The Most Statistically Dominant Seasons Of The Last 5 years

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/20..._last_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.

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Originally Posted by BishopRyan

I feel TD's stats will again drop this year. The supporting cast in SA on paper is the best team I've ever seen in this city.

Thankfully Tim isn't a stat whore like Kobe.

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What has Kobe done to San Antonio that he repeatedly gets ripped apart by posters on here? Just wondering.

LOL @ two runner ups to Nash's MVP year in the top ten but Nash isn't.


Also LOL @ the idiots who continue to say hogwash at KG's snubbing of MVP honors three years ago. At the very least you have to admit it was almost a toss up.

Dang, LeBron was pretty good last year.

It's a good day when Tim's stats drop and the Spurs continue to win.

Always nice to be able to whip out a 30-20 game, but never having to.

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Also LOL @ the idiots who continue to say hogwash at KG's snubbing of MVP honors three years ago.

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Why, because this guy says so?

If you compare KG's numbers to Duncan's numbers that year based on each player's TEAM's statistics, the stats themselves were a tossup. The records sealed the deal.

There's no debate.

I really think Duncan's stats are gonna go up. Let me explain why:

With Bowen, Ginobili, Parker (he really isn't that good of a three point shooter, but he can hit them if hes open), Barry, Van Exel, Beno, and Finley on the three point line, teams are going to be forced to stay out on three point shooters. Duncan is fully rested, is coming off a championship season and a game 7 that will forever be remembered as the game HE took over and dominated, not counting his third finals mvp, and I bet hes feeling good and confident as ever. With all our three point shooters, teams will play him 1on1 and we all know Duncan simply cannot be guarded 1v1 by any player. The detroit defense stopped him with three aggressive and defensively exceptional big men, and still he was putting up big numbers - and detroit was the only team that COULD stop him - not counting the fact he was injured. I've played on a sprained ankle before and its a bitch, I cant even imagine two and its against some of the best players in the world.

So my prediction is Tim is gonna be FORCED to dominate because if they double team, we've got too many high percentage three point shooters. I can see 23ppg, 11rpg and 3.5apg along with the usual 2.5bpg.

2003

Points/Team Average
Garnett: 23.4%
Duncan: 24.3%

Rebound Rate
Garnett: 18.8
Duncan: 19.0

APG/Team APG
Garnett: .238
Duncan: .195

Points Per Shot
Garnett: 1.11
Duncan: 1.13

Player Wins
Garnett: 15.4
Duncan: 15.5

Player Efficiency Rating
Garnett: 26.4
Duncan: 26.9

Win Shares
Garnett: 44
Duncan: 48

Team Record
Wolves: 51-31 (4th in NBA)
Spurs: 60-22 (T1st in NBA)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sickdsm

At the very least you have to admit it was almost a toss up.

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Hey Spurs fans! Long time no see! Hope we can meet again!.


Sincerly,

Learning to read and learning to comprehend.

Pretty impressive #'s by all, especially AI. Kobe's #'s are damn good considering he's the "2nd" option.

This list is a joke. #1 should be Shaq's 2000-01 season.

28.7 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.76 bpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sickdsm

Hey Spurs fans! Long time no see! Hope we can meet again!.


Sincerly,

Learning to read and learning to comprehend.

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I do not admit that it was almost a toss-up.

I believe there is no debate. And even if it was a "toss-up" that would contradict the idea of KG being "snubbed", because no one is snubbed in a toss-up. "Snubbed" implies he clearly deserved it.

I'll give Mr. Comprehend your address. ;)

Garnetts better than Duncan. However KG has never had 1/10th the supporting cast Duncan has had in his career which is a shame because the most versatile forward since Larry Bird is being underappreciated in favor ofstat padders like Duncan, Iverson, T-Mac etc.
Somebody answer me this: How many championships did Duncan lead Wake Forrest to? 0!!!!!
Why 0? Because at Wake Forrest, like KG with the Wolves, Duncan had no supporting cast. The NBA championship goes to the best TEAM* not the best PLAYER. If it went to the best player, KG would have 4-5 championships while Duncan would be ringless.

*except for in 2004-2005, where the best team the Indiana Pacers had their season robbed by David Stern and ignorant Piston fans.

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Originally Posted by The Artest Factor

Rather windy excuse.

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:baby

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Artest Factor

Garnetts better than Duncan. However KG has never had 1/10th the supporting cast Duncan has had in his career

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Yeah, right. I'm sure when they lost to the Lakers in 04, that Garnett, Cassell, Sprewell, Szerbiack, Hudson, and Olowakandi were SOOOOOO terrible. Give me a break, that excuse is overused.

Quote:

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*except for in 2004-2005, where the best team the Indiana Pacers had their season robbed by David Stern and ignorant Piston fans.

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Oh please. No one told Artest to go plowing into the stands like a moron. The Spurs, or hell, the Suns, and the Heat would've wiped the floor with them WITH Artest and full team.

Duncan having a strong supporting cast is a pretty new thing (ie, 2002-03-present and 1999).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TexasBalla1001

Yeah, right. I'm sure when they lost to the Lakers in 04, that Garnett, Cassell, Sprewell, Szerbiack, Hudson, and Olowakandi were SOOOOOO terrible. Give me a break, that excuse is overused.

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What an idiot you are! Do you watch the playoffs? I'm not even going to talk about Kandi, this is all you need to know.
Cassell, in street clothes.
Hudson, in street clothes.

Did you start to wonder what was going on when KG was the point guard?

Seriously? I suppose you think the one two punch of Artest/JON choked in the playoffs last year.

Dirk, Nash and Finley choked in the playoffs last year?

Mix in a game of hoops once in awhile.

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Originally Posted by Spurminator

I do not admit that it was almost a toss-up.

I believe there is no debate. And even if it was a "toss-up" that would contradict the idea of KG being "snubbed", because no one is snubbed in a toss-up. "Snubbed" implies he clearly deserved it.

I'll give Mr. Comprehend your address. ;)

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Go ahead, he'll look at you like WTF would i need his address for?

When the defining factor is win/loss as a team, then its ALMOST a toss up.

I agree that the T'Wolves weren't at full strength when they played the Lakers in 2004. But I have never bought the idea that Garnett hasn't had supporting casts around him to make the T'Wolves records better during the last few years.

For years and years and years, I heard/read opinions about how the Spurs role players aren't as good or as athletic as the T'Wolves players. In playoff matchups in 1999 and 2001, T'Wolves fans and media tell me that they had better points (Brandon, for example) and better wings (you name it, I've read it). That KG makes all of those guys better than they already are. In 2001, I had T'Wolves fans telling me that there was "no way" that the Spurs could win that series, because outside of Duncan, the Spurs "didn't have anything." In 2004, I had T'Wolves fans telling me that they had a better "team" -- better players -- than the defending champion Spurs.

Now, several years later, I'm told that none of those things were true? Come on. Don't try to pimp your own guy by throwing his teammates under the bus like that.

Statistically, there is very little difference between Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. But that truth is demonstrative of the fact that statistics don't very frequently reflect quality.

As Bill Simmons wrote recently -- it is very, very difficult to imagine the possibility that a team that puts Tim Duncan most nights would not, at the very least, qualify for the playoffs.

Simmons wrote that in discussing KG . . . .

AI had an awesome season last year, but I'd say LeBron had an even better year.

IVERSON
FG% - .424
3P% - .308
RPG - 4.0
APG - 7.9
SPG - 2.40
BPG - .12
TPG - 4.59
PPG - 30.7

LEBRON
FG% - .472
3P% - .351
RPG - 7.4
APG - 7.2
SPG - 2.21
BPG - .65
TPG - 3.28
PPG - 27.2

And it's not even that close.

But I think AI did so much more for his team - and he led them to the playoffs, the seventh seed too. LJ didn't get to the playoffs. I think AI is more important to his team than LJ was to his team, imo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timvp

AI had an awesome season last year, but I'd say LeBron had an even better year.

IVERSON
FG% - .424
3P% - .308
RPG - 4.0
APG - 7.9
SPG - 2.40
BPG - .12
TPG - 4.59
PPG - 30.7

LEBRON
FG% - .472
3P% - .351
RPG - 7.4
APG - 7.2
SPG - 2.21
BPG - .65
TPG - 3.28
PPG - 27.2

And it's not even that close.

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Yes, but the difference is that AI managed to lead his team to the playoff's where LJ didn't. Both had less than a stellar cast surrounding them and less than stellar coaches coaching them.

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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.

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I think that really says it best.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

Yes, but the difference is that AI managed to lead his team to the playoff's where LJ didn't. Both had less than a stellar cast surrounding them and less than stellar coaches coaching them.

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Defensice Player of the Year - Dikembe Mutumbo
6th Man of the Year - Aaron Williams
Most Improved Player - Eric Snow
Coach of the Year - Larry Brown

What a horrible supporting cast!

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Originally Posted by The Artest Factor

Defensice Player of the Year - Dikembe Mutumbo
6th Man of the Year - Aaron Williams
Most Improved Player - Eric Snow
Coach of the Year - Larry Brown

What a horrible supporting cast!

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Learn to read.

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Originally Posted by Timvp

AI had an awesome season last year, but I'd say LeBron had an even better year.

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We aren't talking about 2001-2002, we're talking 2004-2005 stats.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

I agree that the T'Wolves weren't at full strength when they played the Lakers in 2004. But I have never bought the idea that Garnett hasn't had supporting casts around him to make the T'Wolves records better during the last few years.

For years and years and years, I heard/read opinions about how the Spurs role players aren't as good or as athletic as the T'Wolves players. In playoff matchups in 1999 and 2001, T'Wolves fans and media tell me that they had better points (Brandon, for example) and better wings (you name it, I've read it). That KG makes all of those guys better than they already are. In 2001, I had T'Wolves fans telling me that there was "no way" that the Spurs could win that series, because outside of Duncan, the Spurs "didn't have anything." In 2004, I had T'Wolves fans telling me that they had a better "team" -- better players -- than the defending champion Spurs.

Now, several years later, I'm told that none of those things were true? Come on. Don't try to pimp your own guy by throwing his teammates under the bus like that.

Statistically, there is very little difference between Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. But that truth is demonstrative of the fact that statistics don't very frequently reflect quality.

As Bill Simmons wrote recently -- it is very, very difficult to imagine the possibility that a team that puts Tim Duncan most nights would not, at the very least, qualify for the playoffs.

Simmons wrote that in discussing KG . . . .

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You know its bad when your forced to use a humor writer to support your ideas. "like the great Dave Barry said......."

:lol

But seriously. Mention names all you want. Then when your done think about the reason i've hated Flip Saunders for YEARS before. Defense. How many "great" teamates has KG had that played defense well? Great? Point the finger all you want at Terrell (nicknamed Terrible by Bucks fans bc of his defense), wally and change but you and I both know, idiots know names, great NBA minds know the players.

Sure, Bruce has been getting his attention lately but in the big picture he's still a no name compared to guys like Wally or Brandon were. Its laughable to think that Bowen isn't 10 times more important then Wally.

Replace Bruce with Wally on those championship teams. You don't win a ring.

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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.

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Not even close. Who checks these guys stats?

1960-1961 Oscar Robertson 30.5 PPG 9.7 APG
1961-1962 Robertson 30.8/11.4
1963-1964 Robertson 31.4/11.4
1964-1965 Robertson 30.4/11.5
1965-1966 Robertson 31.3/11.1
1966-1967 Robertson 30.5/10.7
1972-1973 Nate Archibald 34/11.4

:lol :owned