Re: RealGM 2023 Top 100 Project - #53 (Deadline ~5am PST, 12/16/2023)
Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2023 11:45 am
Vote: Nate Thurmond
Nom: Ray Allen
• Thurmond was MVP of the Warriors over Barry and, when healthy, was arguably the more impactful player over their overlapped primes. Barry had some weak prime WOWY numbers in 70/71 (55-56 with, 29-28 without) that get overlooked because it happened in the ABA. In contrast, Thurmond had 10+ SRS WOWY impact in 67/68 similar to peak Walton.
• GOAT man defender and shut down Wilt and Kareem in their peak regular seasons (67 Wilt: 24 ppg on 64% TS -> 18 ppg on 50% TS. 72 Kareem: 35 ppg on 60% TS -> 23 ppg on 43% TS).
• Locked up Kareem for a second consecutive playoffs in 73 (23 ppg on 45% TS) en route to a upset which was Kareem's only loss to a non-title team in a 7 game series until 86.
• Not too worried about the rings narrative for 1975 considering Thurmond's consistent impact on team wins and that they were a one off title team that wasn't that dominant anyway. Besides, if we are going to be ring counting, this list would already be very different (ahem, Isiah).
Nom: Ray Allen
• Thurmond was MVP of the Warriors over Barry and, when healthy, was arguably the more impactful player over their overlapped primes. Barry had some weak prime WOWY numbers in 70/71 (55-56 with, 29-28 without) that get overlooked because it happened in the ABA. In contrast, Thurmond had 10+ SRS WOWY impact in 67/68 similar to peak Walton.
• GOAT man defender and shut down Wilt and Kareem in their peak regular seasons (67 Wilt: 24 ppg on 64% TS -> 18 ppg on 50% TS. 72 Kareem: 35 ppg on 60% TS -> 23 ppg on 43% TS).
• Locked up Kareem for a second consecutive playoffs in 73 (23 ppg on 45% TS) en route to a upset which was Kareem's only loss to a non-title team in a 7 game series until 86.
• Not too worried about the rings narrative for 1975 considering Thurmond's consistent impact on team wins and that they were a one off title team that wasn't that dominant anyway. Besides, if we are going to be ring counting, this list would already be very different (ahem, Isiah).