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Russell got the most influace to the game
Russell and Wilt in the top 3 is bs. Wilt was a stat and Russell's game was nowhere near as complete as Bird's, Magic's, or Jordan's.
Russell got the most influace to the game
WARNING: I am going to start knocking Jordan, and I know people are going to go ape , but hey ....
Russell and Wilt are extremely complete player. To wit.
Russell, for all the talk about his offensive incompetence, still averaged 15 ppg for his career, and once averaged 18.9 ppg for a season. Sure he is not Hakeem in the low post, but he was an offensive threat. Also, he was a decent passer, no, make it awesome passer. His defense was one of a kind, there was nobody since who came close to the impact he had on that end of the floor.
Wilt once led the league in assists, once scored 50.4 ppg, grabbed 20+ rebounds per game consistently, and was an awesome defender, how was he not an all-around player? Sure he was a stat , but he was still an all-around player. His weakness comes in the way that he made his teammates worse because of his quest for glory.
Magic was the best orchestrator the league has ever seen, nobody else could even come close, include Stockton. But his one weakness lies in his individual defense.
Bird, mirror image of Magic.
Now, why I would not put Jordan in the top 10 .... it's not because I am insane, Jordan was good, absolutely revolutionized the way guards fit in the offense. He led in league in scoring ... was it 8 or 9 times? Led the league in steals, got lots of rebounds and assists, and most importantly, won 6 championships, but he needs a very specific set up in his team to win championships (unlike Russell, Magic or Duncan).
The Bulls have always had Pippen (and I could argue that Pippen made Jordan who he is, and of course, vice versa), a sharp shooting undersized 2 guard (Paxson, Kerr, BJ Armstrong), a defensive centre who can nail outside jumpers (Cartwright, Wennington), a strong interior defender (Grant, Rodman). The reason it was set up that way is because Jordan can ONLY win in that kind of setup. Also witness how the Bulls only dropped 2 games and still made it to the WCSF after his first retirement. That Bulls team was a good team even w/o Jordan.
But they didn't win without Jordan...
Russell at one time had 7 hall-of-fame teammates. He began in a league with 8 teams, and his team was half the talent in the NBA. He also shot 44% career in the post. I hate knocking him, because he did so much to integrate the league and because he is without a doubt the best defensive player I've ever seen in my life... but his offensive game was nonexistant. He had no shot whatsoever. He was a much better Ben Wallace. The fact that he had so much team success and his ridiculously quick jump would make him borderline top 7 or 8, but there's no way he had the talent of Magic, MJ, or Larry.
I don't buy that Russell is responsible for everyone's success. Russell didn't give Sam Jones that bank, he's not the reason Cousy revolutionized the point-guard position, and Hondo won two les without him.
Wilt was too focused on himself to be the complete player Jordan, Bird, or Magic was. I've never come away with the belief that Wilt is top 5 whenever I've seen tape of him. Most of the time I watched him, it was just him shooting finger rolls from 6 feet away and putbacks over guys almost half a foot shorter. Everyone who dispresects Shaq's game because of his size-advantage on the block would have to all over Wilt's.
Kareem is arguable in the top 3. He was a monster athletically in Milwaukee and his first 5 years or so in LA, and anyone who can win Finals MVP at age 38 and be top 3 at his position at age 42 is someone special. Personally, I'd put him #4, but he can easily be argued any way up to #1.
Bird's defense is understandable to me, considering how bad his back was. MJ and Larry had reputations as the hardest workers in basketball, and as a kid anytime I showed up to a game 3 hours early those two were always the first out there on the floor, preparing for the upcoming games. Michael and Larry always delivered in the most pressure-packed of situations. You never sawe either of them pass up a last shot.
Uh, no. Bill Russell was not the G.O.A.T. He played on an all-star team assembled by the great Red Auerbach. Red was the genius behind all those championships.
Yeah Red was a genius but couldn't win wiyhout Russell. Cousy was the best but couldn't win without Russell...
You mean championship?But they didn't win without Jordan...
7 game series vs the Finalist Knicks who almost won the Championship.
The Bulls didn't need even Jordan.
(they would win with Carter either)
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