Whenever you have a discussion, you see stats. Not talent, it often happens when players compare people like Larry Bird,Reggie Miller, or Bernard king. ''MJ scored 37 PPG, so he must be greatest offensive player ever!''. Wilt scored 50 PPG!, he scored 100 of them in a single game. Why isnt he considered the greatest offensive player? And the answer is hype. I want to point out in my belief, Bernard king is the single greatest offensive talent in terms of versatility i've ever seen, he took the strangest shots, and made them. The only pure shooter to shoot over .500 for his career,relying almost entirely on a jumpshot. MJ may have scored more PPG then a lot of these guys, but offense is ''what you do with the ball when you have it, not how many times you have it''
I think it's you who are looking past everything else.We weren't around in the 80s and early 90s. We weren't around in the 60s. Therefore, we judge everything from statistics and ESPN Classic games.However, Michael Jordan was declared the best player ever by people who actually saw him play. There are people out there who have actually seen MJ play during the regular season, people who have seen all his games.These people were the ones who called him the best. These peple are the ones who called Larry Bird great. It's not like they had any hype to begin with. It was developed, just as Wade is developing his legacy now, with no hype beforehand.So to an extent, I think people do judge older players today by hype. However, that hype was justifiably developed, and when one watches MJ, Bird, and Magic play, can you really argue any of it?
Your arguement really made no point though, basically your trying to describe hype to me. Bird,Magic, and MJ are great players, but they are not perfect players. It is like heresy to an NBA fan to call MJ not the best at something. why is that?
The best offensive players are usually judged by what you do on the court, not your potential. MJ always dropped 30 and 40 point gamnes, took it right to the defenses, scored easy baskets and made it look like a cake walk. Bernard might have been talented offensively, but you cant call him the best when his offensive product wasnt nearly as great as MJ's.
Bernard King isn't even the best shooter, I'd say Reggie is a better shooter then him and I have actually watched him play. Not only was he a superb free throw shooter and had one of the nicest three point strokes but he was very clutch. Kobe has that same fire Jordan had, the ability to take over any game. LeBron, Wade and Carmelo can all score 35+ on any given night but no one can score 50+ like Iverson, Kobe and Jordan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jul 3 2006, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Bernard King isn't even the best shooter, I'd say Reggie is a better shooter then him and I have actually watched him play. Not only was he a superb free throw shooter and had one of the nicest three point strokes but he was very clutch. Kobe has that same fire Jordan had, the ability to take over any game. LeBron, Wade and Carmelo can all score 35+ on any given night but no one can score 50+ like Iverson, Kobe and Jordan.</div>You obviously havent watched Bernard play if your saying reggie miller is better then him. Yes Reggie could hit the 3 but he couldnt make his own shot, even with one of the greatest pure pgs ever(Marc Jackson) he was also one of the streakiest players.In reference to CB4, Have you ever even seen Bernard play? I've already mentioned this, but if we're going by PPG, Wilt is much better then MJ offensively.
No I haven't, which is my point. It makes no sense saying so and so player from so and so year was great when I never saw him play. Maybe if I did watch Bernard I would say he was great but I didn't. How was Reggie streaky? in 14 straight seasons he averaged over 15 points per game and like I said, a very good clutch shooter. Bernard wasn't a good free throw shooter either, shooting 73% so how can he be a better shooter?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jul 3 2006, 01:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No I haven't, which is my point. It makes no sense saying so and so player from so and so year was great when I never saw him play. Maybe if I did watch Bernard I would say he was great but I didn't. How was Reggie streaky? in 14 straight seasons he averaged over 15 points per game and like I said, a very good clutch shooter. Bernard wasn't a good free throw shooter either, shooting 73% so how can he be a better shooter?</div>I really shouldnt even reply to a post this stupid. Did you really say reggie miller is a better shooter then Bernard because of the free throw line. (im starting to doubt you've even seen anything besides the late reggie play even) When i compared offense, im talking versatility, post moves,jumper,efficentness,and other factors. it's really hard to explain bernards game, its something you have to see, and its something very unique.
So being a good shooter is basically only making shots? Free throw shooting has no account into it? You must be joking..I shouldn't be replying to a post that ignorant.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jul 3 2006, 02:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You obviously havent watched Bernard play if your saying reggie miller is better then him. Yes Reggie could hit the 3 but he couldnt make his own shot, even with one of the greatest pure pgs ever(Marc Jackson) he was also one of the streakiest players.In reference to CB4, Have you ever even seen Bernard play? I've already mentioned this, but if we're going by PPG, Wilt is much better then MJ offensively.</div>Wilt did it when he was taller by 6 or 7 inches to the players guarding him, and they were alot less talented than the foes Jordan faced. Wilt was great, but it was like beating a kid at basketball instead of a college or NBA player at it. You would dominate, but it is not as impressive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jul 2 2006, 01:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Whenever you have a discussion, you see stats. Not talent, it often happens when players compare people like Larry Bird,Reggie Miller, or Bernard king. ''MJ scored 37 PPG, so he must be greatest offensive player ever!''. Wilt scored 50 PPG!, he scored 100 of them in a single game. Why isnt he considered the greatest offensive player? And the answer is hype. I want to point out in my belief, Bernard king is the single greatest offensive talent in terms of versatility i've ever seen, he took the strangest shots, and made them. The only pure shooter to shoot over .500 for his career,relying almost entirely on a jumpshot. MJ may have scored more PPG then a lot of these guys, but offense is ''what you do with the ball when you have it, not how many times you have it''</div>actually elgin baylor was better than bernard king,although king was a great offensive player from what ive seen on nba hardwood classics ,elgin baylor was alot more skilled...just watch one of his games from the 60's,you say he took crazy shot and made them?elgin baylor was a magician at this even julius erving but erving didnt score unbelievable stat lines like baylor he just made unbelievable shots and sometimes unbelivable nights,but baylor was unbelievable hes a man who scored 71 points in a single game or maybe 79 not sure but baylor was crazy good and there are alot of thers out there as well from nba history who were oustanding scorers,
I agree Elgin Baylor is a better player, but i think people are misunderstanding me. Im more of mentioning pure offensive talent, not scoring ability only.
in the 1960s, all offensive stats were skewed beyond belief..the game was very fast-paced...for example in 1962 the lakers average 54rpg, last in the league... and now the league leader has 45.4 rpg.... the wilt card can't be played....yo prime-time, ok throw out offensive talent, bird was a great o-rebounder and great passer, really made people around him better...
Each era the NBA is played differently, if you were to use that excuse, no eras stats would be relevent in comparison with another. Im not sure if im the only one whose noticing this, but the current NBA is quickly turning back to 80s style ball. Mainly due to the uprise of pure PGs,penetrating players and more fast break teams.
