Which of these PGs were the best during their prime?

[brackdan70]

Good poll.
Thomas and Kidd probably
Payton is underrated here though 8 times a top 10 MVP guy and 8 time all NBA

[Black Jack]

Zeke the only small guy I seen really take it to the giants when it counts and prevail.

Guys like Penny had more skills and stats but Isiah had something intangible.

Billups won Finals MVP against Kobe and Shaq as he put up 21 ppg on 69.6 TS%. Does that not count as taking it to giants when it counts and prevailing?

But IT putting up 21 ppg on 45.6 TS% against the Bulls in 89 does?

Props to Billups he did do it. That said I felt like the Lakers with healthy Malone and if Kobe wasn't purposely throwing games to spit Shaq would have won that series.

Also IT won it all TWICE as top dog. Repeat rings aren't too common.

[Johnny Tomala]

Kidd, Thomas, Payton. In that order.

[NZB2323]

Zeke the only small guy I seen really take it to the giants when it counts and prevail.

Guys like Penny had more skills and stats but Isiah had something intangible.

Billups won Finals MVP against Kobe and Shaq as he put up 21 ppg on 69.6 TS%. Does that not count as taking it to giants when it counts and prevailing?

But IT putting up 21 ppg on 45.6 TS% against the Bulls in 89 does?

Props to Billups he did do it. That said I felt like the Lakers with healthy Malone and if Kobe wasn't purposely throwing games to spit Shaq would have won that series.

Also IT won it all TWICE as top dog. Repeat rings aren't too common.

That’s like saying that if Pippen doesn’t get a migraine and the Celtics are healthy then IT never makes the Finals.

I’m also not sure if IT was top dog in 89, when Dumars won Finals MVP and had more playoff WS.

We could also say that Billups was a missed Robert Horry shot away from going back-to-back, and then we could say he beat LeBron, Kobe, Shaq, Dirk, and Duncan in the playoffs.

But I still like Kidd. Dumars/Rodman/Lambier/Aguirre/Vinnie Johnson/John Salley and Hamilton/Prine/Rasheed/Ben Wallace are superior supporting casts to Kerry Kittles/Keith Van Horn/Kenyon Martin/Richard Jefferson.

[MavsDirk41]

1 Thomas
2 Kidd
3 Payton

This is how i see it but all are great choices

[Chokic]

1. Russell Westbrook 30pt trip dub mvp
2. Damian Lillard statistically speaking hes better than I.T
3. Isiah Thomas won 2 titles
4. Kyrie Irving won title
5. Penny Hardaway didn't even reach his peak but his "peak" was better than other pgs listed

[canada_dry]

Zeke.

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[Caneman786]

Kyrie Irving is a more natural shooting guard than he is a point guard.

[JinKaz69]

1. Russell Westbrook 30pt trip dub mvp
2. Damian Lillard statistically speaking hes better than I.T
3. Isiah Thomas won 2 titles
4. Kyrie Irving won title
5. Penny Hardaway didn't even reach his peak but his "peak" was better than other pgs listed

Stats aren't everything context matters.
Relative to his era, Penny Hardaway was better than both Lillard and Irving.
During his days, he was 1st team all-NBA and MVP caliber guy.
Lillard and Irving are both closer to be 2nd or 3rd all-NBA level guys.
I would even say Prime Penny is better than Westbrook.
Much efficient and far better IQ.

[Chokic]

1. Russell Westbrook 30pt trip dub mvp
2. Damian Lillard statistically speaking hes better than I.T
3. Isiah Thomas won 2 titles
4. Kyrie Irving won title
5. Penny Hardaway didn't even reach his peak but his "peak" was better than other pgs listed

Stats aren't everything context matters.
Relative to his era, Penny Hardaway was better than both Lillard and Irving.
During his days, he was 1st team all-NBA and MVP caliber guy.
Lillard and Irving are both closer to be 2nd or 3rd all-NBA level guys.
I would even say Prime Penny is better than Westbrook.
Much efficient and far better IQ.

Its hard to gauge Penny's sole impact bc he played with Shaq and his injuries derailed his career around the time shaq left for the lakers. We never got to see what he was truly capable of. He did show flashes of brilliance tho. Lillard carried the blazers to playoffs for nearly a decade. Granted they didnt go very far but to sustain even that as scoring lead guard 1st option is impressive. Irving is kind of similar to penny in that he showed so much talent and skill as a sidekick but his production was less consistent than the guys ive ranked above. I put him above penny bc he won a chip and was a crucial reason why the cavs beat gsw. If this was ranked based off pg ability this list would look different.

[aliasxn]

1- I.T
2- Kidd
3- Payton
4- Westbrook

I think Penny would have been the best without the injuries.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

Kale.

[NZB2323]

1. Russell Westbrook 30pt trip dub mvp
2. Damian Lillard statistically speaking hes better than I.T
3. Isiah Thomas won 2 titles
4. Kyrie Irving won title
5. Penny Hardaway didn't even reach his peak but his "peak" was better than other pgs listed

Westbrook lost in the first round when he was the best player on his team. Kidd reached the finals when he was the best player on his team.

You can’t even say that Kidd has a better supporting cast. I’ll take Dipo, Sabonis, Steven Adams, and Roberson over Kittles, Van Horn, Martin, and Jefferson.

[jpengland]

Penny. He was unbelievable pre injuries and would have been a top 20 player all time had he stayed healthy IMO.

IT is the most overrated player to have ever graced the NBA.

[mdonnelly1989]

I'm not at all surprised that Kidd and Isiah are close to tied. A little suprised RW wasn't apart of that given he won an MVP in dominant fashion. But it's probably because his impacto n winning isn't on the level of the other guys

[xb3at band1tx]

My first thought was penny

his prime was short but at the peak of his powers he legit had it all

[AussieBuck]

It's been decades and the Jordan fans are still propping up IT. Let it go dudes.

[Black Jack]

Billups won Finals MVP against Kobe and Shaq as he put up 21 ppg on 69.6 TS%. Does that not count as taking it to giants when it counts and prevailing?

But IT putting up 21 ppg on 45.6 TS% against the Bulls in 89 does?

Props to Billups he did do it. That said I felt like the Lakers with healthy Malone and if Kobe wasn't purposely throwing games to spit Shaq would have won that series.

Also IT won it all TWICE as top dog. Repeat rings aren't too common.

That’s like saying that if Pippen doesn’t get a migraine and the Celtics are healthy then IT never makes the Finals.

I’m also not sure if IT was top dog in 89, when Dumars won Finals MVP and had more playoff WS.

We could also say that Billups was a missed Robert Horry shot away from going back-to-back, and then we could say he beat LeBron, Kobe, Shaq, Dirk, and Duncan in the playoffs.

But I still like Kidd. Dumars/Rodman/Lambier/Aguirre/Vinnie Johnson/John Salley and Hamilton/Prine/Rasheed/Ben Wallace are superior supporting casts to Kerry Kittles/Keith Van Horn/Kenyon Martin/Richard Jefferson.

I like Dumars but IT was the leader of the bad boy Pistons title teams. Also, IT had transitioned into more of a leadership role, he proved he could be a lead scorer earlier. His toughness and intangibles were as great as any 6-footer I've seen. I realize the advanced stats era hates Zeke but it doesn't matter, he was a force out there.

[Effigy]

Seems unfair to have Isiah in here. He's solidly a top 4 point guard, and probably top 3 if we're specifying prime. I'd replace him with CP3. CP3 belongs in this tier, Isiah is above it.