OT What NBA players will "break out" this season?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by PtldPlatypus, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    And of course the main reason he did it was because people were bitching about him scoring too much. So basically it was a big fuck you. Wilt was so far and away the most talented big man (particularly relative to his era) it's obscene. I think what held him back is he just wasn't a killer. He was a lover (and how!) not a fighter.

    He's about the only player from the sixties who would (easily) make the NBA today. I guess Russell too, but he would be more of a role player.
     
  2. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    I take that as an insult to me. BLOCKED.
     
  3. chzbrgr

    chzbrgr Well-Known Member

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    FIFY
     
  4. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Shabazz says "hi".
     
  5. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Hello darkness, my old friend
    I think Russell would have translated into this era as a star or superstar, as well (and I've always been Team Chamberlain in the Chamberlain/Russell debates). I think he compares well to someone like Hakeem Olajuwon. Perhaps not quite as gifted a post player, but probably a better rebounder. Tim Duncan is another template, to me, of the type of impact I think he'd have today. He wouldn't have been a dominant scorer, but the kind of guy who would essentially always anchor a top defense, score enough to be a significant threat in the post and rebound extremely well.
     
  6. H.C.

    H.C. Well-Known Member

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    Oscar, West, Baylor I think all would easily make the NBA today.
     
  7. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    He's just not as big as centers these days, though. He had a great wingspan (7'4" Google tells me) but he only weighed 220. That said, he had to battle Chamberlain, so I guess he could probably handle it.
     
  8. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Hello darkness, my old friend
    If he played today, though, he'd be doing the same weight training as everyone else. Certainly, this is speculation, but I assume he'd put on more muscle mass. You're right that if you just teleported him straight out of the 1960s and into a game today, he'd struggle at center--but even then, he could probably move down a position and be a great power forward. Power forward is no longer a position of behemoths, generally.
     
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  9. dviss1

    dviss1 Emcee Referee

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    Your 6th man always has the green light. Crabbe was our 6th man.
     
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  10. Sinobas

    Sinobas Banned User BANNED

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    Marcus Camby was only 220, and he was an elite shot blocker and rebounder when healthy. He wasn't nearly as athletic as Russell either.
     
  11. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Who is it now...Evan Jesus God Turner
     
  12. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Now THAT is an outfit.
     
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  13. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

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    Vonleh Vonleh, Vonleh... Vonleh.

    Hey!!
    VOnleh!!!
     
  14. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    whoa there....I don't buy this at all....I can name some great players from the 60s who would dominate in the present era.....without handchecking and the 3 pt shot some would break records...Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, on and on....its a deeper field than most folks think from those days....if he had played in the era of the 3 pt shot, Jerry West would have the current scoring title I'm guessing....he's up there with all his deep shots only counting for 2pts
    there are many great players from the 60's ...the Globetrotters had some of the greatest to ever play the game in the 60's...Meadow Lark Lemon would have dazzled in the modern NBA.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2017
  15. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    And THAT is an athlete. He could high jump 7', was a 3-time conference champion in the 330-yard intermediate hurdlers in his three seasons at Kansas and could bench press 550 lb. (he was still benching 465 lb. at the age of 59). There has never been another human being with such a unique combination of size, speed, strength and athleticism. I doubt if I'll ever see one again in my lifetime.

    BNM
     
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  16. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Good point. Take yesterday's stars, raise them from youth with the same nutrition, supplements, and training methods, there is no reason to assume they would not be as good as players today. Unless one thinks humans have genetically mutated in the last 40 years to be better athletes. Yes I get that there is a larger population pool, but yesterday's stars would also have been much better than they were if they'd had today's training and nutrition.
     
  17. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Cool shoes.
     
  18. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

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    Come on one Come on ALL!!!
    Lets hop on The Vonleh Train!!!!!

    The VOnleh Train is gonna take off this year!!! Dont miss the ride!!!!!
     
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  19. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

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    I need to make a shirt that says, take a ride on the Vonleh Train!
     
  20. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    We wore those Converse All Star flat footed high tops in the 60s...it was a requirement to wear two pair of sweat socks to take the pounding of the court...shoes had no arch support at all...those weren't light shoes either...the soles would not wear out quickly like they do these days.
     

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