Classic example of an athlete I did not respect as a person but loved to watch play.
Iverson is pound-for-pound one of the toughest athletes ever. He was only six feet tall and weighed a buck sixty five. But he made a living out of driving to the hoop and getting the shit knocked out of him. He spent more time on the floor than any player I have ever seen.
Never got enough credit for what a great player he was. Too many people could not see past the thug image.
He was amazing in 2001. I saw him play in Cle that year. He scored over 40 points. He took a team of role players ( minus an old Mutumbo and Kukoc) to the finals and took a game from the Lakers. He was a great defensive player as well. He was basically 20 years ahead of his time. I'd love to see what he could do in today's NBA. He's probably second to only Isiah when it comes to small NBA players.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.
(04-10-2016, 01:09 PM)jason Wrote: He was amazing in 2001. I saw him play in Cle that year. He scored over 40 points. He took a team of role players ( minus an old Mutumbo and Kukoc) to the finals and took a game from the Lakers. He was a great defensive player as well. He was basically 20 years ahead of his time. I'd love to see what he could do in today's NBA. He's probably second to only Isiah when it comes to small NBA players.
I'd put him ahead of Isaiah myself. Maybe Isaiah was a better pure point guard, but he never carried teams like AI did.
Give AI a team with guys like Dumars, Rodman, Laimbeer, Mahorn, etc and I think he would've had 3-4 titles.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
(05-26-2016, 12:09 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: Best pure point guard I've ever seen, college and pro.
I think Iverson was a shooting guard in a PG's body. He could handle the ball with the best of them, but setting guys up to score wasn't his game. Iverson scored the basketball. That's not to say he didn't make plays for his teammates. I always thought that he got hated on too much for being selfish. He was a great defender for his size, he dunked on guys a foot taller than him, and he led the NBA in scoring. I think he would average 40 in today's game.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.
(05-26-2016, 10:50 PM)jason Wrote: I think Iverson was a shooting guard in a PG's body. He could handle the ball with the best of them, but setting guys up to score wasn't his game. Iverson scored the basketball. That's not to say he didn't make plays for his teammates. I always thought that he got hated on too much for being selfish. He was a great defender for his size, he dunked on guys a foot taller than him, and he led the NBA in scoring. I think he would average 40 in today's game.
100% this. I think he averaged around 6.5 assists/game for his career, so he did distrubute some, but his first priority was to score, and he carried the load for his teams that way. He led the league in scoring 4 times, which is incredible on it's own. But when you consider that he was 6' and 165 lbs, it's just amazing.
Great defender, too.
(05-26-2016, 11:29 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: The guy was like Gary Payton to me.
Two smaller guys who had no fear taking the ball inside to score.
Like others mentioned he got the crap beat out of him.
Just a great tenacious player.
One of the few guys who could go toe to toe with Jordan.
You don't see many videos of Jordan getting crossed up. Iverson crossed him and made him look bad.
We're talking one of the best defenders of all-time in MJ. Jordan always seemed more proud of his defense than his offense, and that's saying something.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
(05-27-2016, 08:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: 100% this. I think he averaged around 6.5 assists/game for his career, so he did distrubute some, but his first priority was to score, and he carried the load for his teams that way. He led the league in scoring 4 times, which is incredible on it's own. But when you consider that he was 6' and 165 lbs, it's just amazing.
Great defender, too.
You don't see many videos of Jordan getting crossed up. Iverson crossed him and made him look bad.
We're talking one of the best defenders of all-time in MJ. Jordan always seemed more proud of his defense than his offense, and that's saying something.
Yeah it was funny that I was just talking about it with my brother a day before this thread was made.
I remember Iverson making him look foolish. Never seen that before.
(05-27-2016, 02:41 PM)jason Wrote: Both the Glove and Iverson were very disruptive in passing lanes. Payton's stature was deceptive though. He' s 6'4" I believe.
(05-27-2016, 08:52 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Yeah it was funny that I was just talking about it with my brother a day before this thread was made.
I remember Iverson making him look foolish. Never seen that before.
Payton had this done to him by Tony Parker.
Crossed him up with a big ol' grin on his face.
I still to this day can't stand TP though.
He needs to get punched in the face IMO.
I believe you but I couldn't find video of that. I did find several videos of GP "shutting down" Parker in the 2004 WCSF. When Payton was 35 years old.
He was one of the all-time great defenders. I wonder if the Sonics would've won the 96 Finals if they'd put Payton on Jordan a couple games sooner. He really made Jordan work for his points and the Sonics took a couple games after that switch.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
(05-27-2016, 09:03 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I believe you but I couldn't find video of that. I did find several videos of GP "shutting down" Parker in the 2004 WCSF. When Payton was 35 years old.
He was one of the all-time great defenders. I wonder if the Sonics would've won the 96 Finals if they'd put Payton on Jordan a couple games sooner. He really made Jordan work for his points and the Sonics took a couple games after that switch.
Yeah TP did it earlier in his career towards the end of Payton's time in Seattle.
Gary got his revenge later though.
The Sonics losing Nate McMillan to injury was huge in hindering them against the Bulls.
I like Karl but I think he got outcoached in those Finals as well.
Letting Rodman do what he wanted pissed me off. Brikowski should have layed him out after this crap.
(05-27-2016, 09:32 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: Yeah TP did it earlier in his career towards the end of Payton's time in Seattle.
Gary got his revenge later though.
The Sonics losing Nate McMillan to injury was huge in hindering them against the Bulls.
I like Karl but I think he got outcoached in those Finals as well.
Letting Rodman do what he wanted pissed me off. Brikowski should have layed him out after this crap.
This may be where we split, but I loved Rodman. No one did the dirty work better. Master rebounder, elite defender, hustled 100% and worked to get in the opponents head. A 6'8" 225 lb power forward that could shut down Shaq? Unbelievable. MJ should thank Dennis every day for those last 3 rings, cuz they weren't happening without him.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
(05-28-2016, 12:58 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: This may be where we split, but I loved Rodman. No one did the dirty work better. Master rebounder, elite defender, hustled 100% and worked to get in the opponents head. A 6'8" 225 lb power forward that could shut down Shaq? Unbelievable. MJ should thank Dennis every day for those last 3 rings, cuz they weren't happening without him.
No disputing his talent as a defender and rebounder.
I just think in this instance he stopped being a player and entered into being a ***** clown.
If you watched that game in it's entirety it was clear to see he should have been ejected early on.
Basketball was secondary at that point.
I think on that last foul he was trying to kiss Brickowski !
(05-27-2016, 09:03 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I believe you but I couldn't find video of that. I did find several videos of GP "shutting down" Parker in the 2004 WCSF. When Payton was 35 years old.
He was one of the all-time great defenders. I wonder if the Sonics would've won the 96 Finals if they'd put Payton on Jordan a couple games sooner. He really made Jordan work for his points and the Sonics took a couple games after that switch.
Watch this at about the 2:15 mark. Might have been the same game.
He did it a couple of times to GP and was grinning from ear to ear throughout the game.
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