Paul Pierce is right and if you disagree, who do you take off?
It is undeniable that LeBron can be in the discussion to be on the Mount Rushmore of all-time basketball players. Cool. We can stop there. Putting Pierce’s personal opinions on LeBron aside, there’s a reason why his nickname is “The King”. The talent is generational. He is the face of not only the NBA, but all of American sports.
That makes him the most powerful NBA player, it doesn’t make him the best. So if LeBron stans have to place him in the top 5 so they can sleep at night, who do you take off?
Michael Jordan:
Let’s just skip the stats and use two numbers. 6 and 0. Six NBA championships and Finals MVPs. No losses. ESPN just aired the biggest documentary in sports history based on this guy that will be copied by numerous athletes (Tom Brady will be first in line!) for the next two to three decades. Take him off the list around this time, no one’s going to listen to your basketball opinions again. In other words next.
Kobe Bryant:
“The Icon” played 20 years with the same franchise collecting 5 NBA titles and is considered the greatest Laker EVER! He scored 81 points which is second in NBA history and well he closed his career out kinda different.
Yeah, okay. He’ll be taken off right? NEXT!
Magic Johnson:
The man Kobe Bryant replaced as the greatest Laker ever. That’s cool because there is no better point guard in the history of the NBA. Period. Before Michael Jordan ruled the NBA, Magic Johnson ran the NBA with the battles with Larry Bird.
Oh by the way, these two players saved the NBA and started the journey of popularity that we all enjoy today. Plus he owns five rings from nine NBA Finals appearances. Plus he’s kinda good though.
NEXT! The man built Showtime. Don’t be blasphemous!
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
“The Captain”. Doesn’t he possess the all-time scoring record in the NBA? Like to this day? Doesn’t he possess the “Sky Hook” considered the most powerful weapon in sports? He has six titles, six NBA MVPs and is totally underrated as one of the greatest players of all time.
Let’s see the resume.
When Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989, he was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points, and became the first NBA player to play for 20 seasons. His career totals included 17,440 rebounds, 3,189 blocks and 1,560 games.
So his reign at the top of the NBA scoring chart has lasted over 30 years and counting? NEXT!
Bill Russell:
People like to say LeBron James runs the team. Bill Russell actually ran the Boston Celtics.
See, Mr. Russell was the first African-American coach in NBA history. He replaced Red Auerbach and player-coached the Celtics to the final two of his 11 NBA titles overall. He is the common denominator of the greatest dynasty in NBA history. Period.
Plus, he had to accomplish this in a racially charged city of Boston where he had to deal with a ton of racism that took years for him to get over. That is called being focused and being a champion.
11 titles in 13 years compared LeBron James’ 3-6 record in the NBA Finals? Sorry.
The fact that people continue to leave Wilt Chamberlain out of the conversation shows people really don’t know the game of basketball. Chamberlain’s name is all over the NBA record book. Multiple rules changes were made to actually slow him down.
The sad question about people being so upset over LeBron James being left off the top 5 list of Paul Pierce is why? Why do fans (Most who never played basketball at this level!) use these sad excuses
- Bill Russell played in a different era.
- Kareem left Milwaukee to go to Los Angeles Lakers.
- Magic was drafted to play alongside the greatest center of all-time in Abdul-Jabbar.
- Michael Jordan, although still the GOAT (Like now!), had Scottie Pippen.
- Kobe Bryant got drafted to play alongside Shaq in his prime (Even though he sat the bench for two seasons!).
Sure these guys came into the league under different situations or benefited from scenarios that LeBron didn’t. Who cares? The game still requires the ball to go through a hoop and one team has to do it more than the other.
Think about all of the NBA players that have come through the NBA in history. Do you really think LeBron James cares about the top 5 of Paul Pierce’s all-time list?
Stop it.
Lake Show Life sends its condolences to the family of Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz. He passed this week at the age of 78. If you give Phil Jackson the credit of glamorizing the “Triangle” offense, you have to give credit to Jerry Sloan for the pick and roll. Plus, he was a great player for the Chicago Bulls.
Thank you for all the battles, Jerry. pic.twitter.com/3m1c0eiobx
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 22, 2020
RIP Mr. Sloan, say hello to Kobe Bryant for us.