NBA Lord's NBA Blog

NBA Lord's NBA Blog

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Saturday Slam: How much can Dwyane Wade help the Cleveland Cavaliers?


After clearing waivers following his release from the Chicago Bulls, Dwyane Wade signed a one-year, $2.3M deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. While Wade is in the twilight years of his career, he's still a very good NBA player, averaging 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 60 games with the Bulls last season. If the Cavaliers know how to use him right, Wade could make a huge impact on their quest for another NBA championship.

Like I said above, the key in all of this is for the Cavaliers to use Wade the right way. They can't expect him to play more than 30 minutes per game. They have to use him as a spice, giving him somewhere between 24 and 30 minutes every night while also resting him when appropriate. They need to find this balance between keeping him lubricated and in some sort of rhythm while also not overworking him and jeopardizing his ability to be effective in the playoffs, which is when they really need him.

While Wade has tailed off a bit, he should still be able to play well alongside LeBron James. The two of them really fed off of each other's energy while they were in Miami, especially in the transition. When you have two guys like that out on the wing, you're pretty close to unbeatable.



Health is probably the biggest thing the Cavaliers need to worry about as a collective whole. Isaiah Thomas (hip) isn't expected to be back until January, so it's not like Wade is the only guy whose health needs to be monitored. This team can absolutely contend for a championship. The pieces are there, it's really just a matter of everyone finding a way to stay healthy, which is easier said than done.

If Wade is able to stay healthy and give the Cavaliers the maximum level of production that he is capable of, he's an absolute steal given how much money he's getting paid. Wade is a three-time NBA champion who knows what it's like to play with LeBron. The two of them have been through a lot and know what it takes to win a championship together. Given the moves that the Boston Celtics have made, there's really no reason to not like this move for the Cavaliers.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here


Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Tomahawk Tuesday: Golden State Warriors put Donald Trump in his place



For reasons that I will never understand, President Donald Trump decided to take on the Golden State Warriors, saying that Stephen Curry's invitation to the White House was being withdrawn due to his hesitancy to visit.


In response to our Mickey Mouse of a president, the Warriors released the following statement.


 "While we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the White House, we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited. We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them. We're disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise. 

"In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we'll constructively use our trip to the nation's capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion; the values that we embrace as an organization." 

I have not been shy about my dislike for Donald Trump. I think he's an absolute buffoon and a total embarrassment to what our country is supposed to stand for. He has zero regard for free speech, defends all forms of hatred, and only cares to be president to his base, tuning out the 65% of the country that disapproves of his job.

What's even worse is that President Trump delights in fomenting hatred and making our country even more divided. The fact that we have the President of the United States picking fights with a professional basketball team is just mind boggling to me. I don't know if words can convey just how unprecedented and embarrassing this is. If there was something I could do to give Donald Trump a new brain and a new heart, I would. Unfortunately, he'd have to visit the Wizard of Oz to make that happen.

In contrast, the Warriors stand for freedom of speech, equality, diversity, and inclusion. On a national stage, they showed President Trump how he should be doing his job, which is to care about all Americans regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. I just wanted to take the time to applaud the Golden State Warriors for taking a stand against Donald Trump and reminding him that he doesn't represent those of us who did not vote for him.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here


Monday, September 25, 2017

NBALord.com Podcast: Carmelo gets traded; LeBron slams Trump

                                          (Doug Pensinger. Getty Images) 

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com Podcast, I address Carmelo Anthony getting traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James' comments about Donald Trump, and more. Click here to listen to the podcast.





To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Skyhook Sunday: How dangerous are the Oklahoma City Thunder after landing Carmelo Anthony?


On Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks, giving up Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round pick. For the Knicks, they finally get to build around Kristaps Porzingis and free up tons of cap space (approximately $26.5M per year over the next two seasons). As for the Thunder, they get a player who could be the missing piece to a championship run.

After getting Paul George to pair with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were already cooking with gas, but now that they've landed Carmelo Anthony, they have a legit "Big Three" capable of doing serious damage in the playoffs. Last season, Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; Paul George averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals; Russell Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, the first triple-double average since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.

While the Golden State Warriors still have to be favored to come out of the West, the Thunder might be their biggest threat. Not only do the Thunder have the talent to give the Warriors a scare, they should have the mindset as well. Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony just want to win a ring. They'll be more than willing to sacrifice and share the wealth to accomplish their ultimate goal.

Perhaps what's most scary for the Warriors is the fact that Westbrook appears to have a vendetta against Kevin Durant for the way he left Oklahoma City. There's nothing more scary in today's NBA than an angry Russell Westbrook. When he's angry at you, you don't stand much of a chance. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on his team, he'll be capable of doing even more damage than before.

The bottom line with this Thunder team is that they definitely have the pieces to win an NBA championship. It may take some time for them to gel, but once they click, they'll be scary. Even if they don't go all the way this season, they'll make the season a lot more compelling.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here



Saturday, September 23, 2017

Saturday Slam: What will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony?


The biggest question on the minds of every NBA fan right now is what will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony? According to ESPN, Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade clause if he can get traded to either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Oklahoma City Thunder. He was also willing to go to the Houston Rockets, but that ended up not coming to fruition.

On Wednesday, I wrote about the New York Knicks now needing to be Kristaps Porzingis' team, but of course, the Knicks may not heed my warnings and instead hang onto Anthony through the season. The key thing to understand is that the Anthony has a MASSIVE contract that pays him $26.2M this season and $27.9M the following season. He won't hit unrestricted free agency until 2019 and at that point, a team will be able to sign him for a lot cheaper. To take on that contract for two seasons is only worth it if you truly believe adding Anthony makes your team a legitimate championship contender.

The good news for Anthony (and the Knicks), is he could make both the Cavaliers and Thunder legit championship contenders. LeBron James needs a true sidekick with Kyrie Irving gone, while the Thunder are at least one man short of giving the Golden State Warriors a serious run for their money.



The Thunder to me is the more intriguing destination for Anthony because he'd give them a big three that includes Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Together, Anthony, Westbrook, and George would form a very exciting trio that would make basketball in Oklahoma City great again (sorry, I couldn't resist!). I don't know if that trio would be capable of winning a title, but I'd sure like to find out! As for the Cavaliers, I think that would be a better destination for Anthony since he'd have less competition to deal with. The Cavaliers is the safer team for Anthony to go to, but the Thunder is the more intriguing team since that situation is much more of an unknown.

While I don't know for sure what will happen with Carmelo Anthony, the overall vibe is that something will go down. It's just a matter of when. It could happen this weekend, it could happen right before the trade deadline, etc. It's almost like Donald Trump's impeachment: Everything indicates it's going to happen, but we just don't know when it will happen, exactly.

                                         (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) 

Ultimately, the New York Knicks would be wise to trade Carmelo Anthony, but they need to make sure they get back as much for him as possible. He's a very valuable asset to have and you don't want to give away an asset of his magnitude for nothing. Personally, I think Carmelo Anthony will be with the Knicks through training camp and a trade will happen sometime close to the trade deadline. I could even see him getting shipped out in a last second trade deadline move.

The Knicks would be smart to play this out for as long as possible and make sure they get what they can. Unlike the Kyrie Irving situation,  Carmelo Anthony isn't making the same type of stink about staying put, so it's not like his presence will create bad vibes in the locker room or anything. They can be more patient with this one and see what offers come their way.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Wednesday Windmill: The New York Knicks need to be Kristaps Porzingis' team

                                         (AP/Julie Jacobson) 

As NBA training camps are set to open in the coming days, the New York Knicks still have Carmelo Anthony and it's unclear whether or not he'll remain with the team though the season. So long as Anthony hangs around, he'll remain the face of the Knicks franchise and Kristaps Porzingis will continue to be viewed as part of the future as opposed to the present. That needs to change starting now.

With the 'Melo era not yielding the type of fruit that the Knicks were hoping, it's time for the franchise to turn over a new leaf and start afresh with Porzingis as their centerpiece. During his first two seasons in the league, "Godzingis" has proven his worth as a franchise player, averaging 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Unlike Stephen A. Smith, I have been on the Porzingis hope train from day one. When I watched film of him in preparation for the 2015 NBA Draft, he reminded me of a 7'3", 240 pound Andrei Kirilenko capable of doing virtually everything on the floor.

With Porzingis solidifying himself as a legitimate star in the NBA, the Knicks need to start putting all of their resources into building a quality team around him. The first step towards doing this is to part ways with 'Melo and get back whatever you can for him. So long as 'Melo hangs around, the Knicks will continue to be in no mans land, looking ahead to a Porzingis era while not yet totally ridding themselves of an era that has been a failure.

The failure of this current era doesn't fall on 'Melo. From day one, he has done his part to help this team get back to relevance. The problem is that the Knicks never figured out a way to put the right pieces around him. Now that it's too late to put a contending squad around 'Melo, the least the Knicks can do is trade him to a team that has a shot at winning a championship.

When looking at the New York Knicks, it is clear that Kristaps Porzingis is their franchise player for the future and that they need to start building around him. The longer they hang on to 'Melo, the longer they put off the next chapter of their franchise. It's that simple.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here


Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Tomahawk Tuesday: Don't sleep on the Portland Trail Blazers


Last season, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Mason Plumlee to the Denver Nuggets for Jusuf Nurkic and unfortunately were not able to reap the immediate benefits of the move due to Nurkic suffering a non-displaced right leg fibular fracture at the end of the season. During the 20 games that he played in a Trail Blazers uniform, Nurkic averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game, making an immediate impact and helping the team lock up the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

With a healthy Nurkic, the Blazers finally have a quality low post player to pair with their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The real question is how good will this Blazers team be if they are able to keep their core trio healthy? While it's somewhat a tricky question to answer given all the moves made during the offseason, I think it's safe to say that this Blazers team has all the pieces to get back to the playoffs and possibly win a series pending on who they draw in the first round.

The real think to keep an eye on is what the Blazers do with the excess of power forwards that they have to pair with Nurkic. Ed Davis, Jake Layman, Meyers Leonard, Caleb Swanigan, and Zach Collins can all play the power forward position and it is unclear which of those guys will get the bulk of the minutes alongside Nurkic. There are good odds that the Blazers will trade one of those guys for a quality backup point guard to give their roster a bit more balance. Which one gets shipped is what remains to be seen.

Probably the other main thing to look for with this Blazers team is how ready they are mentally to take that next step. They've been hanging around for the past couple of seasons but have not yet found a way to really give a contender a scare. Lillard and McCollum are at a point of their careers where they should start to make some serious noise in the playoffs. While the addition of Nurkic is huge, it is still up to those two guys to carry the load for this team and take them to that next level where they can actually threaten to reach the conference finals.

Overall, the pieces for success appear to be in place in Portland. They have a fantastic back court and a big man to give them scoring and interior defense down low. They just have to find a way to balance out their roster a bit and build on the success that they had towards the end of last season. While I'm not yet ready to make a prediction on how deep this team goes, I am ready to say that this is a team that deserves our respect and attention as we head in to the 2017-18 season.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here.

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here




Saturday, September 16, 2017

Saturday Slam: NBA Draft lottery reform is a good idea.


Earlier this week, it was announced that on September 28, the NBA board of governors (owners) will vote on draft lottery reform and guidelines for the resting of players. In regards to draft lottery reform, what will be proposed is to lower the chances of the worst team walking away with the #1 overall pick and thus making it a less attractive option to tank.

In the current system, the team with the worst record in the league has a 25% chance of landing the top pick, the second worst team has a 19.9% chance, and the third worst team has a 15.6% chance. What is being proposed is to give each of those teams a 14% chance of landing the top pick and then give the remaining teams in the lottery odds that are slightly lower pending on their record. In addition, landing the worst record in the league wouldn't guarantee a top four pick. You could finish with the worst record and pick fifth instead of fourth if you didn't land one of the top three picks.

Personally, I feel like such a change would be good for the league. Too many teams throughout the league have tanked in order to land a higher draft pick, making the league less competitive and more lopsided. With lower odds of landing a top pick as a result of tanking, franchises would much more incentivized to put their best possible products on the floor and let the chips fall where they may come lottery time.

The only possible problem that could arise from this type of change is the fact that the perception of a rigged lottery could arise with even more full force than usual. Teams that are slotted eighth or ninth could get the top pick with more regularity and thus it could be seen that the league is creating a system that allows them to manipulate the lottery with less suspicion.

However, I do not believe the NBA Draft Lottery is rigged and further, one could actually argue that this type of change would lessen suspicion. By not having any clear-cut favorite to land the top pick, fans of a particular team couldn't cry foul play when their team didn't get the top pick.



The only question is whether or not this type of reform would be the right type of reform. In other words, isn't there more the league could do than this? One possible solution would be to give all teams that miss the playoffs the same odds of landing the top pick. This would really discourage teams from tanking. However, I feel such a solution would be taking things too far. I do believe that teams with the worst record should be rewarded through the draft, but that they shouldn't be guaranteed to get the top pick if they get the worst record.

You want to help your weakest teams get better, but at the same time, you don't want to reward teams for intentionally putting a weak product on the floor. I think what is being proposed is a good solution to this problem since weak teams will get higher picks without being incentivized to completely tank the season.

What would probably be the best solution to this problem is for the league's entire format to change. As it stands, the best team walks away as the NBA champion 80% of the time if not more because of the sheer number of games that the league plays. When you play 82 games, odds that the best team walks away with the top seed or number two seed in their conference are very high. When you play a best of seven series in each round, the odds of the better team advancing are very high as well. The league would be better served to play fewer regular season games (66) and make the first round of the playoffs best of five as opposed to best of seven. That's a change that would create more parity, which is what the league should really want.

While we aren't likely to see those types of changes, I do think that if the owners vote on the proposed lottery reform, that will be a step in the right direction. It's a tricky balance to find between rewarding weaker teams while also not rewarding intentional losing and I think the proposed reform does a pretty good job at finding this balance. The NBA would be smart to vote on this reform, see how it goes, and then tinker with it as needed in the future.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here


Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Tomahawk Tuesday: The Utah Jazz need to ink Rodney Hood to a long-term extension


Earlier this month, Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the Utah Jazz are already engaging in talks with Rodney Hood about a contract extension. Hood, a 4th year shooting guard out of Duke, has emerged as one of the franchises' most promising young talents, having the potential to replace Gordon Hayward as the team's top scorer out on the wing. With him slated to be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2019, the Jazz can prevent him from hitting free agency by signing him to a contract extension.

During his first three seasons in the league, Hood has been a very nice player for this Jazz team, averaging 12.7 points per game on 41.5% shooting from the field, 36.4% shooting from three-point range, and 81.8% shooting from the foul line. With Hayward now gone, Hood is certain to get more touches and play an even more integral role in the team's offense.

Even more importantly, outside of Hood, the Jazz really don't have any good shooters or guys who they can rely on to get points out on the perimeter. If they aren't able to hang on to Hood, the Jazz will really be in a pickle to find themselves a scoring wing.

                                          (Credit: SlamOnline) 

While it is fair to wonder whether nor not Hood will ever become the player that Gordon Hayward is, the Jazz don't really have the luxury to bet that he won't become such a player for them. Right now, Rudy Gobert is the franchise centerpiece and they have to put a quality supporting cast around him in order to keep him in Utah beyond his current contract. The first major step towards putting such a supporting cast around him is to lock up Hood and give Gobert somebody who can take some of the scoring pressure off of him.

The Utah Jazz are in a rather unique position in that they are coming off a very successful season while also losing their top player in free agency. It will be hard for them to carry the momentum from last season into this season as a result. If they can sign Hood to a contract extension, they will be giving themselves another building block for the future and something to help them continue the momentum that they've built during the past few seasons.

Personally, I really like Rodney Hood and was very high on him when he was coming out of Duke. I thought he should have been a lottery pick and so when he fell to the Jazz at #23 overall, I thought he was an absolute steal. What I like about Hood is that he has all the tools to be an effective scorer in the NBA. He can score from beyond the arc, he can get to the foul line, etc. I see him as a guy who could someday average 18+ points per game in the league. If he can become the player that I think he can, he'll be worth every penny.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here.

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here

Note: This blog post also appears on my Utah Jazz blog. Click here to check it out. 

Friday, September 8, 2017

NBALord.com Podcast: Kyrie Irving lands in Boston; Rodney Hood discussing extension with Utah Jazz


(Boston Celtics on Twitter)

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com podcast, Brian Kaiserman joins me to discuss the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade, Rodney Hood possibly getting a contract extension with the Utah Jazz, and the future of Carmelo Anthony. Click here to listen to the podcast.





To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Tomahawk Tuesday: Kobe Bryant's evolution through video game history

                                                     (Keith Allison. Click here for source)
   
Something cool that I came across this past weekend was a video displaying how Kobe Bryant evolved in video games over the years. The change in graphics is astounding as is the fact that Kobe stuck around the league for as long as he did. Most guys wouldn't have played for as long as Kobe did, but his determination, grit, and love for the game drove him to be one the fiercest and greatest competitors the league has ever seen. Shout out to the Black Mamba! The basketball world misses you! #MambaMentality


To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Saturday Slam: Will anyone ever pass Michael Jordan as the greatest ever?

                                       

Earlier this week, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard weighed in on the debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, stating that even if someone is greater than Jordan, nobody will be able to admit it.



Lillard is tapping into something very profound here. Not only is Jordan the undisputed greatest player of all time, it's also pretty much undisputed that nobody will ever be better than him. Think of that. Nobody will ever be better than Jordan? Can we really say that with certainty?

Let me first say that I do believe Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time. He's 6-0 in the NBA Finals, #1 all-time in points per game (30.3), #4 all-time in steals per game (2.3), and was an All-Star in each and every season that he played in the NBA with the exception of the 1994-95 season in which he came back after the All-Star break.

With that as a disclaimer, let's get back to the question at hand: Is it really fair to automatically disqualify a player from the conversation of greatest of all-time before he finishes his career? Can't we at least wait until LeBron or anyone else's career is over before we compare them to Jordan or anyone else?

This certainly seems like a reasonable position to have. I mean, it's certainly not impossible for someone to be better than Jordan by virtue of the fact that we haven't yet seen it. Before Jordan came along, Magic Johnson was viewed as the greatest of all-time and before him there was Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, etc. Every legend has been surpassed by someone and to say that can't happen to Jordan, on its face, is ludicrous.

I think that while Jordan is the greatest of all-time, it needs to be understood that LeBron on paper is the better player. He's bigger, stronger, more athletic, and can do more things on the floor. LeBron is a 6'8", 250 pound point guard, something that Jordan wasn't.

Now of course, you can flip this the other way and say that Jordan had a better scoring instinct, was more clutch, and was the guy who you'd rather have on your team with the game on the line. This is all true. But, if we are just talking about who has a better combination of size, speed, athleticism, and skill, LeBron takes the cake.

So, if LeBron is better in these seemingly crucial categories, why should we rule him out from the conversation for greatest ever? The answer is we shouldn't. LeBron still has more years left in him and if he wins a couple of more titles, he could make things interesting.

The problem is that Jordan's career was just so picture perfect. While it's not hard to fathom someone having more physical gifts and skills than him, it's hard to imagine someone replicating Jordan's 6-0 NBA Finals record and impact on the sports world.

In other words, I'm not sure there will ever be another person "Like Mike" and therein lies the hidden truth that Lillard is getting at. Michael Jordan is an athlete that comes around once. We need to stop looking for "the next Michael Jordan" because there's only one Michael Jordan. Nobody else will ever be him. Others may accomplish great things, but the odds of someone retiring with the same level of gravitas and respect as his Royal Airness are next to none.

If you want to really have a debate, it's whether or not Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete of all-time. He's the greatest basketball player of all-time and for the reasons listed above, it's hard to think of anyone duplicating his level of success on the hardwood. But, when it comes to comparing him to athletes across other sports, that's where it gets interesting. Is he as great as Joe Montana who went 4-0 in the Super Bowl while throwing 11 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions? Is he as great as Roger Federer who is still winning grand slams into his late 30s? Is he as great as Tiger Woods, who dominated golf as much as he dominated basketball?

There's other athletes that you could mention as well, but those are three examples that spring to mind. You could have a fun debate about who the greatest athlete of all-time is and argue a compelling case for any of the guys I just mentioned.

But as far as basketball is concerned, I just don't see anyone surpassing Michael Jordan for the greatest ever. That isn't to say we should rule out everyone that comes after him by default, but right now, I have a hard time believing anyone will retire with a resume of the same weight.

Now, Lillard is making a slightly different point, which is that even if someone is better than Jordan, nobody will want to admit it. While this is certainly true right now, that may not be true in the future. We know greatness when we see it and could tell that Jordan was the greatest when he was on the floor. If someone comes along who accomplishes more than him and dominates the game to the same degree, I don't think people will be afraid to say someone has passed Jordan.

The reality is that as of right now, Jordan is the greatest player of all-time and no player up until this point has passed him. Not Kobe, not Shaq, and not even LeBron. In a way, Lillard makes a point that can't be proven right now. If we haven't seen a player greater than Jordan can we really say we won't call a player greater than Jordan if he is in fact greater?

While I do think that it's highly unlikely anyone duplicates Michael Jordan's level of success, I do think that if someone were to do so, we would give that person his credit. If someone goes 7-0 in the NBA Finals, finishes #1 all-time in points per game,  and wows us to the same degree as Jordan, that person will supplant him as the greatest of all-time. It's just that as of right now, that person doesn't exist and we don't know if that person will ever exist.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here

 To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here