Who are some of the "greatest" players that never won a playoff series?

Reggie Miller gets my vote

 

A series, not a ring.

 

I don't think there are any "great" players who have ever won a playoff series...heck can anyone even name a "good" player who has never won a playoff series?

 

Tracy McGrady is a GOOD player to retire never winning a playoff series. Oops! Did I say retire? I meant retire.

 

You know, this thread really makes you think.

Barkley
Ewing
KG

None of these guys have a ring but Barkley and Ewing both made it to the Finals and spent much of their careers on contending teams. KG at least went to the WCF.

Tmac (and Yao) should have at least made some noise by now.

 

yeah, but it took KG a while to reach the playoffs, and then they only advanced what, in that one year.

So KG's record in playoffs is 2-8, and he didn't win his first series until 2003-2004....almost 10 years in the league.

 

That is soon to change on the Celts

 

Gasol nor the Memphis Grizzlies themselves have never even recorded a playoff win let alone a series.

 

But he did it.

The more I think about it, it seems highly unlikely for a player to be in the league ten years and not be part of at least ONE team that got out of the first round.

 

Nope. Disgracy is in a league of his own on this one. I would not consider him a "great" player at this point either.

 

Steve Francis?

Chris Paul looks like he'll be great.. and I don't think he's even been to the playoffs.

 

that's true, I can't really think of anyone...but melo has been in the playoffs 4 times so far in his career and hasn't won a series yet...

 

Dominique Wilkins was 8 times allstar. Once voted on first team all nba, 4 times second team all nba.

He won only 3 playoff series in his 17-year career, never getting past the second round.

 

Rockets
Steve Francis
Yao Ming
Tracy McGrady

Non Rockets
Stephon Marbury
Carmelo Anthony
Pau Gasol

 

Let me add that Wilkins never won a 7-game series. In the old days, the first round was best-of-3. Later they changed to best-of-5. The longer the series, the harder it is for the weaker team to achieve an upset.

I know it sounds funny, and I am not defending T-Mac. But winning is overrated in measuring an individual player's greatness in a team sport. Winning is more about what kind of team you play for than what kind of player you are.

Kevin Garnett only got past the first round once in 8 years. He was labeled a soft loser. Now, if the Celtics win a championship this year, he would suddenly change from a loser to a winner. What did he change? Nothing other than teammates.

 

the celtics haven't won a playoff series for this season yet. everybody assumes they will, but who gave GS a chance against the mavs?

 

I did. Anyone worth his salt knew the Warriors weren't a true 8th seed going into the playoffs. They'd been party to one of the most massive trades in NBA history and had to take time to get chemistry going. And that huge win streak in the end of the season just proved how well they play when they've got it going. Couple that with the fact that I was living in d/FW; I watched so many Mavs games that I understood the weaknesses in the team. Dirk CAN be shut down. And they only had a single slasher. Couple that with the Little General's inexperience coaching (and thus the greater likelihood that he'd try to out-Nellieball Nellie) and you have a recipe for failure.

The current fear with the Celtics is that they'll be burned out by the time the Playoffs come. However, barring a major trade, I just don't see that there's a team in the East with the ability to make a push and beat them. Chicago is the closest, but their lack of interior scoring is going to push them to have to play Nellieball... And you can't out-Nellieball Nellie. Detroit, Orlando, Toronto, and Washington won't fall to 8th seed. As much as I love Lebron, he can't outdo KG AND Ray Allen AND Paul Pierce.

 

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Easy,

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, the Pistons..
the east was strong back then