It's because they have a stupid coach. Marion may not shut down Manu every time, but he's good enough to contain Manu 4 out of 7 games. But he can't do that on bench.
That list was pretty jacked up Pluto. There's too much of remembering the past as far better than it really was going on. I'm not saying Pau and Bynum are all-time greats, but they're both athletic, tall, and skilled. The 90's was a different style that allowed a lot of non-skilled oafs to play big minutes for a team. Every team felt the need to play a 7ft giant no matter how bad of a player he was...and there were a bunch of terrible players in terms of lack of skill. Now Mason/Oakley were tough legit NBA players with good position defense and decent jumpers and Mase had nice handles and vision. But come on! Pau Gasol would destroy either defender on the low block, ESPECIALLY with today's NBA rules (no extended forearm, no hands when the player faces up). Hmm, I guess it's hard to be objective when the eras, styles, and rules are different. But I will always say Dream was the greatest because his size, talent, and skill set is portable to ANY era. And I'm not just saying he'd be good at any era, but that he'd be dominant in any era. His combination of strength, shooting touch, footwork, speed, quickness, agility, instinct, smarts...he was one-of-a-kind. But I digress...I'm trying to think of where Pau-Bynum would be in the 90's...they probably belong at the bottom of this group: Dream-Barkley (Even though Dream-Thorpe and Dream-Horry won the championships, I'd argue that Dream-Barkley was a more talented and productive C-PF duo that only came up short due to bad guard play and cheating Jazz) Shaq-Campbell (Campbell is big and talented enough to hold his own...he's like a slightly less skilled Bynum, and mid 20s Shaq was a monster) But I'd argue better than tier 2 Zo (prime) -PJ Brown (prime) Sabonis (old) - Sheed (young) Kemp (prime) - Perkins (old) Smits - Davisesssss So in any given year in the 90's I think I could fairly state that Bynum and Gasol would be a top 5 duo. This is based on talent, size, athleticism, and skill because comparing eras is too difficult due to rules and styles differing.
I agree to a point, but that the best teams had competent and greatly skilled centers. Also, I would say a good portion of starting centers from that period of time could probably come into the league today and start. You probably could name 12-15 centers who could start now from that era. While, we could pick a list of modern starting centers who would have trouble cracking a top 10 list in 87-98. That is one of the thing s that have made this era, very weak in comparisons to past times...is not having a solid to above average center who is legitimate threat on offense, defense, or both, every game. If Gasol and Bynum in vice versa in playing the old style, their numbers would decrease, I'd say Gasol's would decrease a little more than Bynum's, because he is not a very physical player. Being physical or being able to negate was almost a necessity for a center or power forward. Still think they would be effective players, but they would not seem nearly as dominant against real competition.
I still do not think they are easily in top 5: Dream-Barkley (Thorpe/Horry, Dream by himself, would be handful Gasol/Bynum, no way Bynum either one could go one on one with Olajuwon) Shaq/Campbell (or Grant-Magic, see Dream) Patrick Ewing/Oakley/Mason - or the JVG lineup with Camby and LJ (If you add Ewing to that mix, Bynum and Gasol are nowhere near Patrick Ewing in impact on the game and carrying a team to victories, then you put two talented roughnecks on his side. The Knicks trio win that matchup fairly easy. Oakley and Mason were both really good rebounders and defenders, in fact Oakley lead couple of seasons in rebounding. Also, David Robinson/Dennis Rodman (This another combo that brings a little bit more to table than the Lakers duo) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gasol/Bynum might land right in this group (ranging from top to bottom). Mutombo/Laettner (Mutombo is another player who could possibly cancel both of them out, while Laettner was in fact an NBA all star at the time and a pretty good power forward, I dare say comparable to Gasol and brought the same length.) Mourning/Brown (Was a pretty good combo, P.J. Brown being nearly 40 years old was vital against the Lakers in his short time, during the NBA Finals. You put a much younger P.J. with fresher legs, you'd have beast of a defensive player. At that with one of the greatest defensive centers ever in Alonzo Mourning who had not yet endured the kidney problems that would later put his career on brief hold. I think there is alot of carryover, because of players who are still active that played in the 90s, Shaq being one. Also, look at how the Lakers frontline has struggled against teams who actually do have skilled big men or players who can play defense in the paint fairly well. Point to Denver, Portland, Houston (with Yao and Mutombo). People can and do use the same argument with any other player, like take MJ or even lesser all-stars like Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, or Jerry Stackhouse, for example. If there still performing at a high level, even being past their prime and against what some people call greater competition. Why would it be hard to believe that such players would be pretty good, if not better, if they were a few years younger and playing in today's league. More in the way of Gasol/Bynum, I keep looking at last year's series against the Rockets and Nuggets, or even this year's series against the Thunder at times. If you got these two gigantic guys who are super talented and near unbeatable on the block, but all of sudden they are shut down or outplayed by the likes of our guys (Hayes, Scola, and Landry, very undersized tandem, even for the 80s-90s), or the Nuggets frontline (Birdman, Nene, and Martin). I'm just saying is entirely possible to believe that superior players from 90s. Given that the competition is not what it used to be at center, the rules are more waterdown (no forearms, too much physical play-unless it is against Yao Ming or Shaq, and fouls), while both Gasol/Bynum's numbers in this era as we sit in today are really anything spectacular. Neither one really has the ability to carry a team through the playoffs (something both Mutombo and Mourning did), while Gasol's best numbers are roughly 20 ppg and a mere 9 (this was the first season he averaged over 10 rebounds a game). Both are athletic players, but they aren't by any means otherworldly athletic. There are a group of players who are as equally as athletic, if not more so, than both, while some are probably not as good all around as Gasol/Bynum. I'd also like to contend, not every 7 footer was lumbering waste 250, like I've said earlier most teams in 90s had competent centers or one who was adequate.
I can't say Bynum/Gasol are a top combo. They look like studs against teams with unskilled bigs or smaller frontcourt players, but when I see them play against dudes with size (like the Celtics, or Magic, or Cavs) then they don't look as dominant. Just think about this for a second...the Lakers may make it all the way to the Finals without facing a team with a stud over 6-9. And some of you don't realize that the league is weak now when it comes to elite bigs? There are more wings now but when it comes to bigs it's the exact opposite.
not that i have much sympathy for jazz players and calls in utah, but that last offensive foul on deron and then that foul on the 3 were terrible. they are in love with fisher right now. of course, deron got free throws on an obvious off-arm offensive foul a few plays before against shannon brown so one evened out.
When did you start watching basketball? Your BBall IQ is as low. Time to fill up your reservoir with a SLAM mag subscription!
