[Ball Don't Lie] Top 10 Small Forwards of the Last Decade

McGrady should be ahead to Pierce for the sole fact that Pierce was never a top tier player ever in his career. Before KG and Allen got to Boston, he was a forgotten player, shoved aside, no one thought of him as a true franchise superstar. T-Mac on the other hand dominated in the first half of the decade and was superstar first 2-3 years in Houston.

Also Shawn Marion needs to be on that list around 4-5. Can't find a wingman who can do more than Marion, shoot, rebound, play defense...all in one package.

 

i think you are underestimating Pierce. He is a great player and has had an astounding career. His team had limited coverage before KG got there because they sucked. Not many people outside of boston really knew how good he was. Plus he has a ring and he is rated higher on nba 2k10

 

Can you even count McGrady as a Small Forward? I have and always will regard him as a Shooting Guard. If he is on a top 10 list of small forwards, then Kobe Bryant would have to be on there as well.

And Joe Johnson and Rashard Lewis? Are you kidding me? They should be on the "Top 10 most overpaid Small Forwards" list if they are on any list.

Even still, Joe Johnson isn't a Small Forward, he is a shooting guard. Is this from the same writer that proclaimed Morey and Ainge in the top 10 GM's of the last decade? Another epic failure.

 

yea thats true... if the KG trade never went down al jefferson would be the face of the franchise

 

McGrady has often been listed as a SF, though you are right that he has played just as much as a 2G, but so have a lot of players on this list. That is often the case with tall wing players. They usually are considered capable of either position. Every one on this list has spent at least a year of their career primarily as a SF.

 

I know many think he's overrated but he didnt even make the list ?

 

Marion is on the Kelly's PF list. And Duncan is going to be on his C list (it will be interesting to see the reaction on here when Yao gets bumped down a knotch to make way for Duncan).

 

No way. I've read somewhere that Celtic's owner has a Pierce jersey on the wall of his office

 

pierce's playoff success put him there. through their careers, never once has pierce been mentioned as a top 5 (or even 10) player consistently nor have you heard any analyst consider pierce better than mcgrady.

but considering tracy's playoff failures, it's hard to argue even if they put carmelo over him.

 

I can't put Pierce ahead of McGrady. I know he has the ring and has been consistently a second tier player but Pierce at his best is as good as McGrady on a so-so year. Pierce never knocked on the door of being a megastar the way McGrady was up until the last few years.

Judging by the other people on this list, Kelly is making his decision solely on personal accomplishments and Pierce is just not in McGrady's world.

 

Exactly. I almost wrote the same thing. This list is based off of personal success so there is no logical reason to put Pierce ahead of McGrady.

 

I'm leaning towards McGrady myself.

McGrady has made 2 All-NBA 1st teams, 3 All-NBA 2nd teams, and 2 All-NBA 3rd teams this decade. Pierce has made 1 All-NBA 2nd team, and 3 All-NBA 3rd teams.

According to basketball-reference, McGrady has accumulated 0.855 MVP award shares this decade (6 top 10 finishes in MVP voting). Pierce has only only 0.04 MVP award shares (just 1 top 10 finish in MVP voting).

 

maybe kelly read that pierce proclaimed himself as the best player a year ago

 

And HEALTH should be a major factor too, if you aren't healthy, then you aren't helping your team win.

 

Thats not entirely true, if you compare their stats throughout their career, other than TMAC's unreal 02-03 season, they're quite similar. And to add to that, Pierce has had playoff success, including epic battle vs. Labron. I dont find it lame that he's ahead of TMAC, far from it.

 

McGrady has undoubtedly gotten much more recognition than Pierce prior to the Celtics championship season. But you're right -- they're pretty close. I like McGrady, but a good argument can be made either way. Other than one bad season for Pierce, he's been extremely durable.

 

your opinion sucks, and holds no merit. at least pierce made it out of the first round of the play-offs before garnett and allen arrived (walker/pierce era).

 

For all the flack TMac gets for never getting out of the first round, he has had better playoff numbers than Pierce. TMac may be a big baby, but it isn't like he disappears in the playoffs.