10 greatest point guards of all time

A few guys on that list I have never seen play so it is hard to say who from history I believe is the top 10. Here is my top 5 since the ESPN era began. I only put players I have actually seen play.

1. Magic Johnson ... 5 titles
2. Isaiah Thomas ... 2 titles (he should give up his current day job.)
3. John Stockton ... 2 finals appearances, the stats don't lie.
4. Steve Nash ... 2 MVP's
5. Jason Kidd ... again the stats don't lie

5 point guards you just don't want on your team. One theme you might notice is those who shoot before they pass.

1. Allen Iverson ... the guy is tough but he has the kobe syndrom.
2. Stephon Marbury ... yeah some how I ended up with this guy on my fantasy team.
3. Steve Francis ... he was told to dump the ball to Yao down low ... now he is playing from Larry Brown.
4. Jason Williams ... I used to be this guy's biggest fan.
5. Gary Payton ... never liked him or his trash talking.

 

In the past I have not liked Jason Williams and his act. But it seems that this year Riley has got him playing pretty well. He seems like he has matured and realizes his role. There is no doubt he has talent and could be a solid guard for several years.

 

No doubt. He has changed his play a good bit and is not quite the knucklehead any longer.

 

This year, JWil is averaging close to five assists per game, second on the team and has become much more of a team player. Plus, Riley sits him during the fourth quarter, preferrring to have Payton out there for defense.

 

Guess you need to check out the stats. Start with the list of gards, check Larry Bird, Magic Johnson. You will be hard press to find anyone with the number of times at the line per season as your highness. 700-900 times. Appears after checking a few that Jordon is within 200 or more above the other greats in going to the line per season. Anyone with a little common sense woulda of been able to figure that out with haveing to have someone prove it too ya. Unless you just didn't watch during the Jordon years.

 

Excuse me?

You are more than welcome to your view. But I think you might want to consider the way you say things next time. That is unless you just haven't paid much attention...

Oh, and growing up around Chicago I watched plenty during the Jordan years, you know him, the greatest player of all time You know the guy that put a dagger in the heart of Cleveland all those times You know the guy with 6 championships Yeah that guy.

 

Excuse me?

You are more than welcome to your view. But I think you might want to consider the way you say things next time. That is unless you just haven't paid much attention. </font>[/QUOTE]Okay, I apologize, how about a veiw with some facts?

 

Okay, and the pt was, that Jordon got special treatment. I am sure that that is no surprise, right?

 

I am not discounting the fact that Jordan got to the line a lot, in fact more than anyone. But he is not the only one that did over their career. Look at the other names up on that list and who are they? They are great players. Great players get to the line a lot. Just because Jordan got there more than anyone else, does not change that fact.

 

Check their stats SBC, I did, and Jordon went to the line 200 even 300 times more a season then those on the list. I even looked up Larry Bird and some others. There is a huge difference. If you look hard enough you migt find someone that went more or as much. So far I have only come up with one....Wilt. He went to the line sometimes a 1000 times a season. That is a very big exce[ption. I have never heard of "Wilt's rules' though. eh?
Your not discounting that he went to the line alot, that would be hard to do. However you are denying special treatment. I was just making a case for it. I am not saying he wasn't a great player by any means either. Just saying, as everyone knows, there were "Jordon Rules".

 

A couple of comments - I rembember watching John Stockton in one of his first playoff runs against magic and the showtime lakers. You could almost see fear in magic's eyes when stockton was bringing the ball down the court - he had no idea where stockton was going with the ball.

There is no doubt that Jordan went to the line more than anyone else - but he was if not the best player ever, he was no worse than number two. he did more with the ball - inside and outside, and won games by not only talent but by the sheer force of his will. defenders would foul him because there was noting else that they could do to defend him. No player in todays game compares to the greatness that was MJ.

 

I know the stats. I have no problem saying Jordan went to the line more than anyone else. But he also did a lot to deserve to go to the line.

My point is that if you look at the players who have went to the line more than anyone else in their career it is the great players. Great players get to the foul line. Great players get the calls. It is just part of the game. Jordan may have gotten more calls than anyone else, but there were plenty of other players that got a lot of calls as well.

You don't think Bird, Magic, Isaiah, Kareem, Shaq, Akeem, Malone, Shaq, Wilt, Russell,Oscar, etc got a lot of calls that others would not have gotten? Great players get special treatment. Whether that is right or not is not the issue.

So my statement stands, all the great players get to the line alot. Just because Jordan got there more than anyone else does not make that statement false.

 

I would agree. But I think LeBron may give that statement a run in the next few years. He is a special player. I was sorry to hear the comments of Tim about him. But he is still a pretty young guy, I hope that he matures as he gets older and realizes the value of such things.

 

Hey SBC, my brother is a very straight guy but he only knows what he sees. It is always left up too the interptation of the person observing.

 

Tim, I don't doubt your brothers observations at all. It just saddens me to see a player with such potential doing those things. And I hope as he matures he will see the errors of his ways.

 

Actually Wilt was responsible for a rule change. The free throw line was increased from 15' X 12' to 15' X 16'. When Chamberlain would step across the lane and plant his pivot foot and then pivot his size and weight removed every one from the lane and prevented anyone from getting a board without going over the back. This also allowed Chamberlain to get to the free throw line more often late in the games when boards were realy needed.

To further add to the debate freethrows are not the only indicator of greatness (I am not saying they are not an indicator). Bird was an outside shooter and was a passer not a penetrater if DJ had been Cousy (who knows) Larry had above the rim passing lanes with McHale and Parish.

Chamberlain (except for West) never played with a great guard therefore he was the team,

Magic was surrounded by (check me if I am wrong) 7 first round draft picks not the least of which were Jabbar, Worthy, Green, Scott.

If Stockton had had someone other Hornicek as his 2 guard and Eaton as his 5 his assists wold have been off the chart.

Jordan had Pippen and? Harper who was never the same after his knee injury, Cartwright, Kerr, Paxton with the exception of Pippen if it was not Jordan who was it. Jordan went to the line becasue he was the only player they had who could penetrate.

Isaiah had Lambeer, Dumars, Rodman, Mark Aguirre (the unsung one) and who can forget Salley.

If you desire to choose who was the greatest Point guard it has to be Stockton he had less to work with than anyone the greatest player has to be Jordan then Chamberlain for the same reasons.

 

FYI


We sang many Mark Aguirre woes here in Dallas - he could score, but could not elevate his team. He and Dick Motta could not get along - especially late in Aguirres run in Dallas.

I have heard him interviewed in the past couple of years, and he seems to be a good guy now - for what its worth

 

An addendum to Mark Aguirre - when in dallas, he was a volume shooter - made his points but man did he shoot the ball alot! When Roy Tarpley - who is one of those could have beens, was his teammate, Aguirre should have clamped down on him and helped him stay away from the drugs, unfortunately he did not.