Timmy84 said:

JoeTyler said:

dude needs to

a) become a coach (already, damn!)

b) become the general manager of the Bulls or something

he needs to stop lurking, unless he TRULY enjoys all that "royalty" treatment...

He ain't gon' stop.

you don't see him coaching/managing?

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

He ain't gon' stop.

you don't see him coaching/managing?

He tried that, remember? (The Wizards) Didn't work. So now he's part owner of the Bobcats.

Timmy84 said:

JoeTyler said:

you don't see him coaching/managing?

He tried that, remember? (The Wizards) Didn't work. So now he's part owner of the Bobcats.

seems like the dude enjoys the business, but not the game anymore

JoeTyler said:

Timmy84 said:

He tried that, remember? (The Wizards) Didn't work. So now he's part owner of the Bobcats.

seems like the dude enjoys the business, but not the game anymore

There you go. In fact when he tried to coach them, he ended up going back to play as a regular player... lol then he tried managing them and that became a problem so he left.

Timmy84 said:

JoeTyler said:

seems like the dude enjoys the business, but not the game anymore

There you go. In fact when he tried to coach them, he ended up going back to play as a regular player... lol then he tried managing them and that became a problem so he left.

Damn I remember when that happened. It was all a mess.

Timmy84 said:

JoeTyler said:

seems like the dude enjoys the business, but not the game anymore

There you go. In fact when he tried to coach them, he ended up going back to play as a regular player... lol then he tried managing them and that became a problem so he left.

Why did his comeback fail so miserably? I know this sounds naive, he was aging and all, I know...but I still have a hard time understanding how such a great player could end like that and tarnish his own legacy. I mean, is age really THAT hard to beat or did he become lazy? Or both? How can such a supreme athlete lose his shine so quickly?

KoolEaze said:

Timmy84 said:

There you go. In fact when he tried to coach them, he ended up going back to play as a regular player... lol then he tried managing them and that became a problem so he left.

Why did his comeback fail so miserably? I know this sounds naive, he was aging and all, I know...but I still have a hard time understanding how such a great player could end like that and tarnish his own legacy. I mean, is age really THAT hard to beat or did he become lazy? Or both? How can such a supreme athlete lose his shine so quickly?

Could had been ego.

missfee said:

KoolEaze said:

Why did his comeback fail so miserably? I know this sounds naive, he was aging and all, I know...but I still have a hard time understanding how such a great player could end like that and tarnish his own legacy. I mean, is age really THAT hard to beat or did he become lazy? Or both? How can such a supreme athlete lose his shine so quickly?

Could had been ego.

I was about to say the same thing.

Graycap23 said:

RodeoSchro said:

I can't dunk NOW, but I could dunk when I was a player. Probably the only 6' white guy in Houston that could! One hand, two hands and backwards, but never pulled off an alley oop. Could you ever dunk?

Besides, I'm sure you can count on one hand the number of NBA players that can't dunk. They all can do it, and they do it probably 150 times a night.

Dunks aren't special in the NBA.

Lol....by that logic, a layup, a jumpshot, a post move.............nothing is special about the NBA.

As you'll recall, what I said was dunks were overrated as it pertains to ESPN's Top 10. If something is happening 100 - 150 times a night, then for it to be a Top 10 play IMHO, it needs to be very special.

I contend that "very special" isn't happening every night - much less 5 - 6 times a night.

I agree with Abdul. No one could dunk like Dr. J or Vince Carter, IMO.

Speaking of dunking, it remains one of the only things I'm proud of as a young athlete. I couldn't shoot, pass, dribble or rebound worth a hoot, but I could sky! So what I'd like to know is:

Could/can you dunk? On a 10-foot goal, of course.

I was able to dunk until I was about 35. That's when I lost my fight with gravity. Nowadays, I look up at a 10-foot goal and just shake my head. It seems like it's 100 feet up there!

RodeoSchro said:

Speaking of dunking, it remains one of the only things I'm proud of as a young athlete. I couldn't shoot, pass, dribble or rebound worth a hoot, but I could sky! So what I'd like to know is:

Could/can you dunk? On a 10-foot goal, of course.

I was able to dunk until I was about 35. That's when I lost my fight with gravity. Nowadays, I look up at a 10-foot goal and just shake my head. It seems like it's 100 feet up there!

I could every thing but dunk. I could barely touch the rim...........but they didn't call me Air Gray 4 nothing.

Magic Johnson

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Karl Malone

Wilt Chamberlain

ZOMG, this is so awesome. Can you identify the "unidentified fan" in this photo?

[img:$uid]http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/CrTFVXCx1YIpTkSP9amw8w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/LO12512.jpg[/img:$uid]

Lamar Odom chats with an unidentified fan before a game last week (Getty Images)

.

[Edited 12/6/12 14:46pm]

JoeTyler said:

Magic Johnson

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Karl Malone

Wilt Chamberlain

Who are four great players and one stiff?

The 80s.

The early 80's -- Magic and Bird, who built the market for Today's Game, get to the winner's circle early, and many of the stars of the ABA and the 70s, Dr. J and Kareem chief among them, were still making an impact. 83 Sixers.

The mid-80's -- The Lakers-Celts rivalry renewed, MJ burst on the scene, and intriguing teams from top to bottom. Also hitting the scene -- Barkley, Ewing, Mullin.

The late 80's -- LA becomes the first team to repeat, Magic and Bird peak, The 86 C's, MJ enters the stratosphere (figuratively and literally), Bulls-Bad Boys rivalry emerges, Bad Boys end LA's title run. Seemed like every team had an impact player.

Many of the great teams in NBA history come from this era -- 83 Sixers, 86 C's, 87 Lakers, 89 Pistons. And they knocked each other off regularly. It was the Golden Age of Heavyweights. Combine that with the number of top-50 players who hit the scene or hit their peak, including 3 of the GOATs.

Expanding on Joe's 70s List:

Wilt Chamberlain

Oscar Robertson

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Jerry West

Julius Erving

John Havlicek

Earl Monroe

Tiny Archibald

Walt Frazier

Elgin Baylor

Elvin Hayes

Wes Unseld

Willis Reed

Dave DeBusschere

Jamaal Wilkes

World B. Free

Walt Bellamy

Bob McAdooo

Jack Sikma

Nate Thurmond

Artis Gilmore

Fred Brown

Paul Silas

Charlie Scott

Paul Westphal

David Thompson

Marques Johnson

Moses Malone

George Gervin

Randy Smith

Billy Knight

Bobby Jones

Doug Collins

[Edited 12/6/12 22:14pm]

JoeTyler said:

Abdul said:

The 70's & 80's no doubt

yeah, a bit underrated, right?

I mean

Frazier

Phil Jackson

Monroe

Maravich

Pat Riley

Goodrich

Havlicek

JoJO White

Rick Barry

Cunningham

Walton

Maurice Lucas

Chamberlain (final years but still in top form)

Wes Unseld

Cowens

Gus Williams

Dennis Johnson

Abdul-Jabbar

etc

[Edited 12/6/12 8:08am]

Are you using Phil Jackson and Pat Riley are trying to prove the 70s were any good in the NBA?

The 70s were very watered down, the league was not at it's strongest, with top talent fighting for their lives in another rival league. Of those names, only Kareem is a top 10 talent. Wilt was past his prime. Rick Barry eas very good though, but he spent years between both the NBA and ABA.

I vote the 1990's. But specifically, I say the best NBA years were within 1988-1998.

NDRU said:

80's & 90's was certainly my favorite period. But I never watched anything before the late 70s, so

I don't really like basketball anymore. It was my favorite sport. I don't know what happened. Kobe?

TWO PROBLEMS:

1. Right before Shaq & Yao retired, the NBA and USA basketball in general were already in trouble because of the lack of any "true centers" coming out of high school or college. In other words, the 2010's is basically the decade of the multi-position guards & fowards thus far.

2. Since hand checks are consider illegal defensive tactics that can draw a personal foul these days, players like Kobe & LeBron will almost never have to face the real brutal defenses that Michael, Magic, & Larry had to deal in their playing days.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

JoeTyler said:

yeah, a bit underrated, right?

I mean

Frazier

Phil Jackson

Monroe

Maravich

Pat Riley

Goodrich

Havlicek

JoJO White

Rick Barry

Cunningham

Walton

Maurice Lucas

Chamberlain (final years but still in top form)

Wes Unseld

Cowens

Gus Williams

Dennis Johnson

Abdul-Jabbar

etc

[Edited 12/6/12 8:08am]

Are you using Phil Jackson and Pat Riley are trying to prove the 70s were any good in the NBA?

The 70s were very watered down, the league was not at it's strongest, with top talent fighting for their lives in another rival league. Of those names, only Kareem is a top 10 talent. Wilt was past his prime. Rick Barry eas very good though, but he spent years between both the NBA and ABA.

lol perhaps the Jackson/Riley inclusion was too much, but aren't Frazier, Monroe, Maravich, Havlicek, Walton and Unseld LEGENDS?

to me the 70s were (almost) the first modern decade of basketball,; just because the 80s and 90s gave its most popular stars doesn't mean the 70s were crap

I just said the 70s are underrated, and possibly Maravich would have looked like crap playing against the 80s Lakers or the 90s Bulls, but still...

Tony is right. The NBA was way more physical during the 70s & 80s, before fucking David Stern watered down the league. You can't even touch wing players anymore. Can you imagine Dr. J, David Thompson, Gervin or even a young Michael Jordan playing now?

RodeoSchro said:

JoeTyler said:

Magic Johnson

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Karl Malone

Wilt Chamberlain

Who are four great players and one stiff?

U calling Malone a stiff?

The best is 1984-1993

I enjoy today's NBA alot.

Graycap23 said:

RodeoSchro said:

Who are four great players and one stiff?

U calling Malone a stiff?

Pippen. And you know it!

RodeoSchro said:

Graycap23 said:

U calling Malone a stiff?

Pippen. And you know it!

I've heard that before

Scottie Pippen = aka the guy who won six rings with MJ on his side lol

JoeTyler said:

RodeoSchro said:

Pippen. And you know it!

I've heard that before

Scottie Pippen = aka the guy who won six rings with MJ on his side lol

Yeah, me and Gray do NOT see yey-to-eye on this one!

I see Pippen that way, and also as the guy who quit on his team when MJ was gone. Now, Pippen was a very good player no doubt. He wasn't really a stiff.

But one of the Best 50 of All Time? Not in my eyes. No quitters allowed!

JoeTyler said:

RodeoSchro said:

Pippen. And you know it!

I've heard that before

Scottie Pippen = aka the guy who won six rings with MJ on his side lol

Scottie got close 2 making the NBA Finals twice without Jordan at his side.

MJ got no where near the Finals without Scottie.

Graycap23 said:

JoeTyler said:

I've heard that before

Scottie Pippen = aka the guy who won six rings with MJ on his side lol

Scottie got close 2 making the NBA Finals twice without Jordan at his side.

MJ got no where near the Finals without Scottie.

let's say that they were the Jagger/Richards of the NBA

uPtoWnNY said:

Tony is right. The NBA was way more physical during the 70s & 80s, before fucking David Stern watered down the league. You can't even touch wing players anymore. Can you imagine Dr. J, David Thompson, Gervin or even a young Michael Jordan playing now?

They'd all average at least 30 ppg, it would be too easy for them

Graycap23 said:

JoeTyler said:

I've heard that before

Scottie Pippen = aka the guy who won six rings with MJ on his side lol

Scottie got close 2 making the NBA Finals twice without Jordan at his side.

MJ got no where near the Finals without Scottie.

Scottie was how old when he got close, i.e. quit on his team? And was that a team that had just won 3 world championships in a row?

MJ was how old when he came back? And did he come back to a team that had won any championships. or even made the playoffs in the last decade?

Again, Pippen was OK. But Top 50? Not IMHO.

And he was DEFINITELY a quitter.