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I was thinking about this for 16 westbrook as my example of it

Imagine a team that when healthy plays as a 60+ win team and with a +8 offense at full strenght (per ben taylor) as is the 16 thunder. With 2 stars and a supporting cast of somewhat offensibelt limited role players (great offensive rebounders but weak spacing and a unefficient iso chucker in waiters)

Now imagine this team goes toe to toe with two 70 win pace teams beating one and outscoring the other with their main guard leading them in all impact metrics (wesrbrook)

If someone elsr had this season in westbrook place (curry, nash,etc) wouldnt it be held in much higher regards among all time offensive peaks?

What other players do you think have understed peak seasons because the player has a bad rep or underwhelning overall career ?

I think any other SG in Harden's place would get a lot more praise for 2018-20 period than Harden actually did.

I'm sure Bird with 1975 Barry season would get a lot more love as well.

Kevin Garnett if he had Bird's 1984 PS run.

1962 Wilt. If pretty much anyone else did it then it would probably be seen much differently than it is today. The wild thing is that you really can’t imagine anyone else ever doing that, which of course should give credence to Wilt’s stature. Then there’s also 1965 world might’ve had his best series offensively against Russell and the Celtics.

2018 LeBron

2019 harden done by curry. there would be ongoing weekly podcasts that would go over one of the games from that season in each episode.

f4p wrote:2019 harden done by curry. there would be ongoing weekly podcasts that would go over one of the games from that season in each episode.

There’s some truth in this.

To me this list is made up of players that careers were derailed by injuries, sudden declines, playing for obscure teams. Some examples that come to mind, note for some of these guys other seasons may be better picks. The names being listed are a little too prominent for my tastes. These are a couple seasons that if a more famous guy had em would be remembered.

AK47 2008: Utah somehow manages to keep up a decent defense with Okur, Boozer, Deron, Korver logging heavy minutes. AK47 was at the center of it. He was also a dynamic all around player who fell of fast but when he was right he was right. The West was great that year and Utah knocked off a great Rockets team and gave a very good account of themselves against the lakers who were at the beginning of the very fine Kobe-Gasol run.

Mark Price 1992 Cavs: Leads Cleveland to an excellent offense, and the ECF before finally wear down against an ATG Bulls squad.

PistolPeteJR wrote:2018 LeBron

Players like Lebron have tons of fans who actually discuss and highlight their accomplishments, defend them against critics and point out obscure seasons. I don't think any Lebron, Jordan, Wilt season makes this list since they still get some recognition.

Take 81 Bucks they won 60 games and lost a very close 7 game series against Philly. Their built around Marques Johnson who tore it up in that 7 game series.

Replace him with Bird or Dr J, you don't think that season gets brought up way more.

Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Well with my example of Bird and KG, an 84 PS run would be better than anything KG accomplished imo. Though, people often don't even consider it Bird's best PS run and therefore seems as if it is often not brought up despite it being arguably better than 86.

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Lesson here: if you want to be remembered, don't be named Gus

LukaTheGOAT wrote:

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Well with my example of Bird and KG, an 84 PS run would be better than anything KG accomplished imo. Though, people often don't even consider it Bird's best PS run and therefore seems as if it is often not brought up despite it being arguably better than 86.

I agree that Bird's 84 run was more impressive but I don't think that's really a player thing, I think it's just that in 86 the overall team performance was better and people remember it more based on that.

Any KD season after 2016

If you substituted the name Russell Westbrook with Luka Doncic in the 2017 season, there would be Luka statues being erected.

LukaTheGOAT wrote:

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Well with my example of Bird and KG, an 84 PS run would be better than anything KG accomplished imo. Though, people often don't even consider it Bird's best PS run and therefore seems as if it is often not brought up despite it being arguably better than 86.

i think kg's 04 can go up against any bird season tbh.

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Lebron's 09 in paticular would probably apply though. Because it came chronologically before lebron's winning and before one of his worst seasons, it's been shafted historically in a way it wouldn't be if it was someone who won a ring chronologically before that playoff.

Like if it's shaq with the 09 performance after his three peat...

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Yeah, imagine Isiah Thomas having similar seasons to 1978-80 Williams. People would rave about him being the best PG on the planet. Williams is massively underrated.

Likewise, imagine Maravich having as good seasons as 1976-79 Paul Westphal. He'd be seen as one of the greatest. Paul is forgotten by most fans nowadays.

OhayoKD wrote:

LukaTheGOAT wrote:

Jaivl wrote:Bird, LeBron or Wilt are certainly NOT guys I would think of.

I'm thinking more like, 1970 Gus Johnson, 1979 and 1980 Gus Williams, etc.

Well with my example of Bird and KG, an 84 PS run would be better than anything KG accomplished imo. Though, people often don't even consider it Bird's best PS run and therefore seems as if it is often not brought up despite it being arguably better than 86.

i think kg's 04 can go up against any bird season tbh.

In terms of PS play, I don't necessarily agree. RS wise, 03 and 04 KG probably peaked higher in the RS than Bird ever did.

LukaTheGOAT wrote:

OhayoKD wrote:

LukaTheGOAT wrote:
Well with my example of Bird and KG, an 84 PS run would be better than anything KG accomplished imo. Though, people often don't even consider it Bird's best PS run and therefore seems as if it is often not brought up despite it being arguably better than 86.

i think kg's 04 can go up against any bird season tbh.

In terms of PS play, I don't necessarily agree. RS wise, 03 and 04 KG probably peaked higher in the RS than Bird ever did.

I think in this case context plays a much bigger role on Bird looking better than Bird actually playing better.

By context I mean the Celtics being able to win a ring while beating a total of zero +4 SRS teams, and Bird having at least 4, maybe 6, better teammates than KG's best after Cassell's timely injury.

Jaivl wrote:

LukaTheGOAT wrote:

OhayoKD wrote:i think kg's 04 can go up against any bird season tbh.

In terms of PS play, I don't necessarily agree. RS wise, 03 and 04 KG probably peaked higher in the RS than Bird ever did.

I think in this case context plays a much bigger role on Bird looking better than Bird actually playing better.

By context I mean the Celtics being able to win a ring while beating a total of zero +4 SRS teams, and Bird having at least 4, maybe 6, better teammates than KG's best after Cassell's timely injury.

Perhaps. I am pretty low on KG's scoring in the PS, and even in 08, where I believe his shooting and passing were greater than before, as well as him picking up base strength, he still didn't wow me in this regard.