Author Topic: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years  (Read 1122 times)

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SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« on: February 10, 2016, 08:57:57 AM »

Online Moranis

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http://www.si.com/nba/2016/02/09/tim-duncan-lebron-james-kobe-bryant-kevin-garnett-nba-greatest

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Top 50 players for the 50th season, SI is updating the list.  Shaq was on the original 50 and thus is not eligible for this list.

The Big 3 Celtics all made the list

Ray Allen is 18th
Paul Pierce is 14th
Kevin Garnett is 4th

Gary Payton came in at 17th (obviously not for his time in Boston, but he played here so I'm mentioning him).

In no real surprise, Duncan, James, Bryant are the top 3. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2016, 09:03:03 AM »

Offline Rhyso

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Dwight Howard better than Paul Pierce? Come on now  ??? ???

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2016, 09:31:15 AM »

Offline Who

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Pierce seems low at 14

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2016, 09:44:53 AM »

Online Donoghus

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Curry's already at 8th? 

I mean I know he's on top of the world right now & reigning MVP....

Of course, back in '96 they put Shaq on the 50 List when he was like 4 seasons in.


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Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2016, 09:58:47 AM »

Offline makaveli

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Are you kidding me with Dwight??
Nooooo wayyyyyyy
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Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2016, 10:05:03 AM »

Offline wdleehi

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I think Wade, AI, Curry (at the moment because of the amount of years left), Melo and Parker are to high. 



All belong on the list, I would just order them differently.






Interesting question, if Shaq was eligible for this list, who would you knock off?

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2016, 10:12:33 AM »

Online Moranis

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Dwight Howard better than Paul Pierce? Come on now  ??? ???
I don't think that is all that crazy.  Pierce has certainly aged better, but in their prime who would you rather have the 25/6/5 wing with average defense or the defensive player of the year center going for 20/14.
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2016, 10:18:51 AM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

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Dwight Howard better than Paul Pierce? Come on now  ??? ???
I don't think that is all that crazy.  Pierce has certainly aged better, but in their prime who would you rather have the 25/6/5 wing with average defense or the defensive player of the year center going for 20/14.

Pierce, easily. Winning generally ought to count for something, don't you think?
« Last Edit: February 10, 2016, 10:24:46 AM by tarheelsxxiii »
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Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2016, 10:22:05 AM »

Offline trickybilly

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Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2016, 10:23:13 AM »

Offline Who

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Dwight, Durant and CP3 are all too high. They haven't accomplished enough.

None of them should be ranked above Pierce.

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2016, 10:35:10 AM »

Online Moranis

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Dwight, Durant and CP3 are all too high. They haven't accomplished enough.

None of them should be ranked above Pierce.
I love Pierce as much as the next guy, but he was never All NBA 1st team, made the 2nd Team once, and 3rd Team three times.  Never was on the All Defensive team.  Never finished higher than 7th in MVP voting.  Only led the league in one category (free throws - both made and attempted) and just one year. 

Pierce played for a long time and was always very good, but he was never an exceptional player.  Durant, Howard, and even Paul were exceptional players for at least four seasons each. 

Dwight was the 3 time Defensive player of the year.  All NBA 1st team a number of years and always on the All Defensive team.  Durant was the league MVP, scoring champion, etc.  Paul is the shakiest of those, but even Paul has multiple All NBA 1st Teams, multiple All Defense Teams, and finished in the top 5 in MVP voting 4 separate times (and as high as second).
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2016, 10:36:09 AM »

Online Moranis

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2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2016, 10:37:00 AM »

Offline bdm860

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Dwight Howard better than Paul Pierce? Come on now  ??? ???
I don't think that is all that crazy.  Pierce has certainly aged better, but in their prime who would you rather have the 25/6/5 wing with average defense or the defensive player of the year center going for 20/14.

On the Dwight Howard topic, when I looked at the list I thought it looked good, no obvious admissions (though sure I might have rearranged a few things).

Then I look at the Honorable Mention section.  Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning.

So the list, combined with the original, is the NBA's 70 Greatest Players.  So Dwight Howard (3x DPOY) was a better center, greater than Mutumbo (4x DPOY) and Mourning (2x DPOY)?  I don't want to believe it. 

Looking at the other awards and stats though, Howard has a lot more All-NBA and All-Defensive awards, but he was also like the only real Center in his era, while the Georgetown boys played in a golden age of Centers.  Howard's prime years though, that's like combining Mourning and Mutombo into one.  I don't like it, but it's tough to argue against Dwight.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2016, 11:24:12 AM by bdm860 »

After 18 months with their Bigs, the Littles were: 46% less likely to use illegal drugs, 27% less likely to use alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2016, 11:10:07 AM »

Offline bdm860

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Also let's right some past wrongs here.

Dominique Wilkins, playing 90 games from '97-'99 is eligible!  Let's bump T-Mac off the list and put ex-Celtic Dominique Wilkins where he rightfully belongs.


Who was the greater player Wilkins or McGrady?

You take McGrady's best year ('03?), but him on the '88 Hawks over Wilkins, are they taking the C's to 7 games, maybe even beating them?  You swap in a prime Wilkins on one of McGrady's first round flameouts ('03, '05, '07, '08), is he taking a team to the 2nd round?  Could a 35 year old T-Mac lead the '95 Celtics to 35 wins and the 8th seed!  I don't think so.  I'd take Wilkins over McGrady.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2016, 11:30:07 AM by bdm860 »

After 18 months with their Bigs, the Littles were: 46% less likely to use illegal drugs, 27% less likely to use alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class

Re: SI's top 20 players of the last 20 years
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2016, 11:13:23 AM »

Online Moranis

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Dwight Howard better than Paul Pierce? Come on now  ??? ???
I don't think that is all that crazy.  Pierce has certainly aged better, but in their prime who would you rather have the 25/6/5 wing with average defense or the defensive player of the year center going for 20/14.

On the Dwight Howard topic, when I looked at the list I thought it looked good, no obvious admissions (though sure I might have rearranged a few things).

Then I look at the Honorable Mention section.  Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning.

So the list, combined with the original, is the NBA's 70 Greatest Players.  So Dwight Howard (3x DPOY) was a better center, greater than Mutumbo (4x DPOY) and Mourning (2x DPOY)?  I don't want to believe it. 

Looking at the other awards and stats though, Howard has a lot more All-NBA and All-Defensive awards, but he was also like the only real Center in his era, while the Georgetown boys played in a golden age of Centers.  Howard's prime years though, that's like combining Mourning and Mutombo into one.  It don't like it, but it's tough to argue against Dwight.
Stats come into play as well.

Here are the career highs in points/rebounds/assists/blocks/steals

Zo - 23.2/11/2.3/3.9/0.7
Deke - 16.6/14.1/2.2/4.5/0.7
DHo - 22.9/14.5/1.9/2.9/1.5

So Howard is a much better rebounder than Mourning and a much better scorer than Mutumbo.  While Howard has a lesser block total, he did lead the league in back to back years (so the numbers were down across the board). 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip