OT: Cavs vs. Warriors (Who Wins the NBA Finals?)

[AvocadoIceCream]

Nobody is saying LBJ is garbage, lol he's one of the best ever and a HOFer, but his faults keep him out of the top tier.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Come on RW, McCallum is not ranking based on 1 on 1 ability. It is the best players of all time, and he has Lebron ahead, while clearly noting Russ's offensive deficiencies. It does not seem outlandish, although I am taking a lot of heat for it here, to say that Russ was a great defender, the ultimate teammate, and a player that was able to elevate his game at the biggest moments, but just not a great offensive player. Nobody says he is out of the top 10, but it is hard for me to put a guy that is limited offensively in the top 5.

McCallum's point was as a player, hed pick LeBron over Russ.

For a team that needed to win, he'd pick Russell

 

[IcyPatriot]

Hopefully this series goes 4-0 or at worst 4-1 so the Lebron supporters will get a good dose of reality.

He has 2 rings because Wade and Bosh took the punches for him.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Hopefully this series goes 4-0 or at worst 4-1 so the Lebron supporters will get a good dose of reality.

He has 2 rings because Wade and Bosh took the punches for him.

My biggest take-away was his defensive effort.

It was bad.

 

[letekro]

McCallum's point was as a player, hed pick LeBron over Russ.

For a team that needed to win, he'd pick Russell

.....as long as that team surrounded Russell with great scorers, was his point:

8. Bill Russell
I ask for your indulgence here. On almost every all time team I’ve ever been asked to select, I choose Big Russ as the center, figuring that, with other immortals around (Jordan, Bird, Robertson, Baylor, Magic et al), he wouldn’t have to score, and his gifted defense would be most valuable. But we’re talking about players here, and I simply don’t believe that, despite his 11 rings, he is as good a player as the two centers listed above him. I know he would disagree forcefully, and I respect that.

SI's 50 greatest players in NBA history

 

[rochrist]

.....as long as that team surrounded Russell with great scorers, was his point:

8. Bill Russell
I ask for your indulgence here. On almost every all time team I’ve ever been asked to select, I choose Big Russ as the center, figuring that, with other immortals around (Jordan, Bird, Robertson, Baylor, Magic et al), he wouldn’t have to score, and his gifted defense would be most valuable. But we’re talking about players here, and I simply don’t believe that, despite his 11 rings, he is as good a player as the two centers listed above him. I know he would disagree forcefully, and I respect that.

SI's 50 greatest players in NBA history

Great. So, he's wrong.

 

[IcyPatriot]

My biggest take-away was his defensive effort.

It was bad.

All he cared about was getting some iso's with the ball ... I was like REALLY?????

 

[Deus Irae]

Great. So, he's wrong.

As great as Jordan was, he still gets overrated. It's Peyton Manning taken to even greater heights (best in game rather than just best QB).

 

[letekro]

Great. So, he's wrong.

Great. Another who thinks his opinion is more valid because he states it more forcefully.

 

[AvocadoIceCream]

As great as Jordan was, he still gets overrated. It's Peyton Manning taken to even greater heights (best in game rather than just best QB).

Why are you comparing a winner who never lost with a killer instinct to Manning?

 

[Froob]

As great as Jordan was, he still gets overrated. It's Peyton Manning taken to even greater heights (best in game rather than just best QB).

I think MJ, Kareem, Russ, and Wilt are 1-4 in no particular order. Might to lean towards Kareem if I had to pick . Nike definitely started that story that MJ was far and away the greatest, just isn't true. NBA was kinda watered down in his era too...didn't battle prime Celts and Lakers.

 

[juny]

Hopefully this series goes 4-0 or at worst 4-1 so the Lebron supporters will get a good dose of reality.

He has 2 rings because Wade and Bosh took the punches for him.

What? His team went to the finals after he left not theirs. He was also the best one while he was there

 

[363839]

Don't care...staying with the Cavs!

 

[RobertWeathers]

.....as long as that team surrounded Russell with great scorers, was his point:

8. Bill Russell
I ask for your indulgence here. On almost every all time team I’ve ever been asked to select, I choose Big Russ as the center, figuring that, with other immortals around (Jordan, Bird, Robertson, Baylor, Magic et al), he wouldn’t have to score, and his gifted defense would be most valuable. But we’re talking about players here, and I simply don’t believe that, despite his 11 rings, he is as good a player as the two centers listed above him. I know he would disagree forcefully, and I respect that.

SI's 50 greatest players in NBA history

He is talking about players. When in the past, talking about a team he would take Russ.

No one is arguing that there are a dozen centers that are better offensively than Russ. Hell, I'd take Robert Parish over Russ if I needed points.

He is devaluing championships, team play in a team sport and winning which is his choice.

I do not.

So, if you want to make it black or white, I disagree with your interpretation of McCallum's article and his ranking of Russ.

To pick LaBron over the greatest rebounder and defender ever is nuts.

 

[RobertWeathers]

As great as Jordan was, he still gets overrated. It's Peyton Manning taken to even greater heights (best in game rather than just best QB).

Overrated as GoAT? By who? He's not higher than Russ.

 

[wolverinejoe80]

Bron still has 5-6 years of great season in him. and his career is far from over. he should definitely get to more championships. and it's possible to win 1 or 2 more. players want to play with lebron.

when it's all said and done bron will most likely end up being a top 4-5 players of all time. hell many actually put him in top 5 conversation already with his bulk stats and accomplishments.

 

[AvocadoIceCream]

What? His team went to the finals after he left not theirs. He was also the best one while he was there

He wouldn't have won without Wade and Bosh. Especially Wade.

Now, Kyrie and Love isn't enough, along with the Max guy Thompson and JR

it's gonna be difficult to build a team that can help him more than the last 2 have

 

[IcyPatriot]

I think LeBron will win 2 maybe 3 more rings when he becomes a 6th man.
When he is too past his prime to run a team but not to past his prime that he has lost much talent.
IMO he has never gotten the concept of being part of a team that is coached by someone in a suit.
To get the rings he will have to play for way less money ... so we'll see.

 

[PP2]

I think MJ, Kareem, Russ, and Wilt are 1-4 in no particular order. Might to lean towards Kareem if I had to pick . Nike definitely started that story that MJ was far and away the greatest, just isn't true. NBA was kinda watered down in his era too...didn't battle prime Celts and Lakers.

MJ did battle Bird and Magic in their primes; don't forget he was drafted in '84. In these early years, his team got eliminated, year after year, until '91.

 

[IcyPatriot]

LeBron back at the hotel ...