Karl Malone vs Magic Johnson

mailman88 · Post #1 » by **mailman88** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:22 am

Who would you favour, if they played each other 1 on 1 ?

henshao · Post #2 » by **henshao** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:47 am

Magic far more comfortable putting the ball on the ground and has enough size to bother Malone on defense moreso than the other way around

in a general streetball to 11 make-it-take-it ~31yo versions of each other I see Magic winning fairly decisively

Dmkorc23 · Post #3 » by **Dmkorc23** » Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:50 am

Magic easy.

Odinn21 · Post #4 » by **Odinn21** » Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:52 am

The question says 1v1.

Malone would win that.

LukaTheGOAT · Post #5 » by **LukaTheGOAT** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 2:45 am

Feel like a Malone post-up would be pretty impossible for Magic to stop. I go Malone.

Cavsfansince84 · Post #6 » by **Cavsfansince84** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 6:06 pm

I feel like it would and could go either way. Malone wasn't comfortable dribbling up the ball to get into position or shooting off the dribble he wouldn't really be in his element trying to play 1 on 1. Magic would have the size difference to contend with and he wasn't a solid pull up shooter either so he'd have to use more tricks but he was very adept at doing that and would be more in his natural playing style than Malone would be. If they played 10 times I think each would win at least 4 times.

HeartBreakKid · Post #7 » by **HeartBreakKid** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:03 pm

Cavsfansince84 wrote:I feel like it would and could go either way. Malone wasn't comfortable dribbling up the ball to get into position or shooting off the dribble he wouldn't really be in his element trying to play 1 on 1. Magic would have the size difference to contend with and he wasn't a solid pull up shooter either so he'd have to use more tricks but he was very adept at doing that and would be more in his natural playing style than Malone would be. If they played 10 times I think each would win at least 4 times.

This is one on one in an actual one on one game - not one on one in a 5v5 game. You think Karl Malone isn't comfortable dribbling to get into a shooting position in a pick up game?

Nearly everyone in the NBA plays a ton of one on one - it's one of the reasons why crappy players like Jamal Crawford get overrated because players over project themselves on guys who are based on 1 on 1 play.

An all NBA scoring big is going to have really good one on one skills. You don't see it because doing it in a 5v5 environment is different in 1 vs 1 where you never have to worry about someone else coming to strip you, or the other guy getting a transition bucket. There is a gif of Shaq giving Jordan the business in some pre game warm up - of course they are just playing around but a lot of people probably think Shaq actually can't dribble.

I think Karl's ball handling skills would be more than good enough to at least get to the point where he can use it as a supplementary to his bully ball.

Cavsfansince84 · Post #8 » by **Cavsfansince84** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:31 pm

HeartBreakKid wrote:This is one on one in an actual one on one game - not one on one in a 5v5 game. You think Karl Malone isn't comfortable dribbling to get into a shooting position in a pick up game?

Nearly everyone in the NBA plays a ton of one on one - it's one of the reasons why crappy players like Jamal Crawford get overrated because players over project themselves on guys who are based on 1 on 1 play.

An all NBA scoring big is going to have really good one on one skills. You don't see it because doing it in a 5v5 environment is different in 1 vs 1 where you never have to worry about someone else coming to strip you, or the other guy getting a transition bucket. There is a gif of Shaq giving Jordan the business in some pre game warm up - of course they are just playing around but a lot of people probably think Shaq actually can't dribble.

I think Karl's ball handling skills would be more than good enough to at least get to the point where he can use it as a supplementary to his bully ball.

I'm sure he can dribble but I don't think him getting down near the hoop to where he could get an automatic basket on Magic would be that easy for him. Magic was a good sized guy himself. Malone didn't have great handles and would get stripped sometimes. What I'm saying is I think it would be close. Magic also was very comfortable working out of the high post with his back to the basket.

Joao Saraiva · Post #9 » by **Joao Saraiva** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 8:17 pm

Malone will post him up and do his job. I have no doubt about that.

Magic is definitely the superior 5 on 5 player. But 1 on 1 Malone is just too strong for him.

GSP · Post #10 » by **GSP** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:52 pm

Magic did a lot of scoring from the post. He wasn't slashing from the 3 line or attacking off triple threat much and he wasn't slow but he didn't have a very good first step. Karl is one of the best and strongest post defenders ever. Magic would have a tougher time getting his floaters, hooks and turnaround going. He'd have to rely on runners more or Karl conceding jumpers

On the other end I don't see Magic providing much resistance defensively against Karl. Way too strong for him and Magic had quick hands but he wouldn't be picking his pocket much

Karl 11-5

prophet_of_rage · Post #11 » by **prophet_of_rage** » Sun Jun 28, 2020 10:08 pm

NBA one on one games end up backdown contests. Malone would beat Magic 1 v 1 more often than not. He would just put him under the basket and score. But if the game is lowers out the score will be like 15 - 13

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