Who would you pick? A prime Ewing or a prime Gasol?

[MiamiHeat]

Memphis Grizzlies Roster :

2004 vs defending champion San Antonio Spurs

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
---------------------------------------------

2005 vs WCFinals Phoenix Suns

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
----------------------------------------------

2006 vs NBA Finals Dallas Mavericks

Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson, Miller, Battier, D. Stoudamire, Wright, Warrick etc

LOL

there is not ONE SINGLE 2nd option on those teams, it's just a bunch of role players and filler scrubs, some of them don't even play in the NBA anymore. 1 guy is in Europe, the others retired, Eddie Jones was a fossil by then,

the only guy there is Mike Miller. yeah, Gasol was supposed to beat the Suns, Spurs, or Mavs with him and Mike Miller.

GET THE OUTTA HERE LOL

[Bob Lanier]

Ewing made the all-defensive team only 3 times in his 17 year career.

Not that that means anything, but I wonder just why the that was.

Mark Eaton, Manute Bol
Hakeem Olajuwon, Eaton
Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing
Eaton, Ewing
Olajuwon, David Robinson
Robinson, Olajuwon
Robinson, Ewing
Olajuwon, Robinson
Olajuwon, Robinson
Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo
Robinson, Olajuwon
Mutombo, Olajuwon
Mutombo, Robinson
Alonzo Mourning, Mutombo
Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal

So during his entire tenure in New York he was beaten to the two center spots by Mark Eaton, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mourning, and in his prime by Olajuwon and Robinson only. Nobody's claiming he was a better defender than any of those men, those two in particular. You can blame him for losing to Manute Bol during his rookie year and Shaq during his final season if you wish.

[MiamiHeat]

Could Gasol take those Knicks to the finals?

YEAH.

Pat Riley was coaching those 1994 Knicks.

and those Knicks had good role players like Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, etc..

[MiamiHeat]

Not that that means anything, but I wonder just why the that was.

Mark Eaton, Manute Bol
Hakeem Olajuwon, Eaton
Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing
Eaton, Ewing
Olajuwon, David Robinson
Robinson, Olajuwon
Robinson, Ewing
Olajuwon, Robinson
Olajuwon, Robinson
Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo
Robinson, Olajuwon
Mutombo, Olajuwon
Mutombo, Robinson
Alonzo Mourning, Mutombo
Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal

So during his entire tenure in New York he was beaten to the two center spots by Mark Eaton, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mourning, and in his prime by Olajuwon and Robinson only. Nobody's claiming he was a better defender than any of those men, those two in particular. You can blame him for losing to Manute Bol during his rookie year and Shaq during his final season if you wish.

It's simple

Ewing was a great player, but you guys are not aware that he was not seen as this "all time nba" defensive player in his day.

[Bob Lanier]

Perhaps not in Miami.

[MiamiHeat]

Perhaps not in Miami.

Yeah, because I've seen a better defensive Center in Alonzo Mourning

[MiamiHeat]

oh, and I want to LOL at the people who bash Gasol for not being able to stop KG

Kevin Garnett is one of the greatest players at his position in NBA history. The man is a ing beast since he entered the NBA. You will not shut him down, period.

Blaming Gasol for this is hilarious. People want Gasol to be shutting down Hall of Famers, and if he can't, bam, he's soft.

Such bull .

[Bob Lanier]

Which I did acknowledge. But if you were to list the ten best defensive centers in the history of the NBA, Ewing would be there. Below Mourning, but there.

[MiamiHeat]

Which I did acknowledge. But if you were to list the ten best defensive centers in the history of the NBA, Ewing would be there. Below Mourning, but there.

Ok, but the rules have changed.

Ewing's era rules are long gone. Big men are NOT ALLOWED to play Defense anymore.

There was no defensive 3-second violation in Ewing's era. He could camp the paint and clog the lane. You didn't have layup drills and dunk highlights every ing game like you do now in 2010.

There was also a LOT MORE contact allowed back then

whereas today, ALMOST ANY ING CONTACT = whistle.

Look at Gasol in Game 4, falling on his ass by himself, bam, whistle foul on Rasheed.

Ewing didn't have to experience that.

[MiamiHeat]

Memphis Grizzlies Roster :

2004 vs defending champion San Antonio Spurs

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
---------------------------------------------

2005 vs WCFinals Phoenix Suns

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
----------------------------------------------

2006 vs NBA Finals Dallas Mavericks

Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson, Miller, Battier, D. Stoudamire, Wright, Warrick etc

LOL

there is not ONE SINGLE 2nd option on those teams, it's just a bunch of role players and filler scrubs, some of them don't even play in the NBA anymore. 1 guy is in Europe, the others retired, Eddie Jones was a fossil by then,

the only guy there is Mike Miller. yeah, Gasol was supposed to beat the Suns, Spurs, or Mavs with him and Mike Miller.

GET THE OUTTA HERE LOL

and again, I want to requote this.

Someone please explain how Ewing or Gasol could beat the 04 Spurs, the 05 Suns, or the 06 Mavericks with those rosters.

[Muser]

Easy, because Ewing is a better player. Not saying he would win the series, but he could take on game.

[ezau]

Memphis Grizzlies Roster :

2004 vs defending champion San Antonio Spurs

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
---------------------------------------------

2005 vs WCFinals Phoenix Suns

Posey,J.Williams, Bonzi, Stromile, Miller, Battier, Outlaw, Wright, Watson etc
----------------------------------------------

2006 vs NBA Finals Dallas Mavericks

Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson, Miller, Battier, D. Stoudamire, Wright, Warrick etc

LOL

there is not ONE SINGLE 2nd option on those teams, it's just a bunch of role players and filler scrubs, some of them don't even play in the NBA anymore. 1 guy is in Europe, the others retired, Eddie Jones was a fossil by then,

the only guy there is Mike Miller. yeah, Gasol was supposed to beat the Suns, Spurs, or Mavs with him and Mike Miller.

GET THE OUTTA HERE LOL

I think this is one part of Gasol's career that hasn't been highlighted. Though he will never be in the class of Duncan in his prime and perhaps even KG, it's really tough to win anything in the playoffs when you have scrubs like that. The reason why that Grizzlies team even made it to the playoffs is because of Hubie Brown.

However, I would still think that Ewing in that Grizzlies team would be able to pull off at least one game.

[Giuseppe]

.

Boiled down...

Gasol is a winner.

Ewing is a loser.

[baseline bum]

There was no defensive 3-second violation in Ewing's era. He could camp the paint and clog the lane.

The defensive 3-second violation was part of the illegal defense rules of the 80s and 90s.

[ezau]

Boiled down...

Gasol is a winner.

Ewing is a loser.

If a championship ring is a definition of being a winner then I think he is. Still, if Gasol had to face Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs year in, year out, I would not be surprised if he retires ringless just like Ewing.

[Muser]

And in the 05-06 season Memphis won 49 games, Gasol must of had some help to win 49 games..

[Giuseppe]

When resisted Ewing would take the baseline jumper time & time again. Had nothing to do with Jordan, and everything to do with his mental toughness.

Honestly though? Gasol ain't much better. Wallace has cleaned his clock, took his cookie, pushed him out a foot at a time, game-to-game. He's still inside the arc, but, barely.

[Muser]

He was so mentally weak that he took Olajuwon to 7 games!

[Giuseppe]

He was so mentally weak that he took Olajuwon to 7 games!

Thank you.

[MiamiHeat]

The defensive 3-second violation was part of the illegal defense rules of the 80s and 90s.

3 second defensive violation was ins uted in 2001.

You are talking about Zone defenses.

That doesn't stop a team from playing 2-3, or 3-2, and having their big just stay near the rim, on the paint.

In today's NBA, you are in the paint, no defender within arms length = violation. This wasn't so in Ewing's era.

Go watch games from back then. You will see it.

Then watch games of today. All the Centers have to intentionally walk outside of the paint, on the sides, which leaves the lane wide open to a layup or dunk, making the Center have to run back and play catchup.

[MiamiHeat]

He was so mentally weak that he took Olajuwon to 7 games!

John Starks was the best 3 point shooter in the playoffs that year, for the Knicks.

Charles Oakley, you know him. Hard defender, rebounder. He led all players in the 1994 playoffs with offensive rebounds and was 2nd in total rebounds.

Derek Harper, Starks, and Oakley, 3 of the top 5 players in steals for the 94 playoffs.

Anthony Mason was also a solid role player.

Knicks had a solid team, coached by legendary Riley.

[MiamiHeat]

and how about we remember Patrick Ewing missing a LAYUP to help choke the series?

[Capt Bringdown]

Yeah, because I've seen a better defensive Center in Alonzo Mourning

Still remember the night the Admiral dropped 52 on his ass.

Both Mourning and Ewing are severely over-rated.

[JamStone]

John Starks was the best 3 point shooter in the playoffs that year, for the Knicks.

Charles Oakley, you know him. Hard defender, rebounder. He led all players in the 1994 playoffs with offensive rebounds and was 2nd in total rebounds.

Derek Harper, Starks, and Oakley, 3 of the top 5 players in steals for the 94 playoffs.

Anthony Mason was also a solid role player.

Knicks had a solid team, coached by legendary Riley.

35.6% from three point range is not really that great. Let's not pretend he was Steve Kerr out there.

Do you remember how great Starks' three point shooting was in game 7 of the NBA Finals that year?

[Giuseppe]

^And no more cussing and nastiness from Jammie either since the awarding of his medal.

You're adorable.