BTW, every true Rockets fan knows that the greatest power forward the game has ever known is Elvin Hayes!
I'm no great Spurs fan or anything, but would someone explain the logic to me of how the season being shorter makes the Spurs championship any less of a championship? First, it was still a decent length season. Second, wasn't the season the same length for every team? And to not value the way they made it out of the West this year. Certainly it pales in comparison to the Rockets 2nd championship run, which is far too often overlooked in the record books, but the Spurs beat a lot of good teams this year.
Malone and Pettit are the best ever, no one else is even close. Pettit was the only one to take down Russell besides Wilt (although it took two overtimes, seven games, and an ankle sprain by Russ). McHale and DC should have been the best.
Of course I love Chuckles, but I just can't bring myself to rank him number one, considering his below average defense.
You also must consider that Malone wasn't fortunate enough to play the Knicks and Nets in the Finals.
But I have heard a number of times in the media and from fans that Stockton is the best "pure point guard" ever. In other words, because Magic was 6'9" and averaged 20 ppg and 7 rpg career, he wasn't a true PG.
Last year at 39, Malone averaged 20.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, and 1.7 spg. No other player in the league was able to at least match him in all 4 of those cats. Only Garnett and Webber were able to match him in ppg, rpg, and apg. He also shot better from the field and free throw line than Webber. That's pretty unbelievable. I don't think LA would win next year without either GP or KM. Shaq would have to have another MVP season to come close.
I wasn't sure people argued that - I thought they just said Stockton was the best PG in the halfcourt. A lot of people consider the Big O to be a PG, don't they? Elton Brand rebounds and blocks shots, but people don't accuse him of being a center, do they?
I was playing Phil Donahue devil's advocate. Pure PG was a label people could attach to Stockton to give him recognition for his assist averages because even his supporters knew damn well Magic was the best PG.
But that is because many in the media and many fans can't think, of course Magic was a point guard. Yep, they slice and dice with terms and definitions in a futile quest to create a greatest something label when he was greatest nothing. Magic was the better player, better point guard, whatever legit definition of a greater player you want.
