Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic has first 30-20-20 game in NBA history

 

                                            (Credit: Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images) 

On Friday night in a 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic became the first player in NBA history to have a 30-20-20 game (30 points, 20 rebounds, & 20 assists). Jokic actually slightly eclipsed that mark with 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 22 assists. Not to be ignored is the fact that he also had three steals and just four turnovers while shooting 13-22 (59.1%) from the field. Just an all-around brilliant performance that the NBA has never seen before. 

While he sometimes gets discounted a bit for not appearing to have out-of-this-world athleticism, Friday's performance reminded the basketball world that Nikola Jokic is truly an all-time great and one of the best big men in NBA history. As if leading the Denver Nuggets to an NBA championship didn't already hammer that home. We all knew Jokic was special, but still. One can't help but be in awe of what we saw. 

As far as which aspect of this performance is most impressive, the answer is simply all of it. In truth, any game with where you have 30+ points or 20+ rebounds or 20+ assists is a great night. But to do all three in one game? There's really no words that can perfectly capture just how special this was. All you can do is be in awe. 

I don't know where Jokic ranks among the NBA's greatest big men, but he's definitely in the conversation with guys like Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arvydas Sabonis, and Bill Russell. In many ways, he's kind of giving the NBA a heavy dose of what it would have been like to play against Sabonis in his prime. Due to being behind the Iron Curtain, Sabonis didn't get to play in the NBA until he started to enter the twilight years of his pro career, but Jokic has been able to play at the peak of his abilities and carry the torch that Sabonis never fully got to carry. 

It's really special that we get to watch Nikola Jokic in real-time. I'm sure when his career is over, we'll look back and feel like we didn't appreciate him enough. He really is the kind of guy that might only come around once, so we better appreciate him while we still can. 

NBALord.com on X (Twitter): @nba_lord 

NBALord.com on Facebook: @NBALordNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, IG, Threads, X (Twitter), & Blue Sky: @slamdunk406 

Saturday Slam: It's about time the Orlando Magic retire Shaquille O'Neal's number

                                              Credit: Steve Simoneau/Associated Press 

Earlier this year, the Orlando Magic finally retired Shaquille O'Neal's number 32. He is the first player to have his number retired by the franchise, which is kinda crazy when you think about it. But if they are going to finally start retiring numbers, nobody better to start with than Shaq. 

Shaq was drafted #1 overall by the Magic in the 1992 NBA draft. While he only spent four years with the franchise before leaving for the Los Angeles Lakers, he made his presence felt during his time in Orlando. He averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game, guiding them to the 1995 NBA Finals after finishing second in the MVP voting. 

Shaq was an All-Star all four years he spent with the Magic and as a result of his incredible play, he was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was a member of the Lakers when the team was announced in October of 1996, but he was yet to play a game for the Lakers as the season hadn't begun. His body of work with the Magic is why he made the team. 

Even though he never won an NBA title with the Magic and went on to win his rings elsewhere (three with the Lakers and one with the Heat), Shaq still had a huge impact on the NBA during his time with them. The Orlando Magic version of Shaq is one of the most dominant forces to ever set foot on an NBA floor. He was a game changer and already established himself as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history before he even put on a Lakers jersey. That's amazing. 

As for why it took so long for the Magic to retire Shaq's number, a couple of reasons come to mind. First of all, they're just in general hesitant to retire numbers. The fact that he's the first player to have his number retired by the organization speaks to that. 

The other thing is Shaq didn't leave the Magic on the best of terms. He kinda bailed on them and went Hollywood by joining the Lakers. That didn't sit well with them and understandably so. It can be hard to want to honor someone who you feel turned their back on you. 

Fortunately, time heals all wounds. When you look back Shaq's time with the Magic, it's clear his number should be retired. His four years with them were already hall of fame worthy and from there he just went on to even bigger and better things. The Magic should be proud that Shaq's incredible NBA career started with them and that they can forever claim him in a way that no other NBA franchise can. 

NBA Lord on X (Twitter): @nba_lord 

NBA Lord on Facebook: @NBALordNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X (Twitter): @slamdunk406

Tomahawk Tuesday: Comparing #8 Kobe Bryant to #24 Kobe Bryant

                                          (Credit: CBS Sports) 

On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers retired Kobe Bryant's #8 and #24. There has been a lot of debate about which Kobe was better and so I have decided to weigh in.

One interesting to thing to ask yourself when going about this debate is which number do you envision Kobe Bryant in when you think of him? Is it #8 or #24? Personally, when I think of Kobe, I envision him wearing the #8. I think the reason why is that I am old enough to remember Kobe when he was a rookie and also when he won his first three NBA titles with Shaquille O'Neal. I guess I just think of him wearing a #8 because that's what I first saw him in.

When looking at the stats and accomplishments of the two eras, it's pretty evenly split. #8 Kobe averaged 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 2.9 turnovers per game en route to three NBA championships, eight All-Star appearances, four All-NBA First Teams, and one NBA scoring championship (2006). #24 Kobe averaged 26.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, .3 blocks, and 3.1 turnovers en route to two NBA championships, 10 All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA First Teams, and one NBA scoring championship (2007).

While statistics do a great job of comparing the two eras, they don't capture the full scope of what made Kobe so amazing in both eras. In the #8 era, what made Kobe amazing was his phenomenal athleticism and ability to score at will. It was in this era that Kobe scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors (2006), which is the most points scored in an NBA game since Wilt Chamberlain dropped 100 points in 1962. When he wore the #8, Kobe Bryant was as good of a one-on-one player that we've seen and there were few that could do anything to contain him. In addition to his scoring and athleticism, Kobe won three titles with Shaq, already cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever play.

In the #24 era, Kobe wasn't as athletic or flashy, but he was perhaps even more lethal. It was in this era that Kobe learned to share the ball and be the go-to option on a championship team. As good as he was during the #8 era, Kobe was still in the shadow of Shaq. In the #24 era, he won his first of two rings without Shaq, finally establishing his own separate identity.

When looking at how Kobe played during the #24 era, he was much better from a technical standpoint. He had a lot more moves and developed a post-game, similar to what Michael Jordan developed at the end of his career. Kobe made up for his diminishing athleticism with more tools in his bag and a willingness to play team basketball.

Personally, I think what makes #24 Kobe most special isn't the rings or the fade away jumper. It's the way he overcame adversity and evolved into one of the most beloved players in the game. I hated #8 Kobe all the way through, but I grew to respect and admire #24 Kobe with each passing year. When Kobe continued to play after tearing his Achilles and fracturing his knee, that was when I finally recognized how special of a player he really was. That fighting spirit and refusal to give up was made most evident during those dark moments. That was when the world got to see how much of a fighter he was and how much he loved the game of basketball.

Sadly, I never enjoyed watching Kobe play until the very end of his career. Back when he was winning championships, I hated him and wanted him to lose so badly. Now that his career is over, I frequently watch highlights of his games and admire his greatness. I even find myself rooting for him when I watch him play in his final game against the Utah Jazz, the team of my childhood.

Whether you love him or hate him, one thing that can we can all say about Kobe Bryant is that we miss him. If you are a Lakers fan, you miss cheering him on. If you are a Spurs fan or a Celtics fan, you miss rooting against him. Kobe's impact on the game of basketball truly cannot be quantified and while he never surpassed Michael Jordan as the greatest ever, he carved out his own unique legacy that he can truly call his own. There will never be another "Black Mamba."

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 Slam: Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming, and Allen Iverson headline 2016 Hall of Fame class

This weekend, the Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined its newest members.

#16HoopClass: Shaq, Yao, Iverson, Sheryl Swoopes, Zelmo Beaty, Darell Garretson, Tom Izzo, John McLendon, Cumberland Posey, Jerry Reinsdorf.

— InsideHoops.com NBA (@InsideHoops) September 9, 2016

All 10 people deserve Hall of Fame status, but since this is an NBA blog, I would like to reflect on Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming, and Allen Iverson.

                                          (Getty Images)

Shaquille O'Neal: Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most dominant big men the NBA has ever seen. He won four NBA championships and reached the NBA Finals six times. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game during his entire career and at his peak averaged close to 30 points and 14 rebounds per game. What I've liked most about Shaquille O'Neal is that he had fun along the way. While he brought his A-game every night and delivered the goods, he did it with a smile on his face and understood that the NBA is as much about entertainment as it is about competition. His understanding of this is well reflected on Inside The NBA, where he combines comedy and humor with quality insight.

                                                  (Forbes.com) 

Allen Iverson: Allen Iverson might be the greatest player to play the game at 6'0 and under. "The Answer" showed up every night and played with as much heart as anyone we've ever seen play the game. He didn't let his size prevent him from putting up big numbers. In the 2000-01 season, he was awarded with the NBA regular season MVP award due to his 31.1 points per game and ability to carry the 76ers on his back. He took the 76ers all the way to the NBA Finals and put up a remarkable performance in Game 1 to steal a game in Los Angeles before falling to the Lakers in five games. It's unfortunate that his "practice rant" became so famous because in truth, Iverson played with a tremendous amount of heart and never gave up.

Yao Ming: While his NBA career was cut short due to injury (8 seasons), Yao Ming has made a tremendous impact on the game of basketball from a global perspective. Thanks to Yao Ming, the NBA and the game of basketball has flourished in China. Without him, basketball wouldn't be nearly as global as it is now. So, while his NBA career doesn't warrant hall of fame status, his impact on the sport absolutely does warrant hall of fame status.

Wednesday Windmill: The Orlando Magic should retire Shaquille O'Neal's number

     The Miami Heat have made the decision to retire Shaquille O'Neal's #32 at the start of the 2016-17 season. 'The Big Aristotle' certainly had some good years with the Heat; making three All-Star appearances while helping the franchise capture their first NBA title in 2006. The Heat will be the second NBA franchise to retire O'Neal's number, but amazingly enough; they shouldn't be the last to do it, either. With the Lakers and Heat both deciding to retire Shaquille O'Neal's number, it's time for the Orlando Magic to follow suit and make it three.
   
     There are several reasons for why the Orlando Magic should retire Shaquille O'Neal's number 32. The first reason is that they haven't retired any numbers other than the number 6, which is in honor of the fans (Sixth man). That's right, the Magic have not retired the number of any player who actually played for them.
   
     What's even more amazing about this is the fact that over the years, the Orlando Magic have actually been a competitive team. They've been to the NBA Finals twice and had some of the most talented players in the league such as Dwight Howard and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway in addition to Shaquille O'Neal. One would think that during their 26-year history, somebody would have earned the honors of having their number retired. If the Utah Jazz have retired nine numbers, surely the Orlando Magic can have one other number retired in addition to the number 6.
   
     Secondly, if the Orlando Magic were to retire the number of any player in their history, Shaquille O'Neal would be the first guy whose number should be retired. During his time in Orlando, he led the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance and made the incredibly prestigious "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" list after his 3rd season in the league. Orlando is where Shaquille O'Neal began his career and considering all that he accomplished during his brief four years there; it would only be fitting for the Magic to retire his number.
   
     The third reason for why the Orlando Magic should retire Shaq's number has to do with the fact that he really gave the franchise a boost in its early era. Shaquille O'Neal burst on the NBA scene as a rookie, averaging 23.4 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. During his second and third seasons, he averaged a whopping 29.3 points per game, which are some of the best numbers in the history of the game for any individual season.
   
     Thanks to Shaquille O'Neal's incredible start to his career, the Orlando Magic instantly became a relevant franchise that everybody wanted to watch. Without him, the Orlando Magic would have had a much harder time gaining relevancy and probably would have been a team similar to the Vancouver Grizzlies, who ended up moving to Memphis due to a lack of fan support. In essence, it is quite possible that Shaquille O'Neal is the reason the Orlando Magic still exist as opposed to being in the form of a different team in a different city.
   
     With all of these reasons being laid out, why is it that the Orlando Magic haven't retired his number? The answer has to do with hurt feelings. Shaq left Orlando after his 4th season to go Hollywood and join the Los Angeles Lakers. With the Lakers, Shaq won three straight NBA championships and made four NBA Finals appearances. It's obvious that the Orlando Magic feel like Shaquille O'Neal turned his back on them and didn't accomplish all that he could have while a member of their team.
   
     While that is all very true, it still doesn't diminish what O'Neal accomplished in Orlando. His positive impact on the franchise resonates until this day and one could easily argue that of all the teams he has played for, his greatest impact was made on the Magic. When Shaq got to the Lakers, they were already the premier franchise of the NBA and as for the Heat; Dwyane Wade was the top dog.

     As for the Magic, the arrival of Shaquille O'Neal was a Godsend that put them on the map and kept them relevant in the public eye long after he left. Considering that, the very least the Magic can do is hang his jersey from the top of their arena. In truth, it would probably be fitting for them to build him a statue as well. He means that much to them whether they want to admit it or not.

Daily Dunks: 9/14-9/20/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source). 

Here is my Daily Dunks page for September 14, 2015 through September 20, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Hornets signed forward Sam Thompson and center Jason Washburn for training camp (Click here for details).

#2. The Lakers signed center Robert Upshaw to a partially guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#3. The Bucks have given their general manager John Hammond a contract extension through the 2016-17 season (Click here for details).

#4. The Spurs are instituting a season-tickets wait list (Click here for details).

#5. The Rockets signed second round pick forward Montrezl Harrell to a three-year contract (Click here for details). Harrell also saved a motorist (Click here for details).

#6. By signing Christian Wood, the 76ers put themselves in an interesting roster pinch (Click here for details).

#7. NBA GMs are discussing expanding the draft once the D-League reaches 30 teams (Click here for details).

#8. The D-League is planning on multi-team expansion for next season (Click here for details).

#9. The Pacers' owner is seeking a court ruling on team ownership (Click here for details).

#10. The Pelicans signed forward Chris Douglas-Roberts to a two-year contract (Click here for details).

#11. David Morway is not being retained as the Bucks' assistant GM (Click here for details).

#12. Kelly Oubre and Terry Rozier signed with Adidas (Click here for details).

#13. Trajan Langdon is joining the Cavaliers as Director of Player Administration. He is replacing Raja Bell (Click here for details).

#14. The Warriors signed guard Ian Clark for training camp (Click here for details).

#15. The Grizzlies signed guard Patrick Christopher for training camp (Click here for details).

#16. The Timberwolves hired Arnie Kander as VP of Sports Performance (Click here for details).

#17. The WNBA playoffs start on September 17. Click here to view the final standings.

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Toronto Raptors' D-League team has hired their assistant coaches (Click here for details).

#2. Moses Malone's funeral will be on Saturday (Click here for details).

#3. Gus Johnson and Marques Johnson have joined the Milwaukee Bucks' broadcast team (Click here for details).

#4. The Warriors hired Steve Nash for a consulting job to help develop their backcourt (Click here for details).

#5. Anthony Bennett may be staying in Minnesota (Click here for details).

#6. The Wizards signed forward Josh Harrellson for training camp (Click here for details).

#7. Roy Hibbert has no hard feelings towards the Pacers (Click here for details).

#8. Eric Gordon wants to stay with the Pelicans (Click here for details).

#9. Rockets center Donatas Motiejunas (back) won't be ready for training camp (Click here for details).

#10. Walt Frazier says Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest of all time (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Rockets have unveiled some alternate uniforms (Click here for details).

#2. The Jazz plan to stick with the point guards on their roster (Click here for details).

#3. The Brooklyn Nets and the YES Network are near a massive TV deal (Click here for details).

#4. The Mavericks tried to sign Steve Nash this summer (Click here for details).

#5. The Suns signed five players for training camp (Click here for details).

#6. Former ASU center Jordan Bachynski has signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Pistons (Click here for details).

#7. Norris Cole has re-signed with the Pelicans on a one-year, $3.03M qualifying offer (Click here for details).

#8. Nets forward Andrea Bargnani (calf) competed for Italy in Eurobasket. He is fine (Click here for details).

#9. Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis: "I am not Shawn Bradley" (Click here for details).

#10. Stephen Curry has signed a mega-extension with Under Armour (Click here for details).

#11. The Nets signed Angolan big man Yanick Moreira to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#12. The Hawks signed small forward DeQuan Jones to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker underwent minor surgery to repair a nasal fracture. He should be ready for training camp (Click here for details).

#2. Spain defeated France 80-75 to advance to the Olympics. Pau Gasol led Spain with 40 points and 11 rebounds (Click here for details).

#3. The Heat signed point guard John Lucas III for training camp (Click here for details).

#4. The Pelicans have unveiled some new alternate uniforms (Click here for details).

#5. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving says he is making progress in his recovery (Click here for details).

#6. The 76ers expect Jordan McRae to reject his tender (Click here for details).

#7. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant has been medically cleared to resume all basketball related activities (Click here for details).

#8. The Bulls signed shooting guard Jordan Crawford to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#9. Power forward Jerrelle Benimon will not join the Cavaliers for training camp. He is playing in China instead (Click here for details).

#10. The Timberwolves signed shooting guard Nick Wiggins and center Kelon Penn for training camp (Click here for details).

#11. Undrafted big man Joshua Smith from Georgetown has signed with the Rockets for training camp (Click here for details).

#12. Forward Nick Minnerath has signed with the Cavaliers for training camp (Click here for details).

Thursday's WNBA Playoff results: 

Sky 77 Fever 72. Sky guard Allie Quigley had 22 points of the bench. Sky lead the series 1-0.

Mercury 88 Shock 55: Final. Mercury power forward Brittney Griner had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Mercury lead the series 1-0.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1.The Hawks signed point guard Edgar Sosa for training camp (Click here for details).

#2. Carlos Delfino worked out for the Spurs (Click here for details).

#3. The Hawks made several hirings and promotions in their organization (Click here for details).

#4. The Nets signed forward Justin Harper to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#5. Mike Krzyzewski says some very nice things about Kobe Bryant (Click here for details).

#6. Lakers head coach Byron Scott plans to give Kobe Bryant fewer minutes (Click here for details).

#7. Lithuania defeated Serbia to advance to the Olympics (Click here for details).

#8. The Suns have unveiled a new court (Click here for details).

#9. The Hawks are getting creative with the way they try to sell season tickets (Click here for details).

#10. The NBA is studying wearable technology for game use (Click here for details).

#11. Warriors forward Harrison Barnes has signed with agent Jeff Schwartz (Click here for details).

#12. Montrezl Harrell officially signed with the Rockets (Click here for details).

#13. Yanick Moreria, won't be able to join the Nets for training camp. He suffered a minor tear to a ligament in his left foot which will take 4-6 weeks to heal (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Playoffs Results: 

Lynx 67 Sparks 65: Final. Maya Moore led the Lynx with 33 points. Lynx lead series 1-0.
Mystics 86 Liberty 83: Final/2OT. Mystics lead series 1-0.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Blake Griffin says he wants to finish his career with the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. Marco Belinelli will join the Kings next weekend (Click here for details).

#3. Spain wins Eurobasket and Pau Gasol won MVP (Click here for details).

#4. Shaquille O'Neal thinks Kobe Bryant should play beyond this season (Click here for details).

#5. Dwight Howard has signed with PEAK shoes, a Chinese brand (Click here for details).

#6. Jimmer Fredette says he is surprised the Spurs called (Click here for details).

#7. The Heat have several players playing in the final year of their contracts (Click here for details).

#8. France defeated Serbia 81-68 to finish 3rd place in Eurobasket (Click here for details).

#9. The Rockets waived guard Remi Yusuf (Click here for details).

#10. Forward DeShaun Thomas has signed with the Spurs for training camp (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Fever 89 Sky 82: Final. Tamika Catchings led the Fever with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Series is tied 1-1.

Mercury 91 Shock 67: Final. Mercury win series 2-0. Brittney Griner led the Mercury with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 rebounds.

Sundays' NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Warriors plan to keep guard Chris Babb around for training camp (Click here for details).

#2. 76ers point guard Kendall Marshall isn't expected to be ready to start the season (Click here for details).

#3. Jerry West thinks Kobe Bryant could play beyond this season (Click here for details).

#4. Shaquille O'Neal has some high praise for Anthony Davis (Click here for details).

#5. Hornets big man Al Jefferson lost 20 pounds by cutting out fried chicken (Click here for details).

#6. The Bucks signed three players for training camp (Click here for details).

#7. The Warriors have offered Harrison Barnes a 4 year, $64M contract (Click here for details).

#8. Pau Gasol has committed to playing for Spain in the 2016 Rio Olympics (Click here for details).

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 86 Mystics 68: Final. Tina Charles led the Liberty with 22 points. Series is tied 1-1.

Sparks 81 Lynx 71: Final. Candace Parker led the Sparks with 25 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Series is tied 1-1.


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation. 

Wednesday Windmill: Why Karl Malone is the Greatest Power Forward of All-Time

                                          (credit: JazzFanatical) 

     Karl Malone is the greatest power forward of all time. Not Tim Duncan, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, or Moses Malone. All of those players deserve to be in the discussion, no doubt, but upon analyzing all of their career accomplishments and statistics, it seems pretty obvious to me at least, that Karl Malone is the greatest power forward to ever play the game of basketball.
     He once averaged 31.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during just his 5th season in the NBA. He won two NBA MVP awards and went to the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons. He is a 14x NBA All-Star, 11x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-Defensive First Team, a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary Top 50 Greatest Players of All-Time Team, the NBA's #2 all-time leading scorer, a member of the original 1992 Dream Team, and posted career averages of 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8 blocks per game. Those are mighty impressive accomplishments. Accomplishments which I believe in totality make him the greatest power forward to every play the game of basketball.

     However, not everybody is convinced that he is the greatest power forward of all-time. As a matter of fact, few people today call "The Mailman" the greatest power forward of all time and instead say it's Tim Duncan a.k.a. "Mr. Fundamental". The argument for Tim Duncan is a pretty straight forward argument: He is a 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 2x NBA MVP, 10x NBA All-First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team,  and the 1998 NBA Rookie of the Year. What makes many put Duncan ahead of Malone is the fact that Duncan has won five NBA championships and Malone has won zero. As a matter of fact, that seems to be the only reason.

     I don't think it's wrong to factor in team accomplishments into the equation of who is the better of two players, but I do think it's a mistake to make it the only criteria. If rings are the only criteria, then Bill Russell is hands down the greatest basketball player of all-time, and Dennis Rodman is a better power forward than Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. But clearly, it feels wrong to make these statements, since obviously, we all know there is more to comparing players than just rings. It's one area to take into consideration, but not the only area.

     In addition to rings, here are some other areas to take into consideration when comparing players: Who has the better statistics both in career average and in their best seasons? Who did the player compete against? Who did the player have on his teams? How long was the player successful for (i.e. longevity)? Who would you rather start with to build a team around?

     Upon looking at these other factors, Karl Malone I think takes the cake over Duncan and over everybody else I mentioned above. However, for the sake of time, I will just compare Karl Malone to Tim Duncan, though I may reference another one of those players as I see fit. The reason I am choosing Duncan is because he is considered the greatest power forward of all-time by most basketball experts and so if I can convince you that Karl Malone is greater than Tim Duncan, I thus have a strong case for why he is the greatest power forward ever.

                                          (Via Bleacher Report: Rocky Widner/Getty Images) 

     Let me start off by addressing each additional category that I've asked us to consider. But before I do, let me re-establish that Tim Duncan does have Karl Malone beaten in the championships department and that I think it is one of the categories or areas that we have to look into when determining who the greatest power forward is.

     The first area to look at is who had the better statistics both in career average and in their best seasons? During the entire course of his career, Karl Malone averaged 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8  blocks per game. As for Tim Duncan, he has averaged 19.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .7 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. I think upon analyzing both of their career stats, Karl Malone is the better overall player, though Tim Duncan is the better post defender given the advantage in shot-blocking.
   
      As for best individual season, Karl Malone averaged 31.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and .6 blocks per game in the 1989-90 season, his fifth season in the NBA. Tim Duncan's best season came in the 2001-02 season in which he averaged 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game. He won MVP that season.
   
     Once again, I think that Karl Malone's best individual season is better, given the amount of points he scored, though I give Tim Duncan the edge in defense due to the blocks. However, it should be noted that Karl Malone got twice as many steals as Tim Duncan, which may also point to how both players played defense differently. Duncan I grant was the better defender, but Karl Malone was a great defender in his own right, too.
   
     The next area of consideration is who did these guys play against? For Karl Malone it would be Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. As for Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant both would be considered the best players he ever faced, along with LeBron James. In this department, I think Karl Malone had a tougher hill to climb than Tim Duncan because Hakeem Olajuwon is arguably the greatest center to ever play the game of basketball and Michael Jordan is hands down the greatest player of all time.

    However, what people want to quickly point out is that Malone still ended up ringless and Duncan walked away with five rings (and counting). The issue I take with this, is that Tim Duncan never actually defeated Shaquille O'Neal in his prime. That's right. Shaquille O'Neal won three straight championships as the leader of the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and Duncan didn't stop him. Duncan did get the better of Shaq and the Lakers in 2003, but one could argue that Shaq and the Lakers were no longer in their prime at that point.

     As for who they faced in the NBA Finals, Karl Malone easily had the hardest task in taking down the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 90s lead by Michael Jordan. I don't think anybody would say that Tim Duncan had a task so hard as that. Duncan didn't have a cake walk in all of his trips to the NBA Finals, but he never faced a team as good as either of those Chicago Bulls teams.

     Luckily for Tim Duncan, he never had to deal with Michael Jordan as a threat to a championship. Instead, he had to face an 8th seeded New York Knicks team in 1999, a solid, but not intimidating New Jersey Nets team in 2003, a very sound and complete Detroit Pistons team in 2005, a Cleveland Cavaliers team that had LeBron James and a bunch of scrubs in 2007, and a Miami Heat team led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in 2013 and 2014,  losing only to the Heat in 2013.

     I would argue the toughest team that Duncan faced was that Pistons team in 2005. That team won the championship the year before in 2004 and was one of the most complete teams we've ever seen, led by Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace, and Rasheed Wallace. Those Pistons teams were great teams because they played together as a collective unit, something that the Spurs have mirrored over the course of their own championship runs.

     However, as I said above, the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s would have beaten those Detroit Pistons, and likely would have beaten any Spurs team that Tim Duncan was on. It's no knock on the Spurs or Tim Duncan. It's just pointing out how dominate those Chicago Bulls teams were. Those Utah Jazz teams with Karl Malone and John Stockton probably would have won an NBA championship or two if it weren't' for those Chicago Bulls teams, who similarly ended the title hopes of other great players like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Reggie Miller.

     The next area of consideration is who did each player have on their teams. In this area, I think Karl Malone may have had more help around him given the fact that John Stockton is arguably the greatest point guard of all time. Tim Duncan has played with some great players like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Bruce Bowen, but none of those players come close to being as great as John Stockton. John Stockton is a household name, which is why I think that Karl Malone probably had more help around him.
   
     However, Tim Duncan may have had more complete teams around him and also wasn't asked to deliver the amount of production that Karl Malone was asked to do. The Spurs championship teams  have been much more reliant on a community effort while the Jazz were essentially telling Karl Malone to get them 25-30 points every night while John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek took the pressure off by getting him the ball and knocking down open threes.
   
     As for the area of longevity, Karl Malone blows Tim Duncan out of the water. Karl Malone's career averages are 25 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8 blocks per game. Tim Duncan's best season is 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, .7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game. In essence, over an 18 year career Karl Malone was able to average numbers close to Tim Duncan's best career season!

     In addition, Karl Malone averaged 20.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in his last season with the Utah Jazz at the age of 39. Tim Duncan, who is 38 years old, hasn't averaged 20 points per game since he was 30 years old. Karl Malone arguably peaked when he was 33 and 34 during his two trips to the NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz in 1997 and 1998, whereas by that point of his life, Tim Duncan was on the decline, playing around 65 games per season. As for Karl Malone, he was still playing 80-82 games per season.
   
    Lastly, the final question we need to ask ourselves is who would we rather have on our team? Or who would we rather have to build a championship team around if we could only have one of the two players? To make this question more simple, assume that you are starting a franchise from scratch and have to draft one of these two players as your franchise player. Who would you pick?

     I would take Karl Malone over Tim Duncan. He produced more on average, he played more total games, got hurt less, and was more productive over the entire course of his career. He was "The Mailman". He delivered rain or shine every night. It's not to say that Tim Duncan didn't, but he wasn't the sturdy brick that Karl Malone was. As a matter of fact, nobody was the sturdy brick that Karl Malone was except for Michael Jordan, the very man who defeated Karl Malone in two straight NBA Finals.
   
     In addition, the Utah Jazz wouldn't have won two championships if Tim Duncan replaced Karl Malone, especially considering how Tim Duncan was producing when he was 33 and 34 years old. On the contrary, if the San Antonio Spurs had drafted Karl Malone in 1997, I think odds are good that under the guidance of Gregg Popovich the Spurs would have won 5 championships.
   
     In conclusion, my article isn't to undermine the great Tim Duncan or slurp Karl Malone. It's to analyze both players and compare them across multiple areas of consideration. I think very highly of both players and I have no problem with anybody saying that Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time. He deserves to be mentioned in this discussion.

However, I personally think that Karl Malone is the greater player of the two and thus the greatest power forward of all-time with Tim Duncan as the #2 greatest power forward of all-time. Of course, some say that Tim Duncan is actually a center, but that is an interesting debate for another time.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

No More Excuses For Dwight Howard In Houston

These past couple of seasons, Dwight Howard has been the center of the NBA free agent world thanks to his indecisive and bizarre behavior. One minute he loves where he's at, the next minute he hates it. One minute he loves his coach, the next minute he wants him canned. All this time, Dwight Howard has viewed other people around him as the problem, and all this time we have somewhat given him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't have the right team around him in Orlando; Kobe Bryant was selfish and  Mike D'Antoni was incompetent in Los Angeles, etc. But now that he is a member of the Houston Rockets and is away from the circus of Los Angeles and has surrounded himself with better talent than he had in Orlando, it is time for Dwight Howard to look at himself in the mirror and demand that he makes his situation better and not other people. 

What I'm really saying is he needs to become a better basketball player. These past three seasons, we've seen his scoring average go from 22.9 to 20.6 to 17.1 points per game as well as his rebounding average go from 14.1 to 14.4 to 12.4. That means that his numbers in the 2009-10 season (18.3 points per game/ 13.2 rebounds per game) were actually better than they were this year (17.1 points per game/ 12.4 rebounds per game). In other words, he has regressed since that time, and he hasn't gotten any better. 

                                            image from ksat.com

Now while it may be true that Dwight Howard is still the best center in the NBA ahead of Roy Hibbert and Andrew Bynum, it is not true that being the best center is all that he is supposed to be. He is supposed to be the centerpiece and leader of championship teams like Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal. But so far, it doesn't look like he is capable of being that player thanks to his whining and lack of responsibility for his own actions. He instead looks like he's on the path to becoming one of the most squandered talents in NBA history. 

That being said, he is in a fresh place now in Houston, which is a place he chose to be in. He chose the Rockets and the Rockets welcomed him in to their fold, expecting him to be their leader over the coming decade. He has the pieces around him to win a title with James Harden, Jeremy Lin, and Chandler Parsons around him. Now all that needs to happen is he needs to step up and become the franchise changing center that many have thought him to be. Excuses and whiny behavior won't save him this time. It's time for him to produce and bring home the titles or just admit he isn't what he's all cracked up to be. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord