Lowe Q&A w/ Joe Dumars: Toughest player to guard besides MJ was Reggie Lewis

[Donoghus]

From Grantland piece posted this afternoon:

Last one. Who was the toughest guy to guard in your career, other than Michael Jordan? Again: You cannot say Michael Jordan.

You know, Jackie MacMullan did a great story on him a couple of weeks ago — it was Reggie Lewis for me. He was long, athletic, smooth, he could raise up over you and shoot. He was a really good defender, too. He was a tough, tough cover. Man, he was a tough guy to guard. He was definitely the one, other than MJ, who was the toughest for me to figure out. He was so long, and you couldn’t really get physical with him, because he was so slim, and it always seemed like I was getting called for fouls. He was a great, great player.

[GreenFaith1819]

He and Bias would've RULED the 90's for BOS....

But then we probably wouldn't have gotten Pierce....or KG....

[McHales Pits]

Lewis & Bias vs Jordan & Pippen would have made for some epic Eastern Conference Playoff memories...

...oh what could have been

[manl_lui]

He and Bias would've RULED the 90's for BOS....

But then we probably wouldn't have gotten Pierce....or KG....

not sure what would've happened, but a lot of people are convinced that if Lewis and Bias were still alive, that would've kept our big 3 fresh for another season or two which could've gotten us banner 17 and 18...not to mention, it probably would not have set us back that many years to win another championship

but then again, what do I know, I was in my single digit age and start watching basketball as a kid 

[nickagneta]

I have read some on this blog saying Reggie Lewis wasn't a "number 1" guy or someone to build a championship around. I disagree with that notion wholeheartedly. Guys like Dumars and Jordan have called Lewis one of the toughest and best players they had to play against. At 27 years old, he was just coming into his own and had had 21/5/3 with over 50%FG and 86% FT shooting. His season before that was very similar.

In those days, he was just reaching his prime years. And some All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense teams were right the corner. He was that good.

[Moranis]

I have read some on this blog saying Reggie Lewis wasn't a "number 1" guy or someone to build a championship around. I disagree with that notion wholeheartedly. Guys like Dumars and Jordan have called Lewis one of the toughest and best players they had to play against. At 27 years old, he was just coming into his own and had had 21/5/3 with over 50%FG and 86% FT shooting. His season before that was very similar.

In those days, he was just reaching his prime years. And some All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense teams were right the corner. He was that good.

I'm one of those guys, but I'm not sure where you are getting your numbers from as Lewis was 47% his last year in the league and only had 4.3 boards though did have 3.7 assists. 

Lewis was a good player, but he wasn't ever going to be an elite top level player.  He was the #1 guy his last year on a team that still had McHale and Parish, along with Rick Fox, Xavier McDaniel, Dee Brown, Kevin Gamble, and Sherman Douglas.  Boston was a 48 win team that year (Lewis played 80 games that year so the record is sound).  Boston wasn't ever going to be much better than that with Lewis as the clear cut #1.  He just wasn't that type of player.  He would have been great as the #2, but I have no idea how Boston was ever going to get the #1 with Lewis on the team.  I actually think going forward in the 90's Boston would have been in a very similar situation as it currently is with Lewis (being Rondo) and Fox (being Green).

[nickagneta]

I have read some on this blog saying Reggie Lewis wasn't a "number 1" guy or someone to build a championship around. I disagree with that notion wholeheartedly. Guys like Dumars and Jordan have called Lewis one of the toughest and best players they had to play against. At 27 years old, he was just coming into his own and had had 21/5/3 with over 50%FG and 86% FT shooting. His season before that was very similar.

In those days, he was just reaching his prime years. And some All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense teams were right the corner. He was that good.

I'm one of those guys, but I'm not sure where you are getting your numbers from as Lewis was 47% his last year in the league and only had 4.3 boards though did have 3.7 assists. 

Lewis was a good player, but he wasn't ever going to be an elite top level player.  He was the #1 guy his last year on a team that still had McHale and Parish, along with Rick Fox, Xavier McDaniel, Dee Brown, Kevin Gamble, and Sherman Douglas.  Boston was a 48 win team that year (Lewis played 80 games that year so the record is sound).  Boston wasn't ever going to be much better than that with Lewis as the clear cut #1.  He just wasn't that type of player.  He would have been great as the #2, but I have no idea how Boston was ever going to get the #1 with Lewis on the team.  I actually think going forward in the 90's Boston would have been in a very similar situation as it currently is with Lewis (being Rondo) and Fox (being Green).

Disagree completely and I will leave it at that.