 8 points in 8.9 seconds. The 25 points in the 4th quarter against the Knicks when he was going back and forth with Spike Lee. His game winner against the Bulls in 1998. His game-winner against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2000, or against the Sixers in 2001, or against the New Jersey Nets in 2003. He’s come through so many different times. But what about Damian Lillard?

How about his two buzzer beating shots to end the series against the Rockets and the OKC Thunder. There’s been nine series in NBA history that have ended with a buzzer beater. Only Damian Lillard and Michael Jordan have done it twice. He knocked out the heavily favored James Harden and Dwight Howard of the Rockets from the first round in 2014, and he ended the Russell Westbrook era of the OKC Thunder two years ago. That half-court step-back three pointer is one of the most legendary game winners ever. If we think so highly of players like Reggie Miller for their clutch performances in the playoffs, why don’t we do the same for Damian Lillard? In my opinion, he’s done enough to make this list.

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Myth Debunked: Michael Jordan’s 1995 Season

How should we evaluate Michael Jordan’s 1995 season? As a black mark in Jordan’s legacy, proving that he isn’t the perfect player that the media paints him to be. Or should we throw this season away because Jordan was out of the league for an extended period of time since he decided to retire from basketball. Well let’s dive into his season and see if we can have an unbiased point of view from this lost season. 

So the first thing we want to look at is how long Jordan was out of the game before he decided to return to the NBA. The last time he played was in June 20th, 1993, when the Bulls won their 3rd straight title. His first game back from his 1st retirement came in March 19th, 1995. That’s a total of 21 months of zero basketball being played at a professional level. There was no training camp and no preseason that he went through. He started in the 2nd half of the season, with the Bulls getting ready for the playoffs. In fact, they were one month away from starting the postseason. So Jordan had a short period of time to get into basketball shape before the playoffs began. 

For the 17 total games that he played, he averaged 26.9 ppg on 41.1% shooting, 6.9 rpg, and 5.3 apg. That’s all-star caliber numbers, but that’s not the standard that Jordan is used to playing at. Especially in terms of efficiency. Jordan shot for his career 49.7% from the field, so he was struggling big time with his shot. According to the Chicago Tribune that was written after playing in front of the Chicago fans for the first time, Michael Jordan said this to reporters, “I just can’t turn it on. As much as I want to, I just can’t turn it on.” And that’s how it went for the majority of the regular season for him. In fact, there was only 5 games where he shot over 50% from the field. However there was some games where he showed flashes of his old self. 

For example, we have his classic performance against the New York Knicks where he scored 55 points in the Garden. For that game, he shot 56.8% from field. We also have his performance in the prior game, where he had 32 points on 53.8% shooting, but he also made a buzzer-beating shot that just rocked the Atlanta crowd. There’s only a handful players in history that can turn the whole stadium to root for the away team, and Jordan was one of those players. So as far as his regular season play, I mean we don’t want to read too much into his shooting struggles. 21 months is a long time away from the game, and it’s unrealistic to think anyone can just dominate like it’s nothing after being away so long. We can expect the same from Klay Thompson whenever he comes back. He’s one of the greatest shooters of all-time, and he will certainly struggle whenever he gets back to playing for the Warriors after being gone for 2 full seasons. 

Now lets talk about his playoff performance. In their first round series against the Charlotte Hornets, Jordan had a big game in game 1. He scored 48 points on 56.3% shooting, along with 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Chicago won Game 1 despite getting only 27 minutes, three shots and eight points from Scottie Pippen. “Michael bailed us out,” said Phil Jackson after Jordan had scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. In Game 2 he was almost as masterful with 32 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and one floating, lefthanded, reverse flip of a layup that made it look like the old Jordan was back. For the series, he averaged 32.3 ppg on 49.5% shooting, 6.5 rpg, and 5.8 apg. It was starting to look like Jordan was getting back to his groove and his performance against the Hornets can be described as vintage Jordan. 

In the second round against the Orlando Magic, Michael Jordan had an up and down series. This was his average for the series, 31 ppg on 47.7% shooting, 6.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, and 2.5 spg. I mean, does that look like bad numbers to you? So we can’t blame the loss on Jordan being rusty. If we look at all the playoff series from 1995 all the way to his final playoff series in 1998, we can see that his numbers are up to par to how Jordan performed during his 3-peat run. That certainly indicates that Jordan was back to regular season form up to this point. And he had some pretty impressive games throughout the series.

After Nick Anderson foolishly thought it was ok to say to reporters after game 1, “Number 45 doesn’t explode like number 23 used to. Number 23, he could just blow by you. He took off like a space shuttle. Number 45, he revs up, but he doesn’t really take off.” That didn’t sit too well with MJ. So Jordan went for 38 points on 17/30 shooting in game 2 to tie the series at 1 apiece. He followed that up with a 40 point performance in game 3, and he went for 39 points in game 5. Jordan looked explosive in many stretches during these games. There was times where Jordan made these amazing plays that was good enough to be added to his extensive catalog of his incredible highlight reels from his days before he retired. He was also able to bounce back nicely every time he had an off-shotting night. He did that in game 2, and he did the same in game 5, when he shot 53% from the field. Since he was 31 years old during time, he lost a little bit of that hangtime that Jordan is known for, which is what I think Nick Anderson was referring to, but he still had plenty of athleticism. So Jordan showed flashes of greatness throughout this series. But now let’s get to negative aspects of this series.

He had a hard time closing out games. In game 1, Jordan committed two costly turnovers on back to back possessions late in the game. Nick Anderson stole the ball from Jordan that led to a Horace Grant dunk. And then Jordan tried to pass the ball to Scottie Pippen on the baseline, but Pippen couldn’t control the pass and it went out of bounds. The Bulls blew their one-point lead, and they blew a chance to win both games on the road that would have put them in a great position to win the series. Then in game 3, the Bulls were outscored 30-20 in the fourth quarter, and the Bulls also lost their lead that they had going into the fourth quarter. Then in game 6, with their season on the line, the Bulls also couldn’t keep their 8 point lead that they had with less than 3 and a half minutes left in the game. Now the Bulls had a chance to force overtime, but Jordan committed another costly turnover late in the game.  He drove into the lane, but as O’Neal popped out, Jordan passed off the ball, and it was lost to the Magic. And that was the end of the Bulls’ season. This is uncharacteristic of Jordan, since he is known as one of the greatest closers of all time. But he just couldn’t get it done. So Jordan played a big part in the Bulls’ playoff defeat.

However, there are a few other factors that we need to consider. Because we can’t put this all on MJ. That’s just wouldn’t be the logical thing to do. First thing we want to look at is the play of Scottie Pippen. He was very inconsistent throughout this series. How about his game 1 performance, when he scored 7 points on 2/11 shooting. Or how about game 5, when Jordan is scoring 40 points in the game, but Pippen contributes to 10 points on 4/13 shooting. It seemed like Jordan was trying to win these games by himself, and it was because he couldn’t rely on his co-star to help consistently when he needed it the most. Pippen just wasn’t playing up to par compared to his MVP-like performance the prior year.

Now lastly, and I think this is the main reason why the Bulls lost this series, and it’s that the Bulls were not yet in championship form. There were still some missing pieces in the puzzle. Most importantly, they were missing that inside presence that Dennis Rodman would later provide in the following years. Without him, the Bulls had to surround Shaq constantly with 2-3 defenders every time he touched the ball. They called it the “Hack Pack”. They had no choice but to do this, since players like Luc Longley, Will Perdue, and Bill Wennington were just bbq chicken for Shaq. So Phil Jackson was going to force someone else to beat them. So that led to a total of 5 different players that averaged a near 15 points per game for the series. Horace Grant, Nick Anderson, and Dennis Scott all had big scoring games throughout the series because their defenders were worried about double-teaming Shaq. Horace Grant was deemed by Shaq as the “world’s greatest role player” after the series. And Jordan called him “their MVP” as well. He averaged an impressive 18.5 ppg on 64.7% from the field.

Dennis Scott had back-to-back 20 point games in games 5 and 6. And Nick Anderson had a 22 point performance in game 3. It was just obvious that the Orlando Magic were a better team than the Bulls. But with the addition of Dennis Rodman, he was good enough to guard Shaq one on one, and the Bulls were able to contain their outside shooting in that series in 1996. In that conference finals matchup, Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott both averaged less than 10 ppg, and they shot very poorly from the field. Anderson averaged 31% and Scott averaged 26% for that series. And that’s also thanks to the Bulls deciding to make Ron Harper a key piece to their team, and they needed to get rid of BJ Armstrong to do so. However by doing that, they created one of the greatest defensive backcourts of all-time. The length and versatility of Ron Harper, Jordan, and Pippen allowed them to switch off and defend post players without resorting to double-teaming. So with the improvements that they made on their roster, the Magic were no match for the Bulls in ’96. But in ’95, the Bulls had to rely on Jordan too much, and they had no players that could possibly contend against Shaq. With all the great shooters that the Magic surrounded him with, they just had the perfect game plan to defeat the Bulls. Although if the Bulls had just a few breaks go their way, they could have still possibly won the series.

So in conclusion, the Magic won fair and square. They were the better team. Michael Jordan should be excused for his low regular season numbers, but not for his play in the playoffs. He didn’t close out well in 3 of their losses to the Magic, but the main reason that the Bulls lost was their glaring weakness in their interior defense that allowed the Magic to exploit it. Jordan played good in this series, so I wouldn’t exactly call this a black mark in his legacy. But we shouldn’t pretend like this series never happened like some do.

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A Look Back: 1999-2000 Season

This is  going to be the start of a brand new series of articles where I will be looking back at the NBA seasons starting from the 1999-00 season. I’m starting from that year because that is when I started following extensively the NBA. We will be looking through the major events that happened during that season as well as  the players that defined that particular season. We will start from the offseason signing and trades, and go all the way to finals. That way we can see how some the players legacies and ultimately how the league took its current form. This is also a great way to go through memory lane and relive these amazing moments that happened during the year.

Notable offseason moves: Portland Trail Blazers – traded Jim Jackson and Isaiah Rider to the Atlanta Hawks for Steve Smith and Ed Gray. They signed Detleft Schrempf in free agency. They traded Stacey Augmon, Kelvin Cato, Ed Gray, Carlos Rogers, Brian Shaw and Walt Williams to the Houston Rockets for Scottie Pippen. 

The Blazers had a very young core and they exceeded expectations the prior year by defeating the two-time western conference champions Utah Jazz in the playoffs and making it to the western conference finals. Since the championship was up for grabs for anyone with Michael Jordan being long gone, they decided to add some veteran presence and some championship experience. After these offseason moves, the Blazers were legitimate title contenders and they were even the favorites to win it all according to the preseason odds. In fact, they got as close as any team has gotten to winning the championship in history. We’ll get to that later though.

What made this trade so juicy for NBA fans was the back and forth battle that Scottie Pippen was having with Charles Barkley. It’s safe to say that the Houston Rockets had a disappointing season after the trio of Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, and Charles Barkley got bounced from the first round against the Lakers. Scottie Pippen wasn’t very happy with his experience with the Rockets and this is what he said about his former teammate Sir Charles, “I probably should have listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn’t show any dedication,” Pippen told LA Times. “He’s a very selfish guy. He doesn’t show the desire to want to win. That’s my reason for wanting to get away from playing with him, because he just doesn’t show the dedication.” Barkley said the former owes him an apology. He revealed he felt disappointed and criticized Pippen for the trade request. Scottie Pippen responded,  “I wouldn’t give Charles Barkley an apology at gunpoint. If anything, he owes me an apology for coming to play with his sorry fat butt.” Barkley responded, “As you know, I always carry a gun with me,” Barkley joked. “So there’s a chance. If I get arrested for murder, then you know he didn’t apologize.” Just an underrated NBA feud that rarely gets talked about anymore.

This trade really affected though the Atlanta Hawks for the worse. For the seven years prior to this season, the Atlanta Hawks were a playoff team. In fact, they had back to back 50 win seasons, and in the shortened lockout season of 1999, they won over 62% of their  games. Ultimately the reason why Atlanta became a lottery team overnight was the front office decision to make Isiah Rider the focal point of the offense. He has the reputation of being a locker room cancer and he may just be the face of the selfish, chest-pounding, gun-slinging era of the NBA. The Atlanta Hawks kept falling short in the playoffs and they were in desperate need of some fire power in offense, as they finished near the bottom of the league in scoring the prior season. However the season that Isiah Rider had not only destroyed the Hawks season, but also his career. He got suspended by the team a total of three times during the season for what an SI article called, “his blatant disregard of team rules” and “self-centered play”. He was cut in March 17th from the Hawks. He had one full season with the Lakers the following season and then he lasted about two weeks with the Denver Nuggets in the 2001-02 season, and that was the end of his career at the age of 30. The Blazers were so happy that the Hawks bit the bullet on their offer that on paper seemed like the Hawks were gaining more than what they were losing.

The Phoenix Suns traded Pat Garrity, Danny Manning, a 2001 1st round draft pick (Jason Collins was later selected) and a 2002 1st round draft pick (Amar’e Stoudemire was later selected) to the Orlando Magic for Anfernee Hardaway. We’ll put a pin on this and we’ll get to what Orlando did at the 2001 season recap, but yes.. the Orlando Magic could have gotten Amar’e Stoudemire in their roster.

Los Angeles Lakers – They signed in free agency Ron Harper and Brian Shaw. They also traded Sean Rooks and a 2000 2nd round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks for A.C. Green. A.C. Green was added to bring in a veteran presence to the team and Ron Harper was going to help initiate the new triangle offense for the team. Brian Shaw however was the move that most impacted the team, especially considering that he was dropped from the Portland Trail Blazers. That move would later bite the Blazers in the butt, as B. Shaw would have the game of his life in the most important game of the year in game 7 of their western conference matchup.

Notable draft picks: Kenyon Martin (1st), Michael Redd (43rd), Jamal Crawford (8th), Hedo Turkoglu (16th), Mike Miller (5th)

Best regular season games: The best individual performance from this season came when Shaq had the stat line of 61 points, 23 rebounds, and 3 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers. Only him and Wilt Chamberlain have been able to have over 60 points and 20 rebounds in a game.  This game really showcases Shaq at his absolute peak. Sure there was a period where it was a complete dunk fest and Shaq was just overpowering his opponent, but the way he was running the court in full speed at times and how high he would get up there for the alley-oops was very impressive. Especially the one handed alley-oop that he did at the 5:20 mark in the fourth quarter, which was the highlight of the game. He even gave Kobe a nice alley-oop from half court that sent the crowd into a frenzy. And that brings me to my next observation from that game, this was the happiest I’ve seen Kobe and Shaq together. If you were a Laker fan at this time, you remember them having a big brother/little brother relationship that season. Even if Kobe was dreading that thought from the inside. It seemed like they were going to be together forever.

The only other players that would score over 50 points during the season was Vince Carter against the Phoenix Suns when he scored 51 and Allen Iverson when he scored 50 over the Sacramento Kings.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves might not have been the most exciting team to watch that season, but they did have a lot of games where it went down to the wire and someone made a game winner. The most exciting finish I saw was when the Indiana Pacers visited the Timberwolves. The game went back and forth for the final two minutes and then Mark Jackson made a floater with 1 second remaining. The unsung hero for the game though was Malik Sealy, as he banked in a three pointer to win the game at the buzzer. He deserves a special shout out, because he tragically passed away that year in May 20th. This would not be the only game winner Malik Sealy would make that season, as he also made a buzzer beater against the Orlando Magic.

During the game against the Indiana Pacers, Kevin Garnett was unstoppable down the stretch, as he scored 15 points alone in the fourth quarter. He proved to be there go-to scorer in the clutch, as he also made a buzzer beater against the Detroit Pistons and he also made the game winning bucket with 3 seconds left against the Blazers that season as well. For some reason some critics think KG wasn’t clutch, but that really never made sense to me. He has come through plenty of times in the clutch for his teams throughout his career. Most big men need that elite perimeter player to close out games, but Kevin Garnett proved that he can take that role when needed.

One last exciting finish the Wolves had that season was when they played against the Boston Celtics. Kevin Garnett was once again brilliant in this game against the team he would later win a championship with. He had 15 points in the fourth quarter and 40 points for the game. In the final moments of the game, Paul Pierce made a step-back three pointer with 7 seconds left to tie the game at 106. The Wolves then advanced the ball, and Anthony Peeler made this tough three pointer at the buzzer to win the game. So that’s five game winners that the Wolves had that season. I can’t remember a team coming through in the clutch that many times in a season.

Another game that I would recommend watching is two different overtime thrillers that the Philadelphia 76ers were involved in. One of those games was against the Detroit Pistons. That game featured a Larry Hughes buzzer beater to force overtime with a three pointer. He shot a little over 20% from the three that season, but he got nothing but net on that shot. Then we had an Eric Snow buzzer beater in overtime to win the game. So that’s two players who weren’t exactly known for being great or even good shooters that sunk them down when it counted. The majority of these games you can find in Youtube in its entirety.

Players that peaked during this season: Shaquille O’Neal– 29.7 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 3.8 apg, 3 bpg

Shaq posted career high numbers in points per game, assists per game, value over replacement player, box plus minus, defensive box plus minus, win shares, defensive win shares, and PER.

He led the league in PPG, PER, WS, DWS, BPM, OBPM, VORP, and WS per 48 minutes.

When we talk about the legacy of Shaquille O’Neal and where he ranks among the greats, some people take points away from him  because they think he left something in the table. There was some seasons where he was distracted with off the court opportunities, or he was just milking injuries during the season. Then there’s other people who put him in the top 5 of all-time simply because of how dominant he was at his peak. When we think of Shaq in his peak, we think of this season. When people feel disappointed that Shaq didn’t always give us a complete effort for a full entire season, it’s because we saw what Shaq can do when he’s fully locked in. Shaq was the best player in the world by a mile, as he was only one vote away from being  the first unanimous MVP. In fact, NBA.com ranked this season from Shaq as the greatest individual season of all time. Here is what some NBA journalists said about that season from Shaq:

Chris Walder of The Score: “Shaq was such an imposing force that he basically got whatever he desired on offense, and was next to impossible to attack on defense(…) From start to finish, I have never seen one talent be as assertive and downright powerful as the Diesel was while putting up astonishing numbers.”

Adi Joseph of Sporting News: “The best part about the season that very easily stands out as O’Neal’s best is how much better his defensive metrics were. Consider that he set career highs in Defensive Win Shares and Defensive Box Plus-Minus while posting more blocks and rebounds than he had since he was a foul-happy, jump-for-everything rookie.”

Maxwell Ogden of HoopsHabit: “The single greatest display of dominance in NBA history. Shaquille O’Neal left no questions about who the best player in the Association was in 1999-00(…) He averaged 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.3 offensive rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game on 57.4 percent shooting from the field. Aside from O’Neal, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1974-75 has averaged at least 25.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 blocks.”

Brandon Anderson of The Cauldron: “Motivated Shaq was as unstoppable as any basketball player ever. Teams invented entire Hack-a strategies and carried an extra pair of big guys just to have 12 more fouls to give. It literally felt like Shaq could score every time he felt like it unless you had a guy draped over each arm, and even then, he still could half the time(…) Shaq could’ve been the greatest player in NBA history, if only he had wanted it.”

And that last point from Brandon Anderson sums up what many people say about Shaq, that he could have been the greatest player of all time. That’s the lasting impression we got when we saw Shaq play that season. It’s not just the numbers he was putting up, but how helpless the teams were when facing Shaq.

Vince Carter – 25.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.9 apg.

This wasn’t his best individual season of his career, but this was when he was at his peak when talking about bringing excitement to the game. For some people when they think of this season for Vince Carter, they think of the slam dunk contest. The dunk contest may have been a turning point in his career, but the dunks he was doing during the games were often more thrilling because they happened so suddenly. There is a reason why he is widely considered as the greatest dunker of all time, and he has highlights that still hold up to this day. But putting aside his dunks, he had some moments during the season that easily made him the most exciting player in the game.

We already mentioned that 51 point outburst that he had against the Phoenix Suns, where he was out to prove that the stigma that he’s only a dunker was wrong. He caught fire from perimeter and he showed he had the ability to make very tough shots. He didn’t just show it in this game, but throughout the season I was impressed by how many times I saw a move that I have never seen before done in the perimeter. There was also a game against the Los Angeles Clippers where he made the sickest one handed alley-oop I have ever seen to this day. He then culminated his performance by making a buzzer beating three pointer to win the game and the Clipper fans were going crazy. There was also a game against the Rockets where he made a three pointer reminiscent of the “Kawhi Shot”, where the ball hit every part of the rim before going in to take the lead with about 30 seconds left. He then made the game winning baseline dunk that showcased how explosive Vince Carter was during his prime. Then there was a game against the Boston Celtics where he made a three pointer at the buzzard to win the game. Keep in mind that this all happened in a span of a month. Yes before Linsanity, we had Vinsanity.

Gary Payton– 24.2 ppg, 8.9 apg, 6.5 rpg, 1.9 spg

He averaged a career high in PPG, RPG, PER, VORP, BPM, OBPM, WS, OWS, and WS per 48 minutes. That season he finished 2nd in VORP, 3rd in win shares, offensive win shares, OBPM, and 4th in apg and bpm.

This season from Gary Payton is such an underrated one, as it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he had one of the greatest individual seasons from a point guard in NBA history. I would put this in a tier down from seasons from players like Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and Russell Westbrook. I need to note that I’m talking strictly from a statistical standpoint. His advanced stats show that he carried a heavy load for his team and that there was few players in the league that meant so much to their team. He wasn’t the same defensive player, but only because he had to exert so much energy on offense. He carried the load offensively for the Sonics, and he showed that he was great enough to carry a team to the playoffs without much help aside from Vin Baker. You can certainly make the case that Gary Payton was the best two-way player in the league.

It also should be noted that Gary Payton was praised by teammates and coaches for being a great leader for this team. He helped Vin Baker bounce back from a disappointing season the prior year and his coaches said they saw a lot of maturity in him according to a 1999 SI article. He has the reputation of being a “coach killer” and a “bad teammate”, but he should get credit for the way he handled himself for this season.

Grant Hill– 25.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5.2 apg

I wouldn’t call this his best season, as that nod should go to his performance in the 1996-97 season. However this season is right behind it in my opinion. We remember Grant Hill as being an explosive driver to the hoop, but this season he added range to his jumper. He consistently was making mid-range jumpers, and his baseline spin move was starting to become his signature move. He had become a more complete player, and he helped a rather weak Detroit Pistons team make the playoffs. However Grant Hill suffered an ankle injury in game 2 of playoffs against the Miami Heat that would sideline him for the rest of the season. What’s sad is that this was the last time we would ever see Grant Hill in his prime. There was no question in anyones mind that he was a top 10 player in the league, and when he joined forces with Tracy McGrady in Orlando that following offseason, people were talking championships. That’s how high people regarded Grant Hill in the league. Unfortunately we weren’t able to see him make his mark in the postseason, and therefore his legacy suffered because of it. Such a shame.

Alonzo Mourning – 21.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.7 bpg

He averaged a career high in PER, VORP, BPM, OBPM, WS, OWS, DWS, WS per 48 minutes. He led the league in blocks per game, was 3rd in PER, 4th in defensive win shares, and 5th in win shares. He also won defensive player of the year.

There is a strong case to be made that Alonzo Mourning had his best season of his career according to his advanced stats. He was undoubtedly the best center in the league behind Shaq and for a league where the big man was the most important piece to have for a team, that was huge. What made him finish 3rd in the MVP voting was the fact that the Miami Heat suffered many injuries from key players like Tim Hardaway, Voshon Lenard, and Dan Majerle. Those three players missed a combined 72 games during the regular season. However the Miami Heat still managed to have the second best record in the eastern conference, and that’s mainly thanks to Zo. To give an example, for a 26 game stretch with Tim Hardaway out, the Heat were able to win 16-10 games with Alonzo Mourning averaging an impressive 23 ppg, 10 rpg, and 5 bpg. By its strict definition, there was few players that were more valuable to its team than Alonzo Mourning. And just like Grant Hill, what makes this sad is the fact that this would be his last great season since he suffered a kidney disease the following season. He certainly had more great years left in him.

Top 5 players (according to MVP shares): 1) Shaquille O’Neal 2) Kevin Garnett 3) Alonzo Mourning 4) Karl Malone 5) Tim Duncan.

There’s no question the league got it right as far as awarding Shaq with the MVP. However I don’t agree with the positioning of some of these players in the top 5. My top five players would look like this: 1) Shaq 2) Kevin Garnett 3) Gary Payton 4) Karl Malone 5) Tim Duncan.

I believe Kevin Garnett deserves the slight edge over Gary Payton just due to the fact that KG helped the Wolves win 50 games in the season with just about the same amount of talent that Gary Payton had with the Sonics. The Sonics won just 45 games that season. However I will concede that Gary Payton beat KG out in just about all the advanced metrics. The fact that the Sonics did not win over 50 games like the Spurs, Jazz, Wolves, or the Heat was probably the main factor in snubbing GP out of the top 5. However his individual performance and all-round play should have been more than enough to make him deserving of the top 3, let alone the top 5 which the voters didn’t even think he was worthy of getting.

After that, I believe the league voters were right to select Karl Malone over Tim Duncan. Karl Malone beat out Duncan in every advanced metric except defensive win shares, and the Jazz had a better record than the Spurs in the regular season. You see the similarities in that they both had aging superstars that were in their last leg in John Stockton and David Robinson. They both had legendary coaches that had a system in place that allowed there not so talented teams to still overachieve in the league. Their teams were just about equal, and the difference between their records was only 2 games. It’s simply impressive that Karl Malone was still considered a top 5 player in the league at the age of 36 and that he was just as impactful as prime Tim Duncan. The only other player that was putting up this kind of numbers at that age that I can think of is LeBron James. Not even Kareem was putting up this kind of numbers. So that leaves Alonzo Mourning out of the top 5. As valuable as he was for his team, I believe he didn’t have as good of an individual season as the other 5 mentioned.

Best playoff games: First round Sonics vs Jazz games 1 & 5 – In game 1 Karl Malone scored a career high 50 points along with 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. This game is a great example on why Karl Malone is a top 20 player of all time. There’s no question that his extraordinary longevity is the strongest case you would make for Karl Malone in the all time players debate. And at 36 years old, it was the way Karl Malone scored his 50 points that made his performance so great. Of course Karl Malone was giving you his vintage shots from the elbow over his defenders, but there was plenty of instances where he would run the floor on fast breaks or he would initiate the fast break himself after stealing the ball. This is the reason why for me I put Karl Malone over Charles Barkley in my all time list. While Karl Malone is scoring 50 points in a playoff game and being a top 5 player in the league, Charles Barkley is being accused of being a fat loser and showing no dedication. Even before is career ending injury this season, Charles Barkley was no longer a top player in the league. Karl Malone deserves credit for being one of the most durable players in history.

Game 5 is the last series win for the Malone/Stockton era for the Utah Jazz. Karl Malone and Gary Payton each had 27 points this game and John Stockton had a vintage performance in front of the Jazz fans. He had 17 points along with 15 assists and 7 rebounds. The fourth quarter was a back and forth contest with each team trading big shots after another. With the Sonics down by three, they put their seasons in the hands of Chuck Person. You might remember him as a member of the Indiana Pacers when he just caught fire in their 1991 series and he went toe to toe with Larry Bird in their classic game 5 matchup. That’s the game where Larry Bird came back “Willis Reed style” to the game after his head hit the floor. So Chuck Person would end up missing the shot and that would be the last time he would ever play an NBA game. It was certainly good to see these 90’s legends giving us a classic game at the tail end of their primes.

First round Bucks vs Pacers game 5 – Although this series was a battle of two of the greatest shooters of all time between Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, this game was all about the excellence of Reggie Miller. For this particular game, there was a total of 19 lead changes. This was a complete back and forth game. Then the fourth quarter came, and in Indianapolis they call that Reggie Miller time. He scored 18 points alone in the fourth quarter and ended up with 41 points on 60% shooting. For a long time Reggie Miller was criticized for being a one dimensional offensive player, and for not being able to create his own shot. He improved on that department and in this game he showcased the wide variety of moves that he had on the one-on-one game. However the unsung hero of this game was Travis Best. He had a horrendous shooting night as he went 3/15 in the field, but he made the biggest shot of his career. He made the game winning three pointer with 16 seconds left to avoid being upset by the 8th seed Milwaukee Bucks. This was such an underrated game that rarely gets talk about, but it is indeed a classic.

Second round Suns vs Lakers game 2 – This game wasn’t really that exciting, but it did have a great last second moment. Shaq was his usual dominant self as he ended up with 38 points, 20 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Clifford Robinson played big for the Suns as he 30 points for the game, and Penny Hardaway was also great with a 27 point performance along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds. He might not have been an all-star at this point of his career, but he showed he was capable of being good enough to be a major contributor for a playoff team. Unfortunately the following season he suffered a season ending injury after playing just 4 games that would erase any hope of him returning to all-star form. Kobe Bryant had a rather pedestrian game with just 15 points, but he did make the biggest shot of the game and his first playoff game winner. He made a tough jumper where he hanged in the air to take the lead with 2 seconds left, and as Hubbie Brown put it, he couldn’t have been “defensed” any better. Ironically Shaq blocked Penny, his old running mate, at the end of regulation to seal the victory.

Second round Jazz vs Blazers game 5 – This was a low scoring contest that featured one of Scottie Pippen’s finest playoff moments and some more Jazz playoff choking. Scottie Pippen scored a team high 23 points along with 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. However what makes this rather normal playoff game make the list is that Scottie Pippen makes a game winning three pointer with 7 seconds left. He was just waiting for that moment even since Phil Jackson stole his moment by drawing up a play where Toni Kukoc would shot the last shot in game 3 of the 1994 series against New York Knicks. It’s true that he didn’t react well to that decision by pouting in the bench, but you can’t blame him for feeling that way. That was his team with Michael Jordan gone, and he had to sacrifice always watching Jordan be the hero in those late game moments. Well he finally got his chance against the Jazz this game and he just seized the moment. After that play, Byron Russell got fouled and he missed both free throws to save their season. In fact, it seemed like he was missing them on purpose. His free throws looked so bad, they never had a chance to go in. They had one last chance to win the game, but Rasheed Wallace ran into Byron Russell as he was shooting a three. Of course no foul was called. The Blazers would move on to play their legendary series against the Lakers.

Second round Knicks vs Heat game 7 – The way I see it, either you hated these playoff matchups from these two teams, or you loved it and miss how tough the NBA used to be or whatever. Every time they played, the games would be low scoring and very tight. There would also be about 3-5 fights per game. If you’ve never seen the games, and you plan on watching it because the scores looked very close, let me save you some trouble and a lot of time by warning you to not watch them. Trust me, you’re not missing much and there wasn’t any great last second moments that every happened with the exception of game 5 of the 1999 series. If you just want to see the fights, I would recommend watching whatever YouTube mixtape is out there with DMX or Mystikal rapping over the highlights. This game would thankfully be the last time these teams would meet in the playoffs from the Patrick Ewing/Alonzo Mourning era.

Game 7’s are usually sloppy and very tense. This game was no exception as there was 13 lead changes and both teams shot poorly from the field. The Knicks shot 36% and the Heat shot 41%. Alonzo Mourning was once again the only player to show up with the season on the line for the Heat, as he had 29 points on 60% shooting, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Jamal Mashburn had 7 points on 3/15 shooting, and Tim Hardaway had 15 points on 6/20 shooting. This was the second year in a row where these two player just chocked in the deciding game of the series against the Knicks. However to be fair, Alonzo Mourning did commit a costly mistake that costed the game for the Heat. Instead of defending straight up on Ewing, he gambled and went for the steal on a pass that freed up Ewing for an easy lay up. For the last play, Jamal Mashburn passed up an easy shot at the top of the key and passed it to Clarence Witherspoon? who missed a tough shot. They had a real shot of possibly making it to the finals, but this core just couldn’t get it done in the big moments. Credit to these Knicks who had plenty of players that were capable of making big plays.

Third round Blazers vs Lakers games 3 & 7 – For game 3, the Blazers had its way over the Lakers for the majority of the game until about the midway point of the 3rd quarter. The Blazers per usual kept a balanced scoring attack throughout the game, but Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace just had their way over the Lakers defenders. That is not surprising, as quick guards and skillful power forwards usually gave the Lakers a lot of trouble throughout the Kobe/Shaq era. Damon Stoudamire had 19 points on 7/10 shooting and Rasheed had 19 points on 9/11 shooting. They also did a great job on holding Shaq to only 8 points on 6 shots in the first half. That would all change in the 3rd quarter, as he went for 13 points and dominated the way he did all season long. They were able to comeback from a 12 point deficit and they led the whole 4th quarter. Except the time when Scottie Pippen tied the game with 1:15 left in the game. Ron Harper would then be the hero of the game when Kobe made a cross-court pass to a wide open Ron Harper, and he made the shot to take the lead with 29 seconds to go. After the Lakers and Blazers traded careless turnovers, Arvydas Sabonis got his shot blocked from Kobe Bryant to steal the victory.

Game 7 of this series was the first classic game I watched and I remember exactly where I was as I watched this amazing game. Thankfully my dad would record these games with a VHS and I would rewatch them over and over. We all know what happened in this game, I won’t insult your intelligence. The Blazers were up by 15 in the fourth quarter and then they went ice cold. They went 5/23 in the field for the fourth quarter. We all know about the greatest alley-oop in the history of the league, when Kobe crossed up Scottie Pippen and Shaq threw down the one handed alley-oop that made Staples Center the loudest I have ever seen it. We all know that symbolized the growth in the Kobe/Shaq relationship in Kobe allowing Shaq to have that moment and passing it up instead of going for it himself. However what I remember fondly was the key role that the role-players played in that fourth quarter.

If you remember from that series, the Blazers game plan on defense was to let anyone else other than Shaq to win the series clincher. In game 6, the Blazers went as far to triple-team and even quadruple-team Shaq whenever he touched the ball. Their game plan worked to perfection and it almost got them to the finals. In the start of the fourth quarter, NBC allowed us to listen to one of the Lakers timeouts and Phil Jackson pleaded their team to “forgot about Shaq” and stop forcing the ball to him. Then Brian Shaw happened. Then Robert Horry happened. They made key three pointers in the late 3rd quarter and the 4th quarter that helped the Lakers make that comeback. As much as we think of Shaq and Kobe during their whole run, the role-players made their mark in every playoff run. Derek Fisher was huge in the 2001 western conference finals, Robert Horry saved their season against the Kings in 2002, and then Derek Fisher made the 0.4 shot in 2004. This game was no different. And when I think of Brian Shaw, I always come back to game 7 of the 2000 western conference finals.

Finals Pacers vs Lakers game 4 – This game has been immortalized as the coming out party for Kobe Bryant. We’ll get to his shining moment in a second, but this was actually an entertaining game from start to finish. This was actually the game I became a Reggie Miller fan forever. His fourth quarter performance is the second thing to comes to mind for this game. His ability to make the biggest shots, the way he commands attention from the defense, and the way he electrifies that crowd is something I don’t see often from NBA players. You know it’s coming, but you can’t stop it. You’ve been chasing him all game long, but it’s like he saves it for the fourth quarter when his team really needs it. He almost pulled off the game of his life. Sam Perkins also gets credit for making big shots and playing crunch time minutes at the age of freaking 39 years old.

Now that that’s out the way, how about Kobe Bean Bryant. Jalen Rose recently said in a interview with ESPN Jorge Sedano that when Kobe’s first shot went in over Reggie Miller and he made that famous gesture where he told his teammates to just lay down, I Got This.. Jalen Rose said that was for his bench. Jalen Rose could hear what Phil Jackson and the bench was telling Kobe, to pass the ball and spread the floor. That makes perfect sense, as if you read Jeff Pearlman’s “Three Ring Circus”, Kobe’s teammates at that time did not want Kobe to take over games and turn the game into a one-man show. They hated it when he would do that. However Kobe’s extraordinary confidence in himself and his ability to seize the moment was something to behold watching that in real time. That’s when the world knew that the Lakers were going to be a dynasty, and that this duo was going to take over the league for the years to come. This wasn’t no where near Kobe’s greatest games ever, but as far as moments go, you can make the case that this is his greatest playoff moment. Kobe Bryant scoring 8 points on 4/5 shooting with Shaq fouling out in overtime is one of the greatest finals moments in history.

The last thing I want to mention from that game was how close Reggie Miller was to making that buzzer beating three pointer in overtime. Phil Jackson gets credit for knowing exactly what play the Pacers were going to run, as he suspected they were going to run the same play they did when Reggie Miller made the game winning three pointer in game 4 of the 1998 eastern conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. His shot that he attempted was well contested, but that ball was like 1/10 of an inch away from going in. You would have to put this in the top 5 shots that nearly went through the basket in playoff history. The list would go like this: 1) Larry Bird’s 3 in game 4 of the 1987 finals against the Lakers. 2) Robert Horry’s 3 in game 5 of the 2003 semifinals against the Spurs. 3) Michael Jordan’s 3 in game 4 of the 1998 eastern conference finals against the Pacers 4) Frank Selvy’s shot in game 7 of the 1962 finals against the Boston Celtics 5) The Reggie Miller shot we discussed.

Players legacy that was impacted the most from playoffs:

Shaquille O’Neal: Playoff per game – 30.7 ppg, 15.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 bpg in 23 games

Finals per game- 38 ppg on 61% fg, 16.7 rpg, 2.7 bpg

Shaq made history during his legendary playoff run. Shaq made the sixth most points in playoff history and he had the third highest points per game average in finals history. He had a total of five 40 point games including a 40/20 game. Kent Babb said this about Shaq’s finals performance in a Washington Post article, “the player evaluation metric Game Score suggests O’Neal’s performance in 2000, when the Lakers defeated the Pacers in six games to win the first of three consecutive titles, was the most dominant feat in Finals history. It was more impressive than Michael Jordan and better even this year’s showing by Cleveland’s LeBron James – players who handled the ball far more often than O’Neal, who averaged 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in those six contests.” This particular playoff run for many people is the best in Shaq’s career and is what is brought up religiously when talking about his legacy. ESPN ranked this the 4th greatest individual playoff run in modern NBA history, in other words since the NBA/ABA merger. Unlike Wilt Chamberlain who never gave us a complete dominant playoff run that culminated in a title, Shaq was able to raise his level of play from the regular season. Teams had an answer for Wilt in the playoffs, and most of the time Wilt was his worst enemy in the biggest games. Shaq was completely dominant in the playoffs, and the players that played against him always said that there was no answer for Shaq defensively. That’s why in my eyes he’s the most dominant player in league history, and this postseason makes a strong case for him.

Reggie Miller: Playoff per game – 24 ppg on 45% fg, 2.7 apg, 2.4 rpg

Finals per game – 24.3 ppg on 41% fg, 3.7 apg, 2.7 rpg

Reggie Miller might not be in the elusive rings club like Isiah Rider and Spencer Haywood is, but he is in the club of players that were capable of leading their team to the finals as the best player. He’s in the same club of players from the 90’s like Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Gary Payton, Karl Malone, and John Stockton who took their teams to the finals but just fell short. All these players had to face the greatest player of their generation, Michael Jordan, and they couldn’t get past him. There is a strong case that Reggie Miller had to face something worse. ESPN and many other experts think Shaq had a better postseason than all of Jordans playoff runs with the exception of just one. There’s no shame in Reggie Miller falling short on this one. And if Kobe Bryant doesn’t show up in that overtime in game 4, the Pacers take a 3-2 lead going back to Los Angeles.

As far as his play in that playoffs, he had back to back forty point games and he came up huge in the deciding games. We talked about his huge fourth quarter in game 5 of the first round, and in game 6 of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks, Reggie Miller had 34 points on 10/19 shooting, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 assist. That included a 17 point fourth quarter when the Knicks were up 3 points at the start of the quarter. In my opinion, this made up for his lack of all-NBA appearances and all-stars. This saved his legacy from being somewhere in the 80-75 range in the all-time list, to somewhere in the 60-50 range. And who’s to say if the Blazers didn’t choke to the Lakers in game 7, that the Pacers couldn’t pull off a championship. The Pacers swept the Blazers in their regular season matchup, and we see how the Blazers folded under pressure in that game 7. It’s not crazy to say Reggie Miller could have won a championship and a finals MVP. But putting the what-ifs aside, the postseason validated his hall of fame career.

What we’ll remember from the 2000 Lakers team: This Lakers team doesn’t get remembered as one of the greatest teams of the 21st century, let alone of all time, but they can only blame themselves for that. The Lakers ended the season with a 67-15 record. The number of teams that have had more wins than the 2000 Lakers the past 20 years is just one. That is the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. The number of teams that have matched that total the past 20 years is just four. That is the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks, 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, and the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors. So that means these Lakers had a better record than the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, all the Miami Heat teams from the big 3 era, and all the San Antonio Spurs teams with the exception of one. Historically they had a better record than all the Showtime Lakers teams, the 1982-83 Sixers team, all the Bad Boys Pistons teams, and all the Boston Celtics teams from the 80’s with the exception of the 1985-86 Celtics. They had the same season record as them, and they also had the same record as the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls. So why aren’t they ever mentioned in the same breathe as all these legendary teams?

The answer is how inconsistent they were in the playoffs and how they weren’t dominating their opponents like the above legendary teams did. The 8th seed Sacramento Kings that finished one game over .500 pushed the Lakers to the limit and it took till the deciding 5th game to eliminate the Kings. They had an ugly loss to the Phoenix Suns in game 4 where they lost by 19 points. Against the Blazers, they nearly blew a 3-1 lead and they even had a 29 point loss in that series. For a lot of people, they weren’t even supposed to have made the finals. It took a complete breakdown from the Blazers and some questionable calls from the referees that allowed the Lakers to escape with victory. As great as that comeback victory was, you have to take points away from the Lakers for even being in that position in the first place. And in the finals, they had a 33 point loss in game 5. This Lakers team had trouble closing out games, and it makes them seem like a weak championship team. Phil Jackson even expressed in his “11 rings book” that he thought this team was 2 years away from being a championship team. They lacked a certain championship quality that his previous Bulls teams had. He admitted they were a nice surprise, but they weren’t quite there yet. In fact, they were just one year away from reaching their full potential. So we’ll remember these Lakers as a “too good, too fast” team that weren’t a dominating playoff team.

Crazy NBA Records

Michael Jordan – We think of players like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Gary Payton, and John Stockton who weren’t able to beat MJ in the playoffs to get that elusive ring. However there was one player that could never claim that they beat MJ, and that player is Sherman Douglas. Jordan went a perfect 30-0 against him. Sherman Douglas played for the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, and Boston Celtics during his career.

Playoff LeBron – Before this postseason started, LeBron had amassed 6,911 playoff points, which is more than 10 teams in the NBA. In other words, he has scored more than 1/3 of the whole league in the playoffs. I guess we really shouldn’t be making fun of the “playoff LeBron” nickname anymore.

Most points scored by a team in playoff history – This record is held by the Boston Celtics in game 2 of the 1990 first round series against the New York Knicks, as the Celtics scored 157 points in a victory. The Knicks were able to contain Larry Bird to 15 points, but that’s all the containing they did this game, as they the Celtics had 6 players scoring in double figures.

Fewest total points scored in a playoff game – The Detroit Pistons of the early 2000’s have caused some frustrating TV watching experiences for many of us. They hold all three records for this category. In game 3 of the 2002 2nd round series, the Boston Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons 66-64. You might be thinking, this was a close game! This must have been a little exciting. So this is where you would be wrong, as the the Celtics won by the most boring way possible, by free throws. In 2004, the Pistons won game 1 of the 2nd round series against New Jersey Nets. The score was 78-56. The Pistons held the Nets to 27% shooting. That was 2nd least points scored by one team in postseason history, as the Utah Jazz in the 1998 finals scored 54 points in game 3. In the next round, the Pistons clinched the eastern conference title by beating the Indiana Pacers in game 6. The score was 69-65. Listen, I miss defense as well.. but dear Lord let’s not go back to this please.

Worse defensive team in history – Now we go to the opposite of the Detroit Pistons of the mid 2000’s and go to the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets. This season they gave up an NBA record 130.77 ppg. There was nine occasions where they gave up at least 150 points, and four of those times they gave up at least 160 points. The worse one came in a game against the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns were up at the half and the score was 107-67. This was the record for the most points given up for one half, as well as the highest scoring half in history. The final score for the game was 173-143. They allowed at least 100 points every game that season, which is tied for an NBA record for an 82 game regular season. The other team that did it was the 1981-82 Denver Nuggets. You can only imagine that the Denver Nuggets during this era had a reputation of having little to no interest in playing defense. Their goal was to simply outscore you. So next time someone makes fun of how there’s no defense being played now, we can point to this team and say, at least we’re not this bad!

Best shooting night of all-time – In 1967, Wilt Chamberlain went 18-18 from the field against the Baltimore Bullets. He ended up with 42 points, 30 rebounds, and 10 assists for the game. The game prior to that, he went 11-11 from the field. He didn’t make a single free throw out of his 9 attempts for that game, but that’s ok. In fact, over a four-game stretch Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record by making 35 consecutive shots during that 1967 season. Another unbreakable record Wilt Chamberlain has in his resume.

Worse shooting night of all-time – Tim Hardaway went 0-17 from the field in 1991 in a regular season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He ended up with 2 points and dished out 13 assists. That is the record for the most field goal attempts without a make. Believe it or not though, the Warriors still managed to win the game. The Wolves ended the season with a 15-67 record, so he picked the perfect game for an historic off-night.

If you’ve been following my articles, it’s pretty clear that Kobe Bryant is my favorite player. However I don’t want to be biased and ignore his contributions for this particular record. Although he didn’t go without making a single field goal like Tim Hardaway, he does have the record for most misses in a game. In 2002 against the Boston Celtics he went 17-47 from the field. That is 30 total misses in one game. He had 41 points and the Lakers of course lost. There is a reason why people make fun of him for being a ball-hog. This game is a classic example. So technically in 1947 Joe Fulks missed a record 42 shots in a game, but I am only mentioning players from the modern era unless I feel like it’s worth mentioning. Maybe some other time I will write an article on how laughable basketball was at this time. On that note we go on to the next category..

Worse shooting night in playoff history – 2 of these records came from players in 1948, but I won’t even mention it because everyone at this time was guilty of extreme inefficiency. For example, there was a playoff game between the Baltimore Bullets and the Philadelphia Warriors in 1948, and the Bullets as a team shot 18% from the field while the Warriors shot 25% from the field. There was no good representation for the game of basketball, and it’s no wonder why basketball wasn’t America’s sport at this time.

So putting that aside, Dennis Johnson would have the worse shooting night in postseason history. He went 0-14 from the field in game 7 of the 1978 finals of all games. He ended up with 4 points and the Seattle SuperSonics lost. Ray Allen, one of the greatest shooters of all-time, would be next in line. In game 3 of the 2010 finals, Ray Allen went 0-13 from the field and only had 2 points for the game. Do you know what’s scarier than an all-time great shooter like Ray Allen not being able to miss a shot? Its Ray Allen not being able to make one. You just knew he was going to make one, and it was going to come at the worse moment (for a Lakers fan). So the closer it got to regulation, the more tense it got when Ray Allen would shot. That has to mean something, even if he didn’t make a field goal.

Most inefficient player in modern day history – Marcus Smart is the record holder for anyone that has not played in the 40’s and 50’s. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he’s 80th all-time. He averages for his career 37% from the field. At least he would have been considered the Steph Curry of the 50’s. Other modern day players that are behind Marcus Smart in this list is Stanley Johnson of the Toronto Raptors, Eddie Griffin who played a few years with the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the early 2000’s, Rafer Alston, Brandon Jennings, and Lindsey Hunter.

Lowest scoring game in history – To continue my crap fest on the pre-shot clock era, there was a game in 1950 where the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18. George Mikan had a game high 15 points, and two other players scored for the Lakers. George Mikan was so dominant, he scored over 78% of his team’s points. Please read that last sentence in the most sarcastic voice you can think of in your head. Thank you.

If we’re talking modern day history, this record would go to the 1998-99 Chicago Bulls. There was a game in the 1999 lockout season where the Chicago Bulls hosted the Miami Heat, and the Bulls lost with the final score being 82-49. They would also have the record for the lowest shooting percentage as a team in modern history, as they shot 23% from the field. Jerry Krause wanted to break that Bulls team so bad, and this is what he got. Bravo Jerry. You won 17 games that 1999 season, 15 the next season, and you had only one season where you topped over 30 wins before you stepped down as GM. Maybe you keep the team that defined the whole 90’s as long as you can, instead on investing in the worse draft years we have ever seen prior to that 2003 draft class?! Just a thought.

Most loses by a team for one season – Philadelphia 76ers in the 1972-73 season had a 9-73 record. If you thought Kobe Bryant had it bad in his last season with that atrocious Lakers team, poor Hal Greer spend his last year of his NBA career with this pathetic squad. But wait.. it gets even better. John Block made his only all-star appearance in this season, after the Philadelphia 76ers finished with a 4-47 record at the all-star break. So all this crap about players getting snubbed from the all-star reserves because of their team record needs to stop immediately! By the way, the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015-16 season would have the 2nd most loses in a season ever, as they finished with a 10-72 record. #trusttheprocess

Joel Anthony – This two-time champion has some records that are baffling. The Miami Heat were playing the Atlanta Hawks in 2011, and Joel Anthony played 43 minutes without attempting a single field goal. But wait, it gets even better. Just nine days earlier against the Portland Trail Blazers, he played 29 minutes and without a single point, rebound, assist, steal, block, or field goal attempt. Talk about the Heat playing 4 on 5 basketball. I understand that you aren’t expected to do much with LeBron, Wade, and Bosh on the court, but come on! And we’re talking about a player that played 10 years in this league. I won’t complain about Kwame Brown ever aga…. well I won’t complain as much anymore.

Magic Johnson –  During the 1983-84 season, Magic Johnson dished out over 10 assists in a record 46 straight games. And in 21 of those 46 games, Magic had at least 15 dimes. John Stockton and Rajon Rondo have come the closest, each having double-digit assists in 37 consecutive games.

Dumbest NBA media decision – In 1995 Dikembe Mutumbo was named defensive player of the year. And rightfully so, as he averaged for the season 11.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg, and a league leading 3.9 bpg. However what inspired me to put this category in this list is the fact that he didn’t end up in the All-NBA defensive 1st team. He lost out to David Robinson. So the best defensive player in the league that season was not worthy enough to make All-NBA 1st team defense. Makes perfect sense.

Stephen Curry – He holds the record for fewest games played to reach 1,000 and 2,000 career three-pointers of 369 and 597. Stephen Curry also holds the record for fastest player to get to a hundred threes in a single season, notching the century mark in just 20 games. James Harden got very close to reaching that milestone this year, as he made 98 three pointers in the first 20 games. However we can see the clear difference between Curry and Harden as far as efficiency goes, as it took Curry 222 three point attempts to get there, and Harden took 285 three point shots.

Most turnovers in a season/game – The 2016-17 season we saw an exciting two-man race for the MVP award between Russell Westbrook and James Harden. This was the season Russell Westbrook averaged a triple double for the first time since Oscar Robertson and James Harden became the first shooting guard to lead the league in assists. This was also the season they both shattered the record for most turnovers committed in a single season. James Harden took the honors and committed a record 464 turnovers. Russell Westbrook wasn’t too far off, as he committed 438 turnovers. They’re the only players that have committed more than 400 turnovers. For an era where teams are pushing more than ever for “efficiency”, I’m guessing this isn’t the way to do it. Now they are both in the same team… what could possibly go wrong.

We saw already how a legendary shooter like Ray Allen can have a horrific off-night, well we have a legendary facilitator in Jason Kidd that would be in the wrong side of history as well. There was a game in 2000 against the New York Knicks where he committed a record 14 turnovers in a loss. He also had for the game 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. So at least he had a quadruple double! I’m sure Russell Westbrook leads the league with unofficial quadruple doubles. In fact, he’s had 5 of such games in his career.

Lowest/highest opponents field goal percentage for a season – So there’s a perception that’s been out there in the media that the 80’s had tough, hard nosed defense and the league has just gotten softer as the years went by. We can definitely point out certain teams like the Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers where that was the case, but let’s look at the record for the team that allowed the lowest field goal percentage for a single season. The 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks allowed their opponents 40% shooting for their games in the regular season. By no mistake these two teams were the ones that faced each other in the finals that season. Interestingly enough the Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, and Portland Trial Blazers all allowed their opponents under 42% shooting in the field.

The Golden State Warriors in the 1984-85 season allowed the highest field goal percentage with 53% fg. The 1982-83 San Diego Clippers are right behind them with allowing 52% shooting from the field. Taking that 1982-83 season as a sample, there was 6 different teams that allowed over 50% shooting from the field, and none under 45%. In the 1998-99 season, there was not a single team that allowed over 47% shooting. We should indeed think of the late 90’s and early 2000’s as the tough defensive era, instead of the 80’s era.

Fastest foul-out – Bubba Wells (2 minutes, 43 seconds). This feat was accomplished by fouling Dennis Rodman in 1997 when the Mavericks tried to stop the dominant Bulls offense by repeatedly fouling The Worm. That was Bubba Wells first and only season and he was able to accumulate half a million dollars for his total salary according to Basketball-Reference.com. I believe I gave up on my dream of playing professional basketball too soon. I could have been a legendary hacker as well and I would have made a few hundred thousand dollars. Dang It!

Most fouls in a game – Utah Jazz with 54 fouls. In 1990, the Utah Jazz managed to get a record 54 fouls in a 119-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns. John Stockton, Thurl Bailey, Bobby Hansen and Eric Johnson all fouled out in the game. The Suns had 80 free throw attempts in this game, and 61 of their points came from free throws.

Most free throw attempts in a game – Dwight Howard holds the record for this category. There was two games where he shot a total of 39 free throw attempts. One of those games happened in his first game back in Orlando as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic coach defended himself stating that this was simply a defensive strategy, but this seemed like a way to get back a Dwight for leaving the organization at such bad terms. Ironically Dwight Howard ended up with 39 points. Unfortunately for comedic purposes, it didn’t all come in free throws.