Make it, take it, it's got to be AI. No one can stay in front of him. Even if you back off to give him the shot, he's still got a better than even chance of getting around you. When Vince won at the Olympics, Iverson wasn't there.
Ummm....I know it ain't freaking Pistol Pete like, but you have seen him take it coast to coast right?
Paul Pierce Jason Kidd T-Mac Iverson Kobe Shaq KG Dirk Duncan Marbury Paul Pierce is good. He can shoot. But he has this strategy. The way he succeeds is to get past his man and draw fouls and go to the free throw line. Or he just shoots. Or when he is double teamed.....he passes it out. He is excellent at that. Jason Kidd....all right 1on1.....not that great actually....but he's special. Best point guard on a team. T-Mac is pretty unstoppable. Can't stop him....really. One-on-one impossible. Iverson....well he can get past anyone. Good one-on-one player. But can't defend. Kobe also spectacular one-on-one. Good defender. Has all the moves. Practices all day. Shaq......if there were no referees around....he would literally kill you by accident..... KG is a good player....never has to iso....well he looks good when he shoots. Not the best 1on1 player though. Dirk is good. But not a streetballer. No crossovers. But he can shoot. He's 7 feet tall. He can post up. He is everything. Almost unstoppable. Marbury's all right. He's strong. He's tough. He can kinda dribble. He makes all these amazing layups. But I don't like him. Best one-on-players....uhh....they're all good on offense. But Marbury vs. Shaq?
well assuming shaq can't just back into iverson and flatten him, he will have to do some minor maneuvering to back him all the way down (as opposed to dribbling at iverson) and if iverson just keeps popping from side to side (or doing fake jabs and going the other way), shaq may guess wrong once and get it stolen, or, again, smash iverson to the floor and get a foul called (assuming we have some sort of rules in this one on one contest). also, no matter how good shaq's dribbling is for a center, it would look like a big plate of meat to a small speed demon like AI. each dribble would bounce up to about his chest and he'd have all day to go after it. as for D, shaq would be able to back off to about 10 feet and practically pivot and still have the basket covered but iverson could still eventually get around him (or tire him out so much that it's easier). plus, while iverson may suck at shooting in nba environments (running off picks, shooting really quick before 3 guys get there, etc), given the openness and freedom of one on one, he wouldn't have much trouble stroking 15 footers all day if you choose to back off enough he can't go around you (which would basically be standing under the basket). starbury i can see being a good choice with his speed, strength and shot. kobe is virtually unstoppable being guarded one on one (will post up small players, driver around big ones, sweet shot if you back off), and kobe can D up. mobley would also be superb. no way you can back off with his shot (plus he gets it off so fast), and he will go around you (just like AI, just a tiny bit slower) if you don't back off. plus he's good on D and has the quickness to keep you in front of him. cat has amazing one on one skills. but all in all, i'm still going with AI, just too quick.
Lol! You know what the weird thing is...I'm not even that much of a fan...When we had T-Mac and Carter, I drove all my friends batty talking about how T-Mac was more complete, and going to be a better all around player. My favorite Rap now is far and away Alvin Williams. But....it drives me crazy to see how quickly people jump onto the negative hype machine with Carter, just because of the positive hype his game generated when he first came in. I think we're gonna see that kind of thing with Yao too...1st critics say he can only dunk...then he shoots over 40% from behind the arc for two seasons...and people say he doesn't dunk enough...Then they say he takes too many shots, despite never being anywhere near guys like Iverson, Jordan, etc...and then they turn around and say he doesn't take enough shots...it's pretty weird to see the flip-flopping just for the purpose of bashing. Look at the Damed-if-you-do-Damned-if-you-don't Jordan All Star fiasco as an example...Jordan has been bashing Carter ever since VC started getting a lot of attention...NOT that Jordan has ever been competitive or insecure when it comes to media attention...and Carter has never, ever been anything but class with him...even after Jordan ridiculed Carter for asking him for his number so he could invite him to a charity game... Now it's the injuries...and people overlook the fact that he A) Has only had one significant one, he just aggrevated it by trying to play through it/coming back too soon...but he was in fine form at the beginning of this year ( jumping over Duncan, for example) despite saying that he was just getting back into shape...and then he had a compensatoy strain injury, not serious at all, just requiring rest...and then as he was really getting into good form ( dunking like crazy, shooting over 60% for his last 10-15 games) he sprains an ankle, and the already way out of playoff Raps sit him out for the last 7 games ...and people are mentioning Hill ( several surgeries...many on the same joint) and Penny ( again, several surgeries)...Carter has had one...ONE surgery...in his entire life....and it wasn't even very serious...and people are writing him off. Drives me bonkers...I may even be starting to be more of a fan out of sympathy...I used to just respect his ability but hate his lack of consistent defensive effort...
It's not so much that he's good that I like...it's how he plays. He's the quintessentail team player; never gets that Look At Me! Attitude, plays hard as hell, plays hurt all the time and never, ever complains...plays smart, plays extremely good and tough defense...has fantastic TO/Ast and TO/Stl numbers, ie he plays really smart offense...And he's an amazingly clutch player. He's one of those guy who coaches say is all about the name on the front of the jersey rather than the one on the back. In terms of for the Raps, he would be the perfect fit if we're switichin Steve to the 2...I mean the perfect fit. 6-5, long, lean, quick and tough as hell defender who can guard 1s and 2s...Smart ball safe pg who doesn''t dominate the ball, just gets the offense going...He's soooo clutch it's funny, and he is exactly the kind of attitude we need here. He's he guy the Raptors consider their heart and soul because he Walks the Walk, and only talks it behind closed doors, when he feels a teammate isn't pulling their weight...Oh, and he has the most underpublicized WICKED cross over, especially for a guy his height...he just makes people look stupid...it's really something to see...he just doesn't use it that often...He would be perfect. Whether the Raps do it is less debatable...a year or so ago, maybe. But in that time, AW has become thier leader, and they have a top 3 spot with which to get a much better no. 2 scorer than Cuttino provides...and one that can play a position other that Carter's 2, which Mobley can't. I don't see the Raps doing it, in all honesty, but the Rockets should dive in with both hands if Alvin becomes available...[
I think I got a sprained ankle just thinking about trying to guard AI. No one can stay in front of this guy.
IMHO Tmac is the best one on one guy. He's quick, he's long, he can defend almost anybody. He can shoot, he can go to the rack, he can dunk. He can alley hoop to himself for sick dunk. He can nail the 3 with ease.
Shaq won't have to dribble the all the way to the hole from beyond top of the key. he just needs to dribble once and then take two BIG steps toward the basket for a layup. well, it may not be close to the basket enough for a sure layup. but then Shaq is going to get all the rbs against AI.
One on one? Iverson, without a doubt. I'd say Kobe, but after watching Bowen stifle him on a one on one basis, I have to eliminate him. McGrady is solid too, but I have never seen anyone stop Iverson. No one can hold him without HOLDING him, literally. He has the perfect blend of quickness, handles, leaping ability, and anticipation. Amazing...and I don't even like the guy.
Sure, they're tough (AI is great and I don't like him either) but Carter could tea bag any of them. You could probably line up a few of them in a row, same result, tea for everyone!!!
A few things other players and coaches have said about Carter( Roughly...some quotes are not exact, but as close as I can remember, and I tried to err on the side of omission..)... Reggie Miller ( After slam dunk contest Carter won )... " There have been guys before with talent...guys just born to play this game...could run, jump, move...Dr. J, there was Jordan and Dominique...but this guy ( Carter)...he's on a whole other level...Everyone else is here" ( raises hand)"...he's here " (moves hand up.) Kevin Garnett ( At Olympics) re: Losing to Carter one on one..." Man, he's something. I knew he was good...but wow. This was sort of embarrassing, to be honest. It wasn't even close...If there's a guy with more game, I don't know who he is...Awesome, man." re: The Dunk..." You can close the book now. That guy is simply the most talented player there is. Did you see that? ( laughs) Man...Nobody has ever done the stuff (Carter) does...Nobody else would even try it." Rudy T ( Olympics) " I knew form the past that he was a very talented player...but until I got him in a gym, and saw what he could do, I had no idea he was this good. He might have more ability than any player I have seen." Allen Iverson ( Playoffs )..." Yeah...you try guarding him. It ain't easy, man, it ain't easy. He can go over you, around you, or step back and drop it on you...Nobody jumps like this guy, and he's a shooter too, man. I don't know if anyone can do it all like he can." Isiah Thomas ( Regular season matchup ) " He's got a bit of everyone...Hawkins, yeah baby...Dr. J...Michael Jordan...'Nique...He can run and jump as good, probably better than those guys, but what makes him great is he's got that sweet J. When he's on, he's it." There are many, many more...People have forgotten about this guy...but if he's back and healthy, he's the best 1 on 1 guy in the game, period. You can argue that other guys, T-Mac, Kobe, etc. are better guys in a full game...and I might agree with some of them...but what has made this guy so special is his amazing one on one type skill. Iverson is also incredible 1 on 1, but the natural ability, the height and jumping ability separate Carter...I would have maybe said Garnett before the Olympics thing... 1 on 1 favors the mid-rangers, the all around offensive players. Shaq, for example, would abuse Carter or Kobe inside, but he'd have to get it there...and even then the ball bounces such that those guys who can really jump will still get some boards. But when Carter has the ball, what's Shaq gonna do? Come out? Please..play back? See what I mean? One on one between guys of relative ability has always favored the middle guys, always will. Shaq is the most dominat player in the team game...where he can post up and receive the ball...but look what happens to him ( or hapened to Hakeem, who was more skilled) when he tries to put the ball on the floor near smaller guys...And 1 on 1 you have to be able to beat your man to get to the hoop.
btw: this is all in fun. oh, i'm pretty sure I could match you two Iversons for each of your Carters. AI wasn't at the Olympics and you used 3 Olympics quotess. There no chance in hell Carter would stop AI even once. You cannot take the ball from AI. I don't think you can say that about any other player on that list. Carter would be left trying to block him from behind each time. make it, take it...be a man and D up. it's nine ball...Carter better not get stripped once.
1) I agree that AI wasn't at the Olympics...but I am also pretty sure that the players and coaches there making these comments are probably at least as aware of AI's game as you and I are. 2) If you saw the playoffs a couple of years back, you will have seen Carter stop Iverson on several occasions...Agreed that it is a different dynamic, but I'm talking clear out one on ones...and conversely, the Sixers almost never asked Iverson to try and defend Carter...and it's not like the Raps have a small quick point guard that Iverson matched up better with. Also..think about this...Carter is bigger, a better jumper, and a better outside shooter. So he plays off Iverson, doesn't bite on the pumps, and gives himself a step to close on the drive...and Iverson has to either go around a bigger, very quick player who can also outjump him on recovery if he does beat him, or take the J, with which he is erratic. On the other hand, Carter is a much better shooter from the outside, so if they just trade long jumpers, he wins...and which one of them are you gonna take for rebounds on the misses? If AI plays up, which Carter doesn't have to do, he can back him in, or go around him if Iverson overplays.
