ESPN Top 10 Centers

1. Chamberlain
2. Abdul-Jabbar
3. Russell
4. Olajuwon
5. Robinson
6. O'Neal

i have no idea how good a player malone was, but these are the guys i think you could say are better than robinson. although i think oneal, robinson, and olajuwon are all about even. olajuwon gets overhyped just because of that one playoff series (you know which i'm talking about)

Hakeem is definately better than David i am not so sure about Shaq. Wilt is the best ever that is not even close.

I'll go

1)Wilt
2)Jabbar
3)Hakeem
4)Shaq
5)Russell

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Originally Posted by monosylab1k

Oh are you talking about the year that in the final game of the season, everyone else on the Spurs took the night off offensively so that Drob could score 71 points and beat Shaq? That scoring title?

I like this little note here about that game - In that game, Spurs coach John Lucas had his team commit fouls toward the end of the game to get Robinson more shot attempts allowing him to win the scoring title.

If it's not done within the natural flow of the game, it cheapens the game. Robinson got a cheapened scoring title that year, bottom line.

Like I already said, I'm not interested in trying to detract from how great Robinson was. I really like him alot and thought he was great. But if I'm building a team and I have my choice between Robinson or Shaq at center, I'm taking Shaq every time.

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You and just about everyone that is or has ever been a GM. I'm more of a fan of Robinson but I just couldn't see not taking Shaq if starting a team.

No big man could guard Robinson 1 on 1, but when teams had time to scheme against the Spurs in the playoffs and could push Robinson away from the rim, he did not have the polished offensive skills to be efficient enough in the halfcourt offense for the Spurs to beat the best teams.

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Originally Posted by whottt

And to think...Mario Elie had the balls to call them soft that year.

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Mario remembered playing all those DRob-led teams throughout the 1990's.

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Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

And the titles before that?

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Magic, Michael, and Bird

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one of a few articles i've found about it.

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Could you post some of the others, because that's the only one I found. Not saying you're lying, I'm actually interested in reading more.

As usual, Bill Russell is way overrated.

My top ten.
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Admiral
Moses Malone
Russell
Walton
Mikan
Cowens

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Originally Posted by itzsoweezee

1. Chamberlain
2. Abdul-Jabbar
3. Russell
4. Olajuwon
5. Robinson
6. O'Neal

i have no idea how good a player malone was, but these are the guys i think you could say are better than robinson. although i think oneal, robinson, and olajuwon are all about even. olajuwon gets overhyped just because of that one playoff series (you know which i'm talking about)

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Malone was a dominant rebounder and could score with the best of him. His defense was average. He really wasn't tall enough or able to jump very high to be a good shot blocker. He was all about strength and positioning.

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Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

I can't believe I'm defending Shaq but it is clear that Shaq is better career wise than David Robinson. Any non homer would see it.

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I'd take Dave any day of the week over Shaq. A healthy young David's game would school the best of shaq's game all game long. David was way the hell too quick when he was young to be stopped by Shaq. The early games are the best you can go on even though Shaq's not at his peak yet, he was still breaking rims. And Shaq always ended up on the losing side of the game, with a talented Orlando team.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

Mario remembered playing all those DRob-led teams throughout the 1990's.

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That's not what he said after they won. In fact he said just the opposite.

amare?

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Originally Posted by SilverPlayer

I'd take Dave any day of the week over Shaq. A healthy young David's game would school the best of shaq's game all game long. David was way the hell too quick when he was young to be stopped by Shaq. The early games are the best you can go on even though Shaq's not at his peak yet, he was still breaking rims. And Shaq always ended up on the losing side of the game, with a talented Orlando team.

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You are correct that Shaq would have been too slow to stay in front of Robinson when David faced the basket with the hall. Karl Malone also was too slow to do that.

If only double-teams had been outlawed in the 1990's, the Spurs would have racked up titles.

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Originally Posted by slayermin

As usual, Bill Russell is way overrated.

My top ten.
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Admiral
Moses Malone
Russell
Walton
Mikan
Cowens

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He is totally overated. Russell played on the best team for a decade he had so much around him. People always say he beat Wilt all the time in the big game. Wilt would own Russell just like he did everyone else, dropping 40 and 50 on him with regularity. Wilt wins every bit the titles that Russell did with the same people around him. He was the most dominant force the game has ever known.

Olajuwon was a monster on both ends and had an incredible low post game. If you think the West was strong now, it was just as strong in the early and mid 90's.

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Originally Posted by whottt

That's not what he said after they won. In fact he said just the opposite.

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The opposite of what?

He reiterated that when he was a Rocket, he thought the Spurs were soft and heartless.

Of course we all know that wasn't true of the 1999 team. Part of that was because guys like Elie and Kersey lit a fire under Dave's ass and held him accountable.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

You are correct that Shaq would have been too slow to stay in front of Robinson when David faced the basket with the hall. Karl Malone also was too slow to do that.

If only double-teams had been outlawed in the 1990's, the Spurs would have racked up titles.

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Or you give David a Hornacek instead of Del Negro and you got yourself a title team.

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Originally Posted by slayermin

Olajuwon was a monster on both ends and had an incredible low post game. If you think the West was strong now, it was just as strong in the early and mid 90's.

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Well there was not that one big team out there though that you had to get bye. In the east in the 90's it was always the Bulls year in and year out. Knicks and Pacers were always very strong as was Orlando when Shaq was there.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

No big man could guard Robinson 1 on 1, but when teams had time to scheme against the Spurs in the playoffs and could push Robinson away from the rim, he did not have the polished offensive skills to be efficient enough in the halfcourt offense for the Spurs to beat the best teams.

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Yeah...Drob should have lead the NBA in 3 point shooting like Hakeem did when he finally started winning titles. Fucking choker. ..Hakeem taught Elie and Horry how to shoot threes.

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Originally Posted by dbreiden83080

He is totally overated. Russell played on the best team for a decade he had so much around him. People always say he beat Wilt all the time in the big game. Wilt would own Russell just like he did everyone else, dropping 40 and 50 on him with regularity. Wilt wins every bit the titles that Russell did with the same people around him. He was the most dominant force the game has ever known.

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Wilt was not always willing to sacrifice his statistics for the good of the team.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

AJ + Vinny > Magic, Oscar, Kobe, Wade, Penny, Cassell, Drexler, Pippen, Manu Parker...

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Got it.

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Originally Posted by whottt

Yeah...Drob should have lead the NBA in 3 point shooting like Hakeem did when he finally started winning titles. Fucking choker. ..Hakeem taught Elie and Horry how to shoot threes.

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Well, I guess one guy was better at creating opportunities for teammates out of double-teams than the other was.

Interesting how much better the Spurs got at the inside-out game once it was Duncan in the post rather than Robinson...

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

The opposite of what?

He reiterated that when he was a Rocket, he thought the Spurs were soft and heartless.

Of course we all know that wasn't true of the 1999 team. Part of that was because guys like Elie and Kersey lit a fire under Dave's ass and held him accountable.

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Good thing Mario wasn't watching the Series VS LA and Portland that year, he might have concluded Duncan was the soft one.

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Originally Posted by dbreiden83080

He is totally overated. Russell played on the best team for a decade he had so much around him. People always say he beat Wilt all the time in the big game. Wilt would own Russell just like he did everyone else, dropping 40 and 50 on him with regularity. Wilt wins every bit the titles that Russell did with the same people around him. He was the most dominant force the game has ever known.

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I agree with Wilt being the best center but it's funny how he gets a pass on not being able to shoot free throws but Shaq doesn't. I guess it's because most people on this forum never saw Wilt play (and miss free throws). Also, there's a lot of hate toward Shaq on here for some reason. I only saw Wilt play toward the end of his career. I recall him playing in the NBA finals in '71 I believe when I was 8 years old. That was a great team. Wilt, West, Goodrich, Harrison and I believe it was the year that Elgin Baylor retired either before hand or during it.

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Originally Posted by whottt

Kenny Smith + Vernon Maxwell = borderline Hall-of-Famers

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