Manu20
09-30-2005, 02:19 PM
The Most Statistically Dominant Seasons Of The Last 5 years
29th September, 2005 - 9:20 am
By Aaron Bronsteter
http://www.realgm.com/src_feature/204/20050929/the_most_statistically_dominant_seasons_of_the_las t_5_years/
10) Shaquille O’Neal in 2002-2003 – 27.5 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 bpg (played only 67 games)
Shaq has never been known as an injury-prone player in the eyes of many NBA fans. This may be due to his continuous dominance when healthy or people simply overlook the fact that he has never played a full 82 games because he’s, well, possibly the most dominant center of all-time.
In 2002-2003, Shaq put up some stellar numbers but was unable to secure a fourth straight championship alongside Kobe Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson.
It is unclear if Shaq will ever have a season like this again, but after finishing in 2nd place in this year’s MVP race, you just never know.
9) Paul Pierce in 2002-2003 – 25.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.8 spg
After being stabbed in the 2000-2001 offseason, Pierce showed that nothing short of kryptonite would stop him from being a superstar in the NBA.
Even though the Celtics current plans don’t really see Pierce sticking around for much longer, Pierce and running mate Antoine Walker brought a lot of fans back to The Garden after having to live up to a glorious Celtics past.
In 2002-2003, Pierce had a fantastic season. Having 7.3 rebounds per game at shooting guard and small forward is quite sensational and shows that Pierce is a fighter in the NBA.
Pierce looks like he is past his prime, but few people remember that he’s only 27 years old and that his best years may still be ahead of him. Whether or not it’s in Celtics green is the question.
8) LeBron James in 2004-2005 – 27.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 7.2 apg
Michael Jordan was 26 in the first season that he averaged more than 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the same year. LeBron James was 20.
Had he lead the Cavaliers to the playoffs, he would have deserved the 2004-2005 MVP award with the statistics that he mounted.
If this season is any indication, James could be one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, I’d elaborate, but what’s the point of telling you something that you already know.
7) Tracy McGrady in 2002-2003 – 32.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.6 spg
Now that McGrady is paired with Yao Ming, it is doubtful that McGrady will mount such high scoring numbers and if he does, he will truly be one of the best players in the league.
McGrady has always been known as a selfish player, but considering that in 2002-2003, he only had Grant Hill for 29 games and Mike Miller for 49 games, leading the team in assists is a seemingly remarkable feat given the circumstances.
6) Kobe Bryant in 2002-2003 – 30.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.2 spg
It is probable that without Shaq, Bryant will average numbers like this again in the near future. The accomplishment in this season revolves around the idea that he actually averaged these numbers with Shaq on the team, meaning that he was the second option.
Bryant’s superstar status has faded into obscurity with his criminal case and his inability to make the playoffs without Shaq or Phil Jackson. But after reuniting with Jackson, I don’t think his playoffs hiatus will last long.
5) Kevin Garnett in 2003-2004 – 24.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 5.0 apg
Garnett is one of the more versatile players in the NBA and in his first MVP season, he put up some great numbers to lead the Timberwolves to perhaps the best season in the franchise’s history.
Even though the Wolves did not make the playoffs last year, Garnett remained consistent and put up good numbers. But in 2003-2004, averaging nearly 14 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game shows how well-rounded and dominant Garnett can be.
4) Tim Duncan in 2001-2002 – 25.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.5 bpg
While his scoring stats are never outrageous, Tim Duncan has always gotten the job done and since he was drafted by the Spurs after an Admiral-less season that luckily landed them The Big Fundamental (or Big Fun as I like to call him), the Spurs have never had a losing season and have three championships to show for it.
2001-2002 was not one of the championship years, but Duncan still worked his tail off at all times, putting up huge rebounding and blocking numbers in the process.
3) Tim Duncan in 2002-2003 – 23.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg
In the second most recent Spurs championship year, Duncan had a phenomenal season with almost 13 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. While his rebounding was not quite as good as Garnett’s, he showed that he could lead his team to a championship with an aging David Robinson.
2) Kevin Garnett in 2002-2003 – 23.0 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 6.0 apg
This may not have been KG’s MVP season, but it was certainly his coming out party. Garnett’s 13 plus rebounds per-game and 6 assists per game are unparalleled by any player in the NBA today and possibly ever. The only other player to average more than 13 rebounds per game and 6 or more assists per game is Wilt Chamberlain and those statistics cannot be fully guaranteed.
1) Allen Iverson in 2004-2005 – 30.7 ppg, 8.0 apg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 spg
Every year people say that Iverson will begin to let his age get the best of him, but in 2004-2005, Iverson proved that was not so. Iverson is only the second player to ever average over 30 points-per-game and 8 or more assists per game. The other player is Michael Jordan.
Iverson felt that he deserved the MVP award this past season and having made the playoffs, his claim is not exactly unwarranted.
Few people realize how special of a player Iverson really is. The things that Iverson can do for a player that is under 6 feet in height is simply phenomenal.
29th September, 2005 - 9:20 am
By Aaron Bronsteter
http://www.realgm.com/src_feature/204/20050929/the_most_statistically_dominant_seasons_of_the_las t_5_years/
10) Shaquille O’Neal in 2002-2003 – 27.5 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 bpg (played only 67 games)
Shaq has never been known as an injury-prone player in the eyes of many NBA fans. This may be due to his continuous dominance when healthy or people simply overlook the fact that he has never played a full 82 games because he’s, well, possibly the most dominant center of all-time.
In 2002-2003, Shaq put up some stellar numbers but was unable to secure a fourth straight championship alongside Kobe Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson.
It is unclear if Shaq will ever have a season like this again, but after finishing in 2nd place in this year’s MVP race, you just never know.
9) Paul Pierce in 2002-2003 – 25.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.8 spg
After being stabbed in the 2000-2001 offseason, Pierce showed that nothing short of kryptonite would stop him from being a superstar in the NBA.
Even though the Celtics current plans don’t really see Pierce sticking around for much longer, Pierce and running mate Antoine Walker brought a lot of fans back to The Garden after having to live up to a glorious Celtics past.
In 2002-2003, Pierce had a fantastic season. Having 7.3 rebounds per game at shooting guard and small forward is quite sensational and shows that Pierce is a fighter in the NBA.
Pierce looks like he is past his prime, but few people remember that he’s only 27 years old and that his best years may still be ahead of him. Whether or not it’s in Celtics green is the question.
8) LeBron James in 2004-2005 – 27.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 7.2 apg
Michael Jordan was 26 in the first season that he averaged more than 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the same year. LeBron James was 20.
Had he lead the Cavaliers to the playoffs, he would have deserved the 2004-2005 MVP award with the statistics that he mounted.
If this season is any indication, James could be one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, I’d elaborate, but what’s the point of telling you something that you already know.
7) Tracy McGrady in 2002-2003 – 32.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.6 spg
Now that McGrady is paired with Yao Ming, it is doubtful that McGrady will mount such high scoring numbers and if he does, he will truly be one of the best players in the league.
McGrady has always been known as a selfish player, but considering that in 2002-2003, he only had Grant Hill for 29 games and Mike Miller for 49 games, leading the team in assists is a seemingly remarkable feat given the circumstances.
6) Kobe Bryant in 2002-2003 – 30.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.2 spg
It is probable that without Shaq, Bryant will average numbers like this again in the near future. The accomplishment in this season revolves around the idea that he actually averaged these numbers with Shaq on the team, meaning that he was the second option.
Bryant’s superstar status has faded into obscurity with his criminal case and his inability to make the playoffs without Shaq or Phil Jackson. But after reuniting with Jackson, I don’t think his playoffs hiatus will last long.
5) Kevin Garnett in 2003-2004 – 24.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 5.0 apg
Garnett is one of the more versatile players in the NBA and in his first MVP season, he put up some great numbers to lead the Timberwolves to perhaps the best season in the franchise’s history.
Even though the Wolves did not make the playoffs last year, Garnett remained consistent and put up good numbers. But in 2003-2004, averaging nearly 14 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game shows how well-rounded and dominant Garnett can be.
4) Tim Duncan in 2001-2002 – 25.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.5 bpg
While his scoring stats are never outrageous, Tim Duncan has always gotten the job done and since he was drafted by the Spurs after an Admiral-less season that luckily landed them The Big Fundamental (or Big Fun as I like to call him), the Spurs have never had a losing season and have three championships to show for it.
2001-2002 was not one of the championship years, but Duncan still worked his tail off at all times, putting up huge rebounding and blocking numbers in the process.
3) Tim Duncan in 2002-2003 – 23.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg
In the second most recent Spurs championship year, Duncan had a phenomenal season with almost 13 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. While his rebounding was not quite as good as Garnett’s, he showed that he could lead his team to a championship with an aging David Robinson.
2) Kevin Garnett in 2002-2003 – 23.0 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 6.0 apg
This may not have been KG’s MVP season, but it was certainly his coming out party. Garnett’s 13 plus rebounds per-game and 6 assists per game are unparalleled by any player in the NBA today and possibly ever. The only other player to average more than 13 rebounds per game and 6 or more assists per game is Wilt Chamberlain and those statistics cannot be fully guaranteed.
1) Allen Iverson in 2004-2005 – 30.7 ppg, 8.0 apg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 spg
Every year people say that Iverson will begin to let his age get the best of him, but in 2004-2005, Iverson proved that was not so. Iverson is only the second player to ever average over 30 points-per-game and 8 or more assists per game. The other player is Michael Jordan.
Iverson felt that he deserved the MVP award this past season and having made the playoffs, his claim is not exactly unwarranted.
Few people realize how special of a player Iverson really is. The things that Iverson can do for a player that is under 6 feet in height is simply phenomenal.