re: ESPN Top 74 NBA players of all time- Updated

I am fine with the list as Nash, Isiah, and Stockton are all basically lumped together. But, I will say that I feel most people put Stockton ahead if Isiah as a stat compiler, but me and my eyeball test are going with Isiah in big games, due to things like the explosion against the Lakers on one leg. I think the historical importance of Nash is he was one of the first great scoring machine combo point guards. I know there has been some good discussion on here about rating Steph against other point guards when some people say he isn't really even one.

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I like how he picks out that ONE game to describe Scottie.

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I mean, I assume MJ will be #1 or at worst #2 (if they want controversy) on their list.

Listing Scottie's time with Portland would be like saying MJ shouldn't be #1 because he missed the playoffs 2x with the Wizards.

I will give that Harden is a 100% an elite player. Offensively, it can be easily argued that he is one of the best to step on the court.

What harden is missing is that playoff success. Every all-time great has at least that playoff series where they cementer their legacy. Every all-time great has that series, most of them it was a finals series where they elevated their game to an absolutely another level and let it be known that they are a leader for their team and the best player on that court.

They havent released it yet, but everyone already knows
who who will make up the top 10 on this list. Jordan, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Kareem, Wilt, Bill, Shaq, Kobe, and Duncan. Every single player from this list has multiple series where they took over the game and carried their team as I just mentioned.

While Harden has won a couple of playoff series, he doesnt have a memorable one to date. I like Harden, he has 3-4 years left in his prime. He's got work to do still if he really wants to be remembered as an all-time great.

Pippen was not a better player than Charles Barkley (who won MVP of the league) and all Dream Team members said he was the best player on the team.)

Here's where Bill Simmons ranked Pippen.

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On my 2020 list, he’s been passed by four players—Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant—landing him at 28th.

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Listing Scottie's time with Portland would be like saying MJ shouldn't be #1 because he missed the playoffs 2x with the Wizards.

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Scottie was 34 when he came to Portland. MJ was 38 when he went to the Wizards.

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If you are a complementary guy at 34 you're not no.21 all time

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KG was only getting 15 and 8 at age 34. Barkley was 15 and 10 and neither one was a #1 option any more. Shaq is presumably top ten and had dropped from 30-13 to 17-7 at 34 years old.

Iverson was averaging 13 ppg on his way out of the league. Tim Duncan had dropped to 13 and 9.

There are plenty of alltimers who were just secondary guys by 34.

Guards only

13 Curry
16 West
25 Leonard
26 Wade
28 Stockton
29 Iverson
30 Nash
31 Thomas
32 Harden
33 Havlicek
35 Kidd
39 Frazier
40 Paul
41 Cousy
42 Westbrook
47 Gervin
49 Miller
53 Payton
56 Allen
57 Drexler
64 Monroe
67 English
68 Pistol
70 Parker
72 Lillard

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And why 74? The frick kinda pageantry is that?

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association started 74 yrs ago?

Yea that is hard to justify Reggie being placed over Ray. Not to mention you cant even use the rings argument, as he has none while Ray has 2 (he was near 40 with the Heat but he still contributed some big time shots). There's no way Id place Reggie over Ray at all.

The only argument that I could see for Reggie is that he was a 3-point specialist in a time where 3-point specialists werent really a thing. Looking at his stats, he shot more than 6 3's a game only once. On the other hand, a guy like Klay Thompson only shot less than 6 3's a game once so far in his career.