Best players Currently in the NBA

jpeirpont · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by Southern-Nupe

What's up with all the Yao hatred? Can someone please name a pure center (minus Shaq in his former years), who is as productive. He has unbelievable shooting ability for a center, he's not in the best 5 players, but he is probably the best center.

This speak to the sorry state of centers in the league. Yao doesn't stink but he isn't a great player by any stretch.

Brian278 · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by jpeirpont

This speak to the sorry state of centers in the league. Yao doesn't stink but he isn't a great player by any stretch.
+1 He is the best center (for the moment), but that isn't saying that much. The number of teams playing true centers in the league today is dwindling with the direction the NBA game is heading, and I think if a team was offered one of the players mentioned in this list, Yao is pretty far down the list of who they'd pick. He's been very productive when healthy, but the Rockets still need Mcgrady down the stretch of any close game much more. The Rockets were better with just TMac than with just Yao this year. I still think Dwight Howard ends up being the better center in the end, and Bosh and Stoudemire will have the better careers. Of the category "big men" (a far more useful classification I feel), I think Yao isn't even in the top 7 or 8 of active players who will have the best all-around career. I think he's a solid 20-25 and 10 guy for the next 5 years, but so are Elton Brand, Carlos Boozer, Pau Gasol, Al Jefferson, Shawn Marion, etc...

Steve B. · Apr 26, 2007

<===== No love for Dirk.

Tough to play in the Playoffs with both hands around your neck.

ghulkhan · Apr 26, 2007

I think steve nash is the best player in the NBA

he has a higher offensive output in terms of assists plus points then prettty much anyone else. hes moer important to his team. and kobe couldnt do jack **** against his team even if he a scores a lot...

kobe id say for points scoring is probably the best

but nash overall is a better player. he can pass, shoot, drive like no other

Southern-Nupe · Apr 26, 2007

Brian278;497418 said:
+1
Yao is pretty far down the list of who they'd pick. He's been very productive when healthy, but the Rockets still need Mcgrady down the stretch of any close game much more. The Rockets were better with just TMac than with just Yao this year. I still think Dwight Howard ends up being the better center in the end, and Bosh and Stoudemire will have the better careers.

I'm finding it difficult to jump on the Stoudamire band-wagon, due to his lack of defense....but I guess Yao's defense leaves little to be desired also. Bosh is a different story I believe he'll only get better each year, and once Dwight Howard learns other ways to score beyond dunking the ball, he'll be a beast.

On another note TMac has been great this year..his shooting percentage is down, but his decision making and level of play has been amazing. Houston's biggest problem is that both TMac and Yao have to carry the team on their back each night, because of the lack of consistency from the other players.....ahem Rafer Alston and Juwan Howard.

rnoldh · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by Brian278

+1

I think he's a solid 20-25 and 10 guy for the next 5 years, but so are Elton Brand, Carlos Boozer, Pau Gasol, Al Jefferson, Shawn Marion, etc...

Well, doesn't that 20-25 and 10 make him one of the best players in the NBA?

And while the center position is not as important as previously, he will be among the top 3 centers for years if he stays healthy.

Brian278 · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by rnoldh

Well, doesn't that 20-25 and 10 make him one of the best players in the NBA? And while the center position is not as important as previously, he will be among the top 3 centers for years if he stays healthy.
"One of the best" as in one of the top 20? Sure, I'd put him there. Let's say he's the 3rd best center in a few years (behind Howard, and Stoudemire or Oden or somebody else). There's still 8-9 PF/Cs better than him, meaning he is, at the least, at the bottom of the top 10 of all big men. He's a very good player, a lot of teams would be a lot better with him, but there's still a bunch of other 20 and 10 guys in the NBA right now who do what he does. He doesn't represent anything particularly unique despite his size. Now he may go nuts in a year or two and average 28, 12, a few blocks, but I doubt it. He probably won't play the minutes to get those numbers, he's not a great athlete like Shaq or any of the other great centers of the past two decades and it's going to show when he hits 30. He plays a heavy international schedule, and I think it's going to show late in his career. 310 pounds on a 7' 6" frame is a lot to carry around.

jpeirpont · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by ghulkhan

I think steve nash is the best player in the NBA

he has a higher offensive output in terms of assists plus points then prettty much anyone else. hes moer important to his team. and kobe couldnt do jack **** against his team even if he a scores a lot...

kobe id say for points scoring is probably the best

but nash overall is a better player. he can pass, shoot, drive like no other

That's is not even reasonably arguable. Kobe has far better defense than Nash does. Kobe is definitely more important to his team. Nash has been playing with other all stars since he's been in Phoenix while Kobe has had Odoms. The Suns are probably a .500 team without Nash , the Laker's would win 17 games.

Points and assists combined (assuming each assists averages out to 2 points) Kobe's out paces Nash; 42.4 to 41.8

kever · Apr 26, 2007

Originally Posted by jpeirpont

That's is not even reasonably arguable. Kobe has far better defense than Nash does. Kobe is definitely more important to his team. Nash has been playing with other all stars since he's been in Phoenix while Kobe has had Odoms. The Suns are probably a .500 team without Nash , the Laker's would win 17 games. Points and assists combined (assuming each assists averages out to 2 points) Kobe's out paces Nash; 42.4 to 41.8
Kobe might be one of the best players to ever play basketball. What makes me think Nash deserves the MVP is how he makes everyone around him so much better. Kobe helps the Lakers win if he wins the game himself, but Nash gives his team a more balanced attack while still contributing a decent PPG average.

Southern-Nupe · Apr 27, 2007

He's a very good player, a lot of teams would be a lot better with him, but there's still a bunch of other 20 and 10 guys in the NBA right now who do what he does. He doesn't represent anything particularly unique despite his size. Now he may go nuts in a year or two and average 28, 12, a few blocks, but I doubt it. He probably won't play the minutes to get those numbers, he's not a great athlete like Shaq or any of the other great centers of the past two decades and it's going to show when he hits 30. He plays a heavy international schedule, and I think it's going to show late in his career. 310 pounds on a 7' 6" frame is a lot to carry around.[/quote]

Actually, he is averaging 27 and 12, with 2 blocks a game in the playoffs, and has been an intregal part of the teams success (except for last night). He leads the team in scoring, rebounding, Ft's, FG's, and blocks. The difference between him and other big men, is the fact that he is a pure center. Most of the other successful big guys are Forwards, who have centers behind them, and a good number of those centers stink. These Forwards only play center, when the team wants to play small ball. Could you image the Rockets success if they had both Yao and a consistently effective PF. Also as far as unique qualities go, few centers are as versatile. Given, he is not as strong or athletic as Shaq, however Shaq can't shoot the ball like Yao neither.

Southern-Nupe · Apr 27, 2007

Originally Posted by kever

Kobe might be one of the best players to ever play basketball. What makes me think Nash deserves the MVP is how he makes everyone around him so much better. Kobe helps the Lakers win if he wins the game himself, but Nash gives his team a more balanced attack while still contributing a decent PPG average.
+1

Nash is the floor general, PG is probably the most important position on the floor, due to they control the tempo of the game. The Suns were mediocre at best without Nash, and that's with their allstars, whereas the Lakers actually pulled off some wins without Kobe. Don't get me wrong Kobe is without a doubt the best player in the game, and if he can get the Lakers past the Suns, he has my vote. However the transformation that the Sun's have undergone since the addition of Nash cannot be denied.

jpeirpont · Apr 27, 2007

Originally Posted by Southern-Nupe

He's a very good player, a lot of teams would be a lot better with him, but there's still a bunch of other 20 and 10 guys in the NBA right now who do what he does. He doesn't represent anything particularly unique despite his size. Now he may go nuts in a year or two and average 28, 12, a few blocks, but I doubt it. He probably won't play the minutes to get those numbers, he's not a great athlete like Shaq or any of the other great centers of the past two decades and it's going to show when he hits 30. He plays a heavy international schedule, and I think it's going to show late in his career. 310 pounds on a 7' 6" frame is a lot to carry around.

Actually, he is averaging 27 and 12, with 2 blocks a game in the playoffs, and has been an intregal part of the teams success (except for last night). He leads the team in scoring, rebounding, Ft's, FG's, and blocks. The difference between him and other big men, is the fact that he is a pure center. Most of the other successful big guys are Forwards, who have centers behind them, and a good number of those centers stink. These Forwards only play center, when the team wants to play small ball. Could you image the Rockets success if they had both Yao and a consistently effective PF. Also as far as unique qualities go, few centers are as versatile. Given, he is not as strong or athletic as Shaq, however Shaq can't shoot the ball like Yao neither.[/quote]

Yoa is OK, but he isn't tough he doesn't scare people out of the post people frequently challenge him. He can be an good player, but people like to get overly excited about him.
Shaq is at the end of his career its not fair to compare the two. But in any event Shaq is a proven winner and in his early career played and excelled against David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, a healthy Alonzo Mourning, Hakeem Olajuwon.

jpeirpont · Apr 27, 2007

Originally Posted by Southern-Nupe

+1

Nash is the floor general, PG is probably the most important position on the floor, due to they control the tempo of the game. The Suns were mediocre at best without Nash, and that's with their allstars, whereas the Lakers actually pulled off some wins without Kobe. Don't get me wrong Kobe is without a doubt the best player in the game, and if he can get the Lakers past the Suns, he has my vote. However the transformation that the Sun's have undergone since the addition of Nash cannot be denied.

And what about the improvement of the Mavs , who he left? I'm sorry but Nash is the games most overrated player.

Southern-Nupe · Apr 27, 2007

Originally Posted by jpeirpont

And what about the improvement of the Mavs , who he left? I'm sorry but Nash is the games most overrated player.
I believe the Mav's success has more to do Avery's coaching rather than the departure of Nash. During the 2004/2005 regular season, they still had Don Nelson and were without Nash, yet they still weren't as dominate as they were this regular season. Avery brought defense to the team, and their buying into it.

The arguement can be made, about the Suns prior to Nash joining the team, and the success they've had since.

Thracozaag · Apr 27, 2007

Originally Posted by Southern-Nupe

I believe the Mav's success has more to do Avery's coaching rather than the departure of Nash. During the 2004/2005 regular season, they still had Don Nelson and were without Nash, yet they still weren't as dominate as they were this regular season. Avery brought defense to the team, and their buying into it.

The arguement can be made, about the Suns prior to Nash joining the team, and the success they've had since.

Not mention the emergence of Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Devin Harris, and Nowitzki realzing that it was his time to take over the leadership role.

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