Day 1 of 5 Day Series: Point Guards

Samson

Wholesome Black Man
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
3,374
Reputation
2,170
Daps
12,057
Reppin
Haitian Gang
In 2016, ESPN did a top 10 all-time list for all 5 positions. Today, Day 1, is point guards. The day 3 discussion is going to be fun. :mjgrin:


Do y'all still agree? Who would you move up or down?

1. Magic Johnson
i
Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1979-91, 1995-96)

Honors
Three-time MVP (1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90), three-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Career stats
19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, .520 FG%

The player
The greatest point guard in NBA history. Magic had unparalleled vision; he could see players get open and deliver the ball before they even realized they were open. He could play any spot on the court as well. -- J.A. Adande

His Game 6 in the 1980 Finals, while jumping center as a 20-year-old rookie, has to be on the Mt. Rushmore of greatest postseason performances in league history. -- Micah Adams

No one was more dynamic, or magical, with the ball in the open court than Earvin Johnson. He lifted the Lakers, and transition basketball, to ethereal levels. He was transcendent. -- Rob Peterson

One can only imagine how impressive his career totals might have been if not for the HIV virus. He had the best peak for any point guard in NBA history, hands down. -- Kevin Pelton

2. Oscar Robertson
i

Teams
Cincinnati Royals (1960-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-74)

Honors
MVP (1963-64), 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1960-61), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1971)

Career stats
25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, .485 FG%

The player
Mr. Triple Double was so far ahead of his time in terms of size, speed, strength and stats. -- Peterson

He was the forerunner of Magic Johnson and LeBron James, and it's telling that both of those stars revere the Big O. -- Brad Doolittle

Robertson's averaging a triple-double in 1961-62 is probably overrated because it was a product of the fast-paced play in the 1960s, but his role in the Milwaukee Bucks' early '70s championship run is probably underrated. -- Pelton

Perhaps the most incredible part of the Big O's triple-double season is that he finished third in MVP voting (behind winner Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 50.4 PPG). -- Adams

3. John Stockton
i
Teams
Utah Jazz (1984-2003)

Honors
10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, .384 3P%

The player
Surely the most underappreciated great player in NBA history because he was quietly dependable rather than flashy and never broke through on the biggest stage. The true driving force of his partnership with Karl Malone. -- Pelton

So precise with his passes and timely with his shots. His huge hands allowed him to pass as effectively with one hand as most could with two. -- Adande

He led the NBA in assists nine straight seasons from 1987 to 1996. -- Adams

He could hurt defenses in so many ways: Controlling tempo was one, and he was a hell of a defender, too. -- Peterson

4. Stephen Curry
i
Teams
Golden State Warriors (2009-present)

Honors
MVP (2014-15), two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection

Championships
1 (2015)

Career stats
21.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.9 APG, .441 3P%

The player
The best shooter ever not just in terms of accuracy but also in creatively getting looks with but a sliver's opening and with unlimited range. -- Doolittle

Over the past season and a half, Curry has played point guard as well as anyone else in NBA history. -- Pelton

No player his size, 6-foot-3, has ever bent defenses to his will as Curry does. -- Peterson

He's one of only a few players in history who has been deemed too good for the sport's own good. -- Haberstroh

5. Isiah Thomas
i
Teams
Detroit Pistons (1981-94)

Honors
Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1989, 1990)

Career stats
19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG

The player
Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. At 6-foot-1, he's the shortest NBA Finals MVP in league history, a reflection of his unique ability to dominate at the point guard position. -- Adande

The only players in NBA history with more games with 20 points and 10 assists are Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. -- Adams

Thomas was as tough as they come, could score with the best of them (such a sweet stroke) and, make no mistake, was the baddest of the Bad Boys. --Peterson

Thomas' willingness to share the spotlight helped make the Bad Boy Pistons incredible, and he had a consistent ability to step up his game in the postseason during Detroit's title runs (and near miss in 1988). -- Pelton

6. Chris Paul
i

Teams
New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers, (2011-present)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (2005-06)

Championships
None

Career stats
18.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 9.9 APG, 2.3 SPG

The player
The classic definition of a point guard, orchestrating offense and shooting when necessary. One of the best -- and quickest -- lob passers the game has ever seen. -- Adande

The best two-way small player in league history, Paul embodies the era in which he plays by running the pick-and-roll as well as anyone has ever run it. -- Doolittle

Perhaps someday Paul will reach the conference finals and we can focus more on his incredible accomplishments as a scorer, distributor and defender and less on his teams' inability to turn them into deep playoff runs. -- Pelton

If he had played with The Mailman or a defense as stout as the Pistons, he might have made a couple of Finals by now. -- Peterson

7. Steve Nash
i

Teams
Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-15)

Honors
Two-time MVP (2004-05, 2005-06), eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, .428 3P%

The player
Wayne Gretzky on the court, Nash could hurt opponents by getting rid of the ball quickly or by holding on to it for so long that the defense finally made a mistake. -- Adande

Nash is the only player in history to go 50-40-90 while averaging 10 assists per game. He did it not once, not twice, but three times. -- Adams

For nine consecutive years, Nash's teams led the NBA in offensive rating. Still, Nash's greatest historical legacy will be paving the way for Stephen Curry and a new generation of point guards in a league that embraced point guards making plays with a wide-open court. -- Pelton

Today's children will ask, "Who was the Steph Curry before Steph Curry?" Nash is the answer. -- Haberstroh

8. Jason Kidd
i

Teams
Dallas Mavericks (1994-96, 2008-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-08), New York Knicks (2012-13)

Honors
10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1994-95)

Championships
1 (2011)

Career stats
12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.9 SPG

The player
Probably the most versatile point guard in NBA history, and perhaps a tad underrated given that the focus on his assists overshadowed how valuable his defense was. -- Kevin Pelton, NBA Insider

May be the strongest point guard ever and consistently made everyone around him better. -- Tom Haberstroh, NBA writer

No guard in NBA history pulled down more rebounds than Kidd, who finished with more career rebounds than Willis Reed and Alonzo Mourning, among others. -- Adams

Combined savvy with underrated strength. Went from dominating games strictly with his passing to making the fifth-most 3-pointers in NBA history. -- Adande

9. Walt Frazier
i

Teams
New York Knicks (1967-1977), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-1980)

Honors:
7-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA selection, 7-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1970, 1973))

Career stats
18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, .490 FG%

The player
Paradoxically tough on the court and flashy off of it, Frazier epitomized the '70s-era backcourt style in which roles were less defined. -- Doolittle

The great Knicks ball-movement offense started with him. -- Peterson

A menace on both ends of the court, Frazier was at his best in the 1970 NBA Finals when tallied 36 points, 19 assists, 7 rebounds in a title-clinching Game 7. -- Adams

The fashion forerunner to Russell Westbrook. -- Adande

10. Bob Cousy
i

Teams
Boston Celtics (1950-1963), Cincinnati Royals (1969-70)

Honors
MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
6 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)

Career stats
18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5APG, .375 FG%

The player
The undisputed first great point guard, Cousy remains the only guard in NBA history to be named First-Team All-NBA in 10 straight seasons. -- Adams

An early ballhandling wizard, he was a point guard who was a focal point at a time when the game was dominated by big men. -- Adande

Possessed incredible court vision and creativity, all while orchestrating the frenetic game pace of his era. -- Doolittle

Cousy was an And-1 mix tape in black-and-white. He was a master at leading the fastbreak, which led to Celtics titles. When people think of NBA point guards, he set the mold. -- Peterson

Source

At the time of the list, Steph had one championship. As a 3 time champion, he moves up to 3 if not 2, right?
 

Samson

Wholesome Black Man
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
3,374
Reputation
2,170
Daps
12,057
Reppin
Haitian Gang
Kidd should be higher than Nash & CP

Steph should be #2 right now

Clyde has 2 rings, how is CP ahead of him?

CP3 is the best point guard to never win a ring, I think Paul's individual greatness plays a role in that.

How was Zeke so low on the initial list
:hhh:

Media hates him like they do Kobe

How high are you putting IT? Magic, Oscar, and Steph are ahead of him. I see him 4th, Stockton is the one to high.
 

Long Live The Kane

Tyrant Titan
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
16,103
Reputation
4,030
Daps
59,809
CP3 is the best point guard to never win a ring, I think Paul's individual greatness plays a role in that.



How high are you putting IT? Magic, Oscar, and Steph are ahead of him. I see him 4th, Stockton is the one to high.

Would've had him under only magic and (I guess) Oscar on the first list... Now I'd throw steph over him as well
 

Controversy

Superstar
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
13,258
Reputation
-295
Daps
35,264
Reppin
Philly
CP3 is the best point guard to never win a ring, I think Paul's individual greatness plays a role in that.



How high are you putting IT? Magic, Oscar, and Steph are ahead of him. I see him 4th, Stockton is the one to high.

John Stockton is the best PG to never win a ring

CP0 is an injury prone mental midget who routinely gets shown up by other great PGs from Deron Williams to Steph to Russ
 

Samson

Wholesome Black Man
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
3,374
Reputation
2,170
Daps
12,057
Reppin
Haitian Gang
John Stockton is the best PG to never win a ring

CP0 is an injury prone mental midget who routinely gets shown up by other great PGs from Deron Williams to Steph to Russ

What's with the unwarranted personal attack on CP3? :hhh:
Paul is the better scorer and they're about even as distributors, Paul is the better two-way player, will have more accolades. He is a great player but had bad luck with injuries. Stockton never winning means his contemporaries beat him too, both of them faced opposing point guards with better teams.
 

Controversy

Superstar
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
13,258
Reputation
-295
Daps
35,264
Reppin
Philly
What's with the unwarranted personal attack on CP3? :hhh:
Paul is the better scorer and they're about even as distributors, Paul is the better two-way player, will have more accolades. He is a great player but had bad luck with injuries. Stockton never winning means his contemporaries beat him too, both of them faced opposing point guards with better teams.

Stockton made it to the finals twice...I doubt CP0 ever passes him in dimes
 

MostReal

Bandage Hand Steph
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
25,394
Reputation
3,362
Daps
57,425
How was Zeke so low on the initial list :hhh:

Media hates him like they do Kobe

right Zeke was #2 right behind Magic until Curry surpassed him this year. I don't know where they get off putting Stockton over him. :rudy:


Curry sits comfortably at #2 right now. :smugfavre: He might even catch Magic, will be hard to add two more championships etc onto his belt. His rise has been so fast though that it is possible if he keeps on this type of trajectory

The Gravity Gawd, Off Ball Terrorist :blessed:
 

Samson

Wholesome Black Man
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
3,374
Reputation
2,170
Daps
12,057
Reppin
Haitian Gang
right Zeke was #2 right behind Magic until Curry surpassed him this year. I don't know where they get off putting Stockton over him. :rudy:


Curry sits comfortably at #2 right now. :smugfavre: He might even catch Magic, will be hard to add two more championships etc onto his belt. His rise has been so fast though that it is possible if he keeps on this type of trajectory

The Gravity Gawd, Off Ball Terrorist :blessed:

Curry is never catching Magic, not without FMVPs :sas1:
He isn't comfortably 2nd :pachaha:
Oscar Robertson was a beast, he just played in Wilt and Russell's era.
 
Top