Steve Kerr "Its Lebron and MJ at the top"

[Veggamattic]

MJ
Kareem
Magic
Russell
Wilt
Bird
Lebron - if Lebron played in an era where stars had tp endure brutal defense and traveling was actually enforced like the others on the list then I would rank him higher.

Today's defense is better than it's ever been and your list is comical. Stop romanticizing the past.

[robbie84]

Will be unreal when a phenom comes along that is just as good as Jordan and Lebron at everything- but even better at FT shooting and 3 pt shooting.

Here's to hoping as a basketball fan.

I hate him with my guts, specially since he made the move.. but... KD is pretty close to what you are talking about. I mean... if he can get even better?

If the Warriors core remain for 5-6 years... I think they can win 4-5 championships... and if KD wins Finals MVP in each and every one of those... will he be considered a great, or still a traitor a ring chaser?..

Too late, not strong enough in handles and playmaking to really challenge them. He'll be like Russell, winning half rings on a stupidly stacked squad in a 3 team league.

I think we'll see a guy with Lebron's ability to score at the hole at will, with his strength/size/bullyball dominance, who can also shoot from anywhere like Durant. A super villain.

[alebaba]

MJ
Kareem
Magic
Russell
Wilt
Bird
Lebron - if Lebron played in an era where stars had tp endure brutal defense and traveling was actually enforced like the others on the list then I would rank him higher.

Today's defense is better than it's ever been and your list is comical. Stop romanticizing the past.

I can't take your post seriously, when teams are taking turn breaking scoring records. Games are much more physical back then. Try going to the park and have a guy that is real physical on defense to guard you and see how tired and sore body is. Now, do that for 82 games and see how your body feel. The game is more free now, compare to back then.

ps. Cavs literally drop 85 points at the freaking half in the finals and you're saying defense has is better than it's ever been.

[Veggamattic]

MJ
Kareem
Magic
Russell
Wilt
Bird
Lebron - if Lebron played in an era where stars had tp endure brutal defense and traveling was actually enforced like the others on the list then I would rank him higher.

Today's defense is better than it's ever been and your list is comical. Stop romanticizing the past.

I can't take your post seriously, when teams are taking turn breaking scoring records. Games are much more physical back then. Try going to the park and have a guy that is real physical on defense to guard you and see how tired and sore body is. Now, do that for 82 games and see how your body feel. The game is more free now, compare to back then.

ps. Cavs literally drop 85 points at the freaking half in the finals and you're saying defense has is better than it's ever been.

When I watch today's game I see more contact than ever before. Especially on ball handlers. The way the game is played goes in waves when it comes to offence. Certain years teams score more and certain years less depending on what the style of play du jour is at the time and this is not based on physicality it is based mostly on coaching style.

One of the reasons that game was so high scoring was that there was a lot of trips to the line due to it being so physicalbut also a ton of 3's that add extra points to the total.

The game back then may have been dirtier due to the new flagrant rules but not more physical and not nearly as good overall defense.

[OdomFan]

^ all of that is incorrect.

[Lexluthor]

I would pick Shaq over Lebron

[Wonderllama]

People wanna insult Lebron by saying he's not better than Jordan. Okay, so Lebron will be the 2nd greatest player of all time when his career's done. He's won the silver medal of NBA history. There are worse things to be.

[og15]

How come KAJ never gets mentioned as a GOAT? I feel like his name is always at the top of records and he has the same amount of NBA championships as MJ, but he never gets mentioned as the GOAT

Bigmen in general seem to get underrated by the masses in GOAT conversations.

This was not always the case as back when I cared more to discuss things like GOAT, I remember guys like KAJ and Wilt being staples in the conversation. Guess things have changed for now, maybe due to the current league being less big men dominated.

[OdomFan]

You can call him second best if you want but i'm still taking Duncan, Hakeem and Shaq over Lebron any day of the week.

[lambchop]

Well in terms of sheer prime dominance shaq is probably the goat since he's unguardable.
Regarding the defense being the best its ever been HELL NO! And I'm not even a fan of 80s or 90s bball. In game 2 of the finals bron got exhausted from just driving to the perimeter straight to the paint for layups. Bron is amazing at driving, but I cant recall teams in past years like the spurs or big3 celtics giving bron layups for an entire half even when he was superathletic. And the 86 points in a half was horrible d too, no pride to stop the cavs' offensive charge.

[richo65]

People wanna insult Lebron by saying he's not better than Jordan. Okay, so Lebron will be the 2nd greatest player of all time when his career's done. He's won the silver medal of NBA history. There are worse things to be.

It's not necessarily an insult to not believe Lebron to be #1, 2, 3 etc. It's simply one's opinion based upon one's own observations. I don't think anyone here believes Lebron is not ONE of the greatest of all time. Some of us just don't believe today's game is up to what we watched back in the 80s or 90s.

[ckman]

Today's defense is better than it's ever been and your list is comical. Stop romanticizing the past.

I can't take your post seriously, when teams are taking turn breaking scoring records. Games are much more physical back then. Try going to the park and have a guy that is real physical on defense to guard you and see how tired and sore body is. Now, do that for 82 games and see how your body feel. The game is more free now, compare to back then.

ps. Cavs literally drop 85 points at the freaking half in the finals and you're saying defense has is better than it's ever been.

When I watch today's game I see more contact than ever before. Especially on ball handlers. The way the game is played goes in waves when it comes to offence. Certain years teams score more and certain years less depending on what the style of play du jour is at the time and this is not based on physicality it is based mostly on coaching style.

One of the reasons that game was so high scoring was that there was a lot of trips to the line due to it being so physicalbut also a ton of 3's that add extra points to the total.

The game back then may have been dirtier due to the new flagrant rules but not more physical and not nearly as good overall defense.

You probably never watched any games back then, you can argue about the defensive scheme is more complicated now , but more physical ? No, it's not even close and it's not debatable.
As you said, they're shooting tons of 3's now but still getting a lot of FT too. Back then , players banging inside the paint for FT, we just got Harden broke the record of most 3 point foul shot by a distant margin.
The ref allowed much more contact back then, i don't know how you can say otherwise.

[Veggamattic]

You probably never watched any games back then

[Bruteque]

Kerr has been hanging around Durant and Green for too long. His brain is starting to ooze out of his ears.