For my greatest team of all-time (not best at each position, I'd be taking into account fit) Stockton would be my starting PG. Magic couldn't shoot from long range and isn't quick enough to guard modern day PG's. Paul controls the ball too damn much, as did Magic (which lead to turnovers). I think Magic probably is the best PG of all-time, but man, for the best at his position he sure does have a lot of deficiencies.
Some of you guys are seriously selling Paul short, even if he isn't as good as Magic. He's one of the best to ever play.
lol. With Kareem out for Game 6 of the Finals with an ankle injury, Magic got on the plane and sat in Kareem's seat. He said "Never fear, E.J. is here". During the game, he proceeds to play the center position. Final line : 42 pts, 15 rebs, 7 assists, 3 steals, a victory, and the Championship. He was 20 years old at the time. What people have to realize is there are great players and there is greatness. Mitch Richmond was a great player. Michael Jordan is greatness. Brad Daugherty was a great player. Hakeem Olajuwon is greatness. CP3 is a great player. Magic Johnson is greatness.
IMO, that game was a significant historic event for the NBA. Kareem was an absolute MONSTER in that series and then he couldn't play game 5. Magic stepped up like no rookie had done before or since. CP3 is probably the best PG in the NBA right now but it isn't fair to compare him to an all-time great like Magic.
The reverse works though. Nostalgia is very powerful. Everyone has formative years as a fan that they will cling to. Fans who grew up watching Michael will say he was the best ever no matter what ever happens with any player going forward. Fans who grew up with Cousy swear by him. If you grew up in the Magic era he captured your fandom. He was iconic in a heyday era for the NBA. It wouldn't actually matter whether or not Paul was better because you'd never believe it.
And of course this is something we all remember. Is Magic an incredible basketball player? Yes, undeniably better than Paul as a basketball player. That moment speaks to Johnson being a great basketball player. But does that mean you take him over Paul? What if the opposing team has Tony Parker on it? I didn't pick Paul or Magic. I refused to vote. Magic is better, no doubt. A better PG? Depends...
Actually the better comparison would be Isiah vs CP3. I would actually have a tougher time choosing between the 2.
Magic was 20 years old when he won the Finals MVP. Think about that for a second. 20 years old on the worlds biggest stage as a rookie and he dominated. This a year after he won an NCAA championship. He went to the finals 9 out of the 12 years he played before the HIV announcement, and won 5 championships. To me Magic was better than MJ because he made everyone around him better from the second he stepped on the court.
Magic Johnson is one of the five best players of all time by any metric. I'd rank him first. The idea that he couldn't guard other point guards is stupid. He's 6'8 - he wouldn't guard the other point guard anyway. Magic could play five spots and even without the flare, was a tremendous leader. He basically averaged 20/7/11 which is insane. (Paul is 19/4/10). I like Chris Paul. A lot. But anyone thinking a comparison to magic is worthwhile is an idiot. Thomas is a much more interesting comparison.
I don't want to vote because it's hard to compare between eras and go against Magic's accomplishments, but y'all should look up some advanced stats on Paul. Y'all make him sound like he's a scrub. He's a super underrated all-time great. He's definitely better than Isiah Thomas at least. Paul has a career PER of 25.5 while Thomas's is 18.1. TS%? Paul .575, Thomas .516. Paul has 120.3 career win shares while Thomas has 80.7 and he played 5 more seasons. The "accomplishments" argument can't be applied when the statistical difference is that vast.
Absolutely, Morey is a Genius! But have you ever stopped to think that when you are trying to convince a player (CP3) to join your team you might want to flatter him a bit? There is no way Magic comes out of retirement at 53yrs old so you butter up the 28yr old instead. Really at THIS point there is no comparison. ....... ....... .......
