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Greatest basketball player by position including sixth man and coach.
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Speyside Offline
#1 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 11:52 AM EST
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Center, Bill Russell.
Power Forward, Karl Malone.
Small Forward, Larry Bird.
Shooting gaurd, Michael Jordan.
Point Guard, Magic Johnson.
6th Man, Kevin McHale.
Coach, Red Aurbach.
dstieger Offline
#2 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 11:58 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Kareem, Jordan, LeBron....everyone else
MACS Offline
#3 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 12:13 PM EST
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,776
Thread title is a head scratcher...
dstieger Offline
#4 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 12:16 PM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
greatest all time extra special?
tailgater Offline
#5 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 2:31 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
dstieger wrote:
Kareem, Jordan, LeBron....everyone else


Lebron who?

Surely not that guy who is talented but insists on flopping?
Or the guy who needed the game to stop so he could be carried off the court with a cramp?
delta1 Offline
#6 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 5:12 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,788
ummmm....that was Paul Pierce....


I'd take Kareem over Russell ...

and LeBron over Karl Malone, too...


McHale started in his glory days, so I'd go with Havlicek as the 6th man...
frankj1 Offline
#7 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 5:33 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
a problem with all-timer lists in basketball is there aren't enough positions to include all worthy (not James).

for example, it's impossible to omit Oscar and West, Wilt, Bob Petit, Elgin Baylor, etc,

However, the debate over who is the single greatest hoopster of all time has been decided for decades. Russell is the undisputed greatest, most dominant, winner in the history of all professional team sports. Perhaps not the most skilled/athletic ever but in every way that matters in terms of winning, save your breath. Isn't that what you ultimately want in a player?
bgz Offline
#8 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 5:48 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
If I could pick a starting 5... no 6th man

Center, Shaq
Power Forward, Tim Duncan.
Small Forward, Lebron James.
Shooting gaurd, Michael Jordan.
Point Guard, Magic Johnson.

Coach, Popavich.
frankj1 Offline
#9 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 6:15 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
bgz wrote:
If I could pick a starting 5... no 6th man

Center, Shaq
Power Forward, Tim Duncan.
Small Forward, Lebron James.
Shooting gaurd, Michael Jordan.
Point Guard, Magic Johnson.

Coach, Popavich.

exactly why it can't be definitive with so few positions
DrMaddVibe Offline
#10 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 6:26 PM EST
Joined: 10-21-2000
Posts: 55,431
The Detroit "Bad Boys" Pistons coached by no other than Chuck Daly.
frankj1 Offline
#11 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 7:30 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
very good team and coach in their short window, but many better for a lot longer period before and since.
With all the egos on the roster, Dumars became my favorite player on the good Pistons' teams.

Daly was a personal fave, Boston College connections too.
delta1 Offline
#12 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 8:00 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,788
frankj1 wrote:
a problem with all-timer lists in basketball is there aren't enough positions to include all worthy (not James).

for example, it's impossible to omit Oscar and West, Wilt, Bob Petit, Elgin Baylor, etc,

However, the debate over who is the single greatest hoopster of all time has been decided for decades. Russell is the undisputed greatest, most dominant, winner in the history of all professional team sports. Perhaps not the most skilled/athletic ever but in every way that matters in terms of winning, save your breath. Isn't that what you ultimately want in a player?



Furthermore, today's athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and better trained and supported than players in Russell's, West's, Baylor's and Oscar's day. Impossible to compare...

A 2017 top of the performance line factory Ford Mustang can run circles around one made in 1964....
bgz Offline
#13 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 8:04 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
delta1 wrote:
Furthermore, today's athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and better trained and supported than players in Russell's, West's, Baylor's and Oscar's day. Impossible to compare...

A 2017 top of the performance line factory Ford Mustang can run circles around one made in 1964....


A 2017 eco-boost will squash a 1964 mustang... it will also beat the original mach 1.
frankj1 Offline
#14 Posted: Tue, Oct 10 2017, 8:40 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
delta1 wrote:
Furthermore, today's athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and better trained and supported than players in Russell's, West's, Baylor's and Oscar's day. Impossible to compare...

A 2017 top of the performance line factory Ford Mustang can run circles around one made in 1964....

I allow myself to believe that those greats from decades ago would be among the best today if afforded today's methods of development.
jespear Offline
#15 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 6:44 AM EST
Joined: 03-19-2004
Posts: 9,464
Not even an "honorable mention" for Dr J ?
d'oh!
Speyside Offline
#16 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 8:15 AM EST
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Frank, you are right, this is very subjective. I thought it would be fun. I could easily have chose a different power forward and 6th man.
bs_kwaj Offline
#17 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 8:45 AM EST
Joined: 02-13-2006
Posts: 5,214

Top Secret!: Do you know any good white basketball players?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHBbInxJ4Is

Beer
frankj1 Offline
#18 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 12:08 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
jespear wrote:
Not even an "honorable mention" for Dr J ?
d'oh!

a pioneer in soaring, flying, above the rim offense. beyond belief athleticism, virtually unstoppable one-on-one, but being a one dimensional talent keeps him off the list...for me.

UMass product by the way, however briefly.
frankj1 Offline
#19 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 12:09 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
Speyside wrote:
Frank, you are right, this is very subjective. I thought it would be fun. I could easily have chose a different power forward and 6th man.

no question it's fun!
frankj1 Offline
#20 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 12:11 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
bs_kwaj wrote:
Top Secret!: Do you know any good white basketball players?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHBbInxJ4Is

Beer

didn't watch the link, but already mentioned West and Pettit. Also good arguments for Rick Barry, if not injured Bill Walton, Bob Cousy, and many more.
DrMaddVibe Offline
#21 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 2:08 PM EST
Joined: 10-21-2000
Posts: 55,431
frankj1 wrote:
very good team and coach in their short window, but many better for a lot longer period before and since.
With all the egos on the roster, Dumars became my favorite player on the good Pistons' teams.

Daly was a personal fave, Boston College connections too.


C'mon...look at who they beat and who beat them. Reads like a virtual Who's Who of the NBA Hall of Fame!!

Bill Laimbeer is a quiet champion. He took a rash of crap from everyone and gets called for fouls when he's sick and tired of it not going his way as far as a call. I've had this discussion with a LOT of people. He really wasn't a dirty player. Buddah, VJ and The Worm sitting on a bench when they'd start on any other team. They really were crazy scary good and played TEAM ball. Not the brand that MJ started with the "One Show" wonders littering up the league. It really does take a team to win.
JGKAMIN Offline
#22 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 10:00 PM EST
Joined: 05-08-2011
Posts: 1,403
Wilt definitely needs to be on here.
frankj1 Offline
#23 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 10:09 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
same position as Russell, unfortunately for The Stilt.

All kidding aside, and this from an old Celts fanatic, Wilt was the single greatest talent and force the league will ever see...but Russell was the greatest winner in the history of all team sports.
Speyside Offline
#24 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 10:22 PM EST
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
I think the time span of the Magic Johnson Lakers, Larry Bird Celtics, Isaiah Thomas Pistons, and Michael Jordan Bulls was the heyday of the NBA. Though perhaps that is because of what basketball meant to me during that time of my life. Though players such as Wilt, Dr J, and LeBron are some of the most talented players to ever play, I do not think of them as the greatest, since I do not think they made their teammates better. I could not think of a power forward who made his teammates better, or a 6th man who did. Another player worthy of listing is Isaiah Thomas, there would have never been any bad boys without him.
frankj1 Offline
#25 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 10:35 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
too bad you are too young (ha!) to have seen the Russell Celts play at the same time as the Oscar Robertson/Twyman/Lucas Royals, the Chamberlain/Walker/Greer 76ers, the Chamberlain/West/Baylor/Goodrich Lakers, the Pettit/Beatty Hawks, the Chamberlain/Thurmond/Guy Rodgers Warriors and many more from the 60's.

People are incorrect when thinking it was easier to win in the 60's and early 70's. Less dilution of talent, even bad teams had names like the Pistons with Bellamy/Dischinger/Bing (a little later) and there were no easy nights.
Speyside Offline
#26 Posted: Wed, Oct 11 2017, 10:42 PM EST
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
I saw a little of the Chamberlain, West, Baylor, Goodrich, Hairston Lakers. I would have loved to see Robertson in his prime. I saw him when he was with Kareem on the Bucks. I have only seen replays of the great Celtics teams.
tailgater Offline
#27 Posted: Thu, Oct 12 2017, 8:43 AM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
delta1 wrote:
Furthermore, today's athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and better trained and supported than players in Russell's, West's, Baylor's and Oscar's day. Impossible to compare...

A 2017 top of the performance line factory Ford Mustang can run circles around one made in 1964....


No one today is bigger, faster or stronger than Wilt was.

Which makes Russell's accomplishments that much greater.
tailgater Offline
#28 Posted: Thu, Oct 12 2017, 8:45 AM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Gotta read the whole thread next time so I don't just regurgitate somebody else's post...
Phil222 Offline
#29 Posted: Sat, Oct 14 2017, 10:18 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
C - Russell
PF - Duncan
SF - Rodman
SG - Jordan
PG - Payton
6 - Lebron
Coach - Pop

This is my all-defensive team.
Speyside Offline
#30 Posted: Sun, Oct 15 2017, 6:54 AM EST
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
That is a great defensive team. I might move Rodman to PF, and add Pippin as SF.
Phil222 Offline
#31 Posted: Sun, Oct 15 2017, 11:24 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Speyside wrote:
That is a great defensive team. I might move Rodman to PF, and add Pippin as SF.


I pondered doing that very thing. Then I thought about Pippin as the sixth-man. It was very hard to leave Pippin off of an all-defensive team.
Whistlebritches Offline
#32 Posted: Sun, Oct 15 2017, 11:28 AM EST
Joined: 04-23-2006
Posts: 22,128
I'll just drop this here........best all time hoop players

Larry Bird and Michael Jordon

Best team ever assembled.......85-86 Celtics
dstieger Offline
#33 Posted: Mon, Oct 16 2017, 10:20 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Speyside wrote:
I saw a little of the Chamberlain, West, Baylor, Goodrich, Hairston Lakers. I would have loved to see Robertson in his prime. I saw him when he was with Kareem on the Bucks.


+1

May have still been prime...at least I thought. No triple double seasons, but he was on a more balanced team. If he had Lew Alcinder in Cincy, he wouldn't have had double digit boards, either. I know now that his past was behind him, but I wouldn't have listened to talk like that back in 71
tailgater Offline
#34 Posted: Mon, Oct 16 2017, 1:45 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
"best player by position? Dennis Rodman, Doggy Style."
-TW
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