NBA GOAT

[The Admiral 28]

And let's not act like the Spurs of the last two years are the Early 2000's Spurs.

 

Interesting take and a commonly debated topic among Spurs fans.

 

The Spurs have completely changed their style to adapt to their aging roster - and many regard 2014 as the best Spurs championship squad. I still haven't made up my mind which is their best championship roster because of how differently built this 2014 one was. I lean towards 2014 but then I can't sweep away how damn unstoppable Timmy was in his prime. Mercy.

 

Regarding the GOAT, it's Jordan without question for me. Think it's kind of ridiculous to try and vouch against him.

Edited July 29, 2014 by The Admiral

[Phins4life 271]

Everyone downplaying Wilt for the "era" he was in is guilty of modern day prejudice. Happens a ton in sports.

 

It is, however, an unfortunate truth that due to the evolution of any sport, comparing athletes from across multiple generations of said evolution is unfair to BOTH athletes. I'm playing devil's advocate here, so bear with me. It's a reason I typically avoid GOAT arguments like the plague. Strategies and skillsets to get around or defend your opponent are constantly changing, and we will never know how a guy from an older generation would have handled the speed, size, finesse, blah, blah, blah of the newer generation, or vice-versa. The one thing we can probably say for sure is that the competitive spirit that made the players great WITHIN their generation would have likely led them to build themselves up to the level required to become an all-time great in any era. It's in their very nature to compete among the best. But unless we could ever see all these greats play in the same era, under the same conditions, same everything, the GOAT will almost always be a product of what specific qualities each individual professional and amateur critic considers the epitome of greatness. Personal preference. I think Barry Sanders is the greatest RB of all time, someone else thinks it's Jim Brown, and someone else is convinced it's Walter Payton (not a hijack attempt...just the only example I could think of quickly). Are we all wrong? Are we all right?

 

Back to basketball in particular, is it fair at all for there to only be one GOAT among players at different positions with different roles? I am in agreement with the people who are not convinced that it's an open/shut case. But I also don't think it can ever be a conclusive one in anyone's favor. Or maybe somebody will come along and average a quintuple-double and make it easy for us.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Phins4life

[FL Colt Fan 8]

 

It is, however, an unfortunate truth that due to the evolution of any sport, comparing athletes from across multiple generations of said evolution is unfair to BOTH athletes. I'm playing devil's advocate here, so bear with me. It's a reason I typically avoid GOAT arguments like the plague. Strategies and skillsets to get around or defend your opponent are constantly changing, and we will never know how a guy from an older generation would have handled the speed, size, finesse, blah, blah, blah of the newer generation, or vice-versa. The one thing we can probably say for sure is that the competitive spirit that made the players great WITHIN their generation would have likely led them to build themselves up to the level required to become an all-time great in any era. It's in their very nature to compete among the best. But unless we could ever see all these greats play in the same era, under the same conditions, same everything, the GOAT will almost always be a product of what specific qualities each individual professional and amateur critic considers the epitome of greatness. Personal preference. I think Barry Sanders is the greatest RB of all time, someone else thinks it's Jim Brown, and someone else is convinced it's Walter Payton (not a hijack attempt...just the only example I could think of quickly). Are we all wrong? Are we all right?

 

Back to basketball in particular, is it fair at all for there to only be one GOAT among players at different positions with different roles? I am in agreement with the people who are not convinced that it's an open/shut case. But I also don't think it can ever be a conclusive one in anyone's favor. Or maybe somebody will come along and average a quintuple-double and make it easy for us.

Oscar Robertson comes to my mind. Whether he can be in the GOAT conversation is a question, but his skills cannot be denied. Only player in history to average a triple double in a season and continued to be dominate. Just thought I would throw his name in the mix. MJ is the only player in the near past that I can see was better than the big "O" .

Edited August 6, 2014 by FL Colt Fan