AI back to Philly

[Skates]

The Lakers: 7'0 Pao Gasol, 6'10 Lamar Odom, 6'10 Vladmir Radmonvich, 6'6 Kobe Bryant.

The only player Allen Iverson could guard in that lineup was Derek Freaking Fisher.

Since even the Nuggets quickly recognized that AI is no PG, isn't the fact that there was no one playing his position that he could guard a major problem. I have always thought that AI's biggest real basketball weakness is being a sub/barely 6' tall SG. I can deal with all of the other stuff he supposedly does wrong, most of which is pverblown because of his high profile, but it is hard to win with a guy that is a huge defensive liability. The 2001 Sixers team was built specifically with that in mind. Get me a big, defensive minded, defensively strong PG to team with AI and then I am more interested.

My favorite all time Sixer Charles Barkley had the same issue as a 6'4" PF and never was able to overcome it.

[ProcessDoctor]

I would like to have Iverson back, but many things would have to happen first. We would have to get a guy like Emeka Okafor here as well, without giving up too much. He would have to take a paycut and Stefanski would have to want him here. We would have to keep Iguodala or Young and still get another defensive presence down low. The only way we could get Emeka though without giving up too much is if we gave up Young or Iguodala. A package of Young (even though nobody wants him traded), Green, and Smith would work out.

Miller/Williams
Iverson
Iguodala/Carney
Okafor/Evans
Dalembert/Speights?

I would love that lineup so much. Nice offense, defense, chemistry, and even the depth isn't too bad. The only question would be the backup wing player (if Carney can't handle that role). If not, then I can still see Iverson leaving Denver for another team such as Orlando or something. But I do believe the team above is top 3 in the East.

[Dedicated_76ers_fan]

-= original quote snipped =-



Since even the Nuggets quickly recognized that AI is no PG, isn't the fact that there was no one playing his position that he could guard a major problem. I have always thought that AI's biggest real basketball weakness is being a sub/barely 6' tall SG. I can deal with all of the other stuff he supposedly does wrong, most of which is pverblown because of his high profile, but it is hard to win with a guy that is a huge defensive liability. The 2001 Sixers team was built specifically with that in mind. Get me a big, defensive minded, defensively strong PG to team with AI and then I am more interested.

My favorite all time Sixer Charles Barkley had the same issue as a 6'4" PF and never was able to overcome it.

He is not a PROTOTYPICAL PG* Fixed for you. Allen Iverson's speed and ability to create with his offense make him better then most prototypical PG'S. Sans Jason Kidd. But he had size and speed, which is about the same thing as speed+offense. I'm sick and tired of the guys who say Iverson's not a point guard and then turn around and say Lou Williams can potentially take over the helm. You can win titles with Allen Iverson. You can't win titles with Carmelo Anthony. 0-3 in the playoffs now. He's starting to look like Tracy McGrady.

[JRmakes_it_rain]

-= original quote snipped =-



He is not a PROTOTYPICAL PG* Fixed for you. Allen Iverson's speed and ability to create with his offense make him better then most prototypical PG'S. Sans Jason Kidd. But he had size and speed, which is about the same thing as speed+offense. I'm sick and tired of the guys who say Iverson's not a point guard and then turn around and say Lou Williams can potentially take over the helm. You can win titles with Allen Iverson. You can't win titles with Carmelo Anthony. 0-3 in the playoffs now. He's starting to look like Tracy McGrady.

AI will never win a title, and I would expect Philly fans to know this better then anybody. Our teams in Denver looked closer to advancing in the playoffs before he arrived. I'd love to know how AI can win titles, and Melo can't.

[noone]

-= original quote snipped =-

AI will never win a title, and I would expect Philly fans to know this better then anybody. Our teams in Denver looked closer to advancing in the playoffs before he arrived. I'd love to know how AI can win titles, and Melo can't.

I think a trip to the finals and 3 games from a championship says otherwise. And the only thing many Sixers fans know is that the years outside the run we made, we had incompetence from top to bottom running the show.

And I'd venture to guess that Denver wouldn't have even made the playoffs this season had they still had the same team as prior to the trade.

[ChuckS]

[quote] " I'd love to know how AI can win titles, and Melo can't." [/quote]


Me too!


[quote] "You can win titles with Allen Iverson. You can't win titles with Carmelo Anthony. 0-3 in the playoffs now" [/quote]


Gee! Two of those three tries were with AI. Yet Melo bad...Ivy good...go figure. Last year every game with the Spurs was close. Allen had an unbelievably bad, if uncharacteristically so, series. He missed "more" easy shots than he had in the ten years he played with us. He over-dribbled and generally just stunk it up. At least HE admitted he played poorly.

This year I agree that the difference was LA's bigs, particularly Gasol. Why then was Ivy spared and not Anthony. In Carmelo's rookie year, it was even more obvious. Nene was out and Camby and KMart were hurt most of the year and (except somewhat for Marcus' rebounding) understandably relatively useless in the playoffs. Every expert, not on this board, attributed the loss to the injuries to Nene, Camby, and KMart.


[quote] " AI had virtually no support from Melo on the defensive end" [/quote]


Iverson has been a lousy defender for his whole career, somewhat because of his size/weight, somewhat because he too often goes for the steal, but mostly because, for some inexplicable reason for someone with his speed, he cannot keep his man in front of him. Actually he can, and on rare occasions has, but almost never does. I believe that blaming Melo for this is unbelievable. He is also a perimeter player. How the hell can he help when Ivy's man blows by. It would be just as wrong, but at least make more sense to me, if an interior player like KMart or Camby was blamed.

It amazes me that some cannot distinguish between singles tennis and a team game. How silly was it to demean Kobe for supposedly not being able to win without Shaq. But I suppose if Garnett's awesome talent can be called into question because he never won a championship, anyone is fair game. All I know is that I've seen a lot less talented players than TMac and Melo win championships. Unarguably one of the greatest players ever, Oscar Robertson, probably would never have won one had he not lucked on Lew Alcindor late in the Big O's career. You should have seen Elgin Baylor (particularly if you think Dr. J was good). I could be wrong, but I think he was one of many greats who also did not win it all.