NBA: ESPN Top 10 All-Time Rankings

[DMC]

Writers tend to get blinders on and take players at their peaks and compare them to the total bodies of work of legends. We're not even pundits and we know better. Then again we're not trying to sell copy.

[Galileo]

Galileo re-orders the top 10:

PG

1. Magic
2. Cousy
3. Oscar
4. Isaiah
5. Kidd
6. Frazier
7. Nash
8. CP3
9. Curry
10. Stockton

SG

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. West
4. Wade
5. Gervin
6. Iverson
7. Drexler
8. Ray Allen
9. Monroe
10. Miller

[Mnky]

Isaiah was ridiculous. top 3 in my opinion. Could make cases for him Oscar and magic. Curry is arguably the best shooter to ever play the game. That alone could get him top ten arguments already. Way too early to put him top 5 tho.

Gervin too low.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Isaiah was ridiculous. top 3 in my opinion. Could make cases for him Oscar and magic. Curry is arguably the best shooter to ever play the game. That alone could get him top ten arguments already. Way too early to put him top 5 tho.

Gervin too low.

This Thomas is top 3, this list is a ing joke, CP3 too high, Curry hasnt proved yet

[Ashy Larry]

Zeke should be higher. Gervin should be higher. Curry lower, maybe not on the list at all. GP maybe??

[Spurs 4 The Win]

i'm fine with curry being ranked as high as he was. he's miles better than many of those other PG's... significantly better than guys like Kidd, Parker, and Nash ever were

You are a

Thomas through 6 seasons vs Curry through 6 seasons:

Pts: 9,827 vs 8,714
Steals: 964 vs 717
Assists: 4,879 vs 2,866
Rebounds: 1,771 vs 1,719
Blocks: 144 vs 89

lol Curry overhyped got chucker

[Spurtacular]

And Iverson continues to be arguably the most over-rated player in NBA history.

[Obstructed_View]

Isaiah was ridiculous. top 3 in my opinion.

Isiah's either 2 or 3 on my list.

[Obstructed_View]

Zeke should be higher. Gervin should be higher. Curry lower, maybe not on the list at all. GP maybe??

Payton is definitely better than some of the guys on that list.

[spurraider21]

You are a

Thomas through 6 seasons vs Curry through 6 seasons:

Pts: 9,827 vs 8,714
Steals: 964 vs 717
Assists: 4,879 vs 2,866
Rebounds: 1,771 vs 1,719
Blocks: 144 vs 89

lol Curry overhyped got chucker

i never mentioned thomas

[Kawhitstorm]

You are a

Thomas through 6 seasons vs Curry through 6 seasons:

Pts: 9,827 vs 8,714
Steals: 964 vs 717
Assists: 4,879 vs 2,866
Rebounds: 1,771 vs 1,719
Blocks: 144 vs 89

lol Curry overhyped got chucker

Tim Hardaway (first 6 season: missed the entire 93-94 while at the peak of his prime):

Points: 8819
Assists: 4306
Steals: 879
Threes: 665

Reb/Blks are irrelevant for point guard

[Killakobe81]

the dis respect Isiah gets by many here and everywhere is beyond me. No way do I take Stockton over him peak or career -wise. I Would take Curry peak over IT but career-wise? So far?

Nope. Since I never saw big O ... IT is my #2 all-time PG.
And yes, over NAsh and CP3 ... Kidd and GP too.

[StrengthAndHonor]

For a forum infatuated with efficiency and advance statistics, it's quite hilarious to see most of you acknowledging Isiah Thomas who is statistically and efficiency one of the worst in the group...

[ambchang]

Isiah was great in his day, but he tends to be overrated some what because of his persona or his leadership. People look at the Pistons like they were some unskilled group because most of them don't score a lot, but they were really a loaded team, a defensive version of the 2014 Spurs, if you will. While the Spurs brought in a new way to look at offense for the league, the Pistons did it for defense.

And of course, he won b2b right between the Magic/Bird and Jordan eras, beating all three on the way, so people tend to put him on the same level as those guys.

Laimbeer, Rodman, Mahorn, Salley were all big bruising players who will take your head off if you step in the paint, then Dumars and Rodman both manned the perimeter. Thomas was more the offensive engine, sort of like AI were to the 2000 6ers, but to a lesser degree.

When Thomas was on, there was no stopping him, he was a streaky shooter, but when his jumper is on, is quickness and drives to the lane became unguardable. Laimbeer's outside shooting helped draw the center out to the three point line, and that also helped Thomas a lot on offense.

That said, as an overall body of work, I think Stockton can do as much as Thomas did with a similar group of players.

For me:
Magic, Oscar, Stockton, Thomas, Frazier, Kidd, CP3, GP, Nash, Cousy.

[~O~]

How many championships before Curry is top 5? At least three right? In my opinion, at least three. If he wins 4 to 5 or even 6, he's top 5.

5 and 6 will be ing hard.

[Killakobe81]

Isiah was great in his day, but he tends to be overrated some what because of his persona or his leadership. People look at the Pistons like they were some unskilled group because most of them don't score a lot, but they were really a loaded team, a defensive version of the 2014 Spurs, if you will. While the Spurs brought in a new way to look at offense for the league, the Pistons did it for defense.

And of course, he won b2b right between the Magic/Bird and Jordan eras, beating all three on the way, so people tend to put him on the same level as those guys.

Laimbeer, Rodman, Mahorn, Salley were all big bruising players who will take your head off if you step in the paint, then Dumars and Rodman both manned the perimeter. Thomas was more the offensive engine, sort of like AI were to the 2000 6ers, but to a lesser degree.

When Thomas was on, there was no stopping him, he was a streaky shooter, but when his jumper is on, is quickness and drives to the lane became unguardable. Laimbeer's outside shooting helped draw the center out to the three point line, and that also helped Thomas a lot on offense.

That said, as an overall body of work, I think Stockton can do as much as Thomas did with a similar group of players.

For me:
Magic, Oscar, Stockton, Thomas, Frazier, Kidd, CP3, GP, Nash, Cousy.

the similar group of players arguments drives me nuts. Dont get me wrong, Stock who was truly great and whipped my Lakers plenty of times ,,,Pistons were no doubt a better team than the Jazz ... but Stock had a HOF coach and arguably the 2nd GOAT PF and 2nd alltime scorer. Along with an elite 6th man (Bailey?) and shot blocker in Eaton and didnt ring. Dont give me the Magic or jordan excuse because as you said Isiah was able to beat both. And he also used to bust Stockton's ass head2head ... over the years I give him more credit than Malone for the Jazz final runs because he was the clutch player for that team ... but I am STILL taking Isiah.

[SpursforSix]

Payton is definitely better than some of the guys on that list.

...I can't believe I forgot about him. He's a no brainer imo.

[DMC]

How many points has Isiah Thomas scored in the past 10 years? Exactly.

[Obstructed_View]

Isiah was great in his day, but he tends to be overrated some what because of his persona or his leadership. People look at the Pistons like they were some unskilled group because most of them don't score a lot, but they were really a loaded team, a defensive version of the 2014 Spurs, if you will. While the Spurs brought in a new way to look at offense for the league, the Pistons did it for defense.

And of course, he won b2b right between the Magic/Bird and Jordan eras, beating all three on the way, so people tend to put him on the same level as those guys.

I think a lot of people didn't see Isiah early in his career, because he was ing amazing. He could have spent a career stat-padding and he'd be first or second on every point guard list. He truly sacrificed his stats to win. The reason I put him on the level of those guys is because he's on the level of those guys. Frankly, the only reason Magic is above him and Stockton is because of Buck's ability to play and guard five positions. As a pure point guard, Zeke was as good as anyone, and his 25 point quarter on one leg is one of the great performances in sports.

[DMC]

the similar group of players arguments drives me nuts. Dont get me wrong, Stock who was truly great and whipped my Lakers plenty of times ,,,Pistons were no doubt a better team than the Jazz ... but Stock had a HOF coach and arguably the 2nd GOAT PF and 2nd alltime scorer. Along with an elite 6th man (Bailey?) and shot blocker in Eaton and didnt ring. Dont give me the Magic or jordan excuse because as you said Isiah was able to beat both. And he also used to bust Stockton's ass head2head ... over the years I give him more credit than Malone for the Jazz final runs because he was the clutch player for that team ... but I am STILL taking Isiah.

Pretty sure Daily is a HOF coach and Isiah had some help as well if I recall.

[Obstructed_View]

the similar group of players arguments drives me nuts. Dont get me wrong, Stock who was truly great and whipped my Lakers plenty of times ,,,Pistons were no doubt a better team than the Jazz ... but Stock had a HOF coach and arguably the 2nd GOAT PF and 2nd alltime scorer. Along with an elite 6th man (Bailey?) and shot blocker in Eaton and didnt ring. Dont give me the Magic or jordan excuse because as you said Isiah was able to beat both. And he also used to bust Stockton's ass head2head ... over the years I give him more credit than Malone for the Jazz final runs because he was the clutch player for that team ... but I am STILL taking Isiah.

That's fair, but Stockton belongs in the argument for top three. Far more than Nash belongs in the top ten.

[DMC]

...I can't believe I forgot about him. He's a no brainer imo.

lol "forgot about him" "no brainer"

Something is amiss there sparky lol

[Obstructed_View]

Pretty sure Daily is a HOF coach and Isiah had some help as well if I recall.

Mark Aguirre was a legit superstar when they traded for him.

[SpursforSix]

lol "forgot about him" "no brainer"

Something is amiss there sparky lol

boooo...you ...lol

[Killakobe81]

I think a lot of people didn't see Isiah early in his career, because he was ing amazing. He could have spent a career stat-padding and he'd be first or second on every point guard list. He truly sacrificed his stats to win. The reason I put him on the level of those guys is because he's on the level of those guys. Frankly, the only reason Magic is above him and Stockton is because of Buck's ability to play and guard five positions. As a pure point guard, Zeke was as good as anyone, and his 25 point quarter on one leg is one of the great performances in sports.

Amen, brother. Even if the Lakers were injured during the first le they whipped a very good Blazers team the next year and basically ended the run of the Lakers, Celts and made jordan wait. He sure did have a HOF coach and a great supporting cast but so does every champion. the difference is unlike Stockton he won with that help. against better compe ion.