All-Decade Teams: Best NBA players of the 2010s

[PhoSita]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

Arguments could be made for Dirk or KG, but the three titles clinches it for Timmy Dunks. 

Shaq has an argument too (00, 01, 02 + 06 titles), except that his influence kind of tails off after 2006.  Timmy & his team dominated throughout the decade.


What's truly remarkable is when you compare the signature players of the 00s to the signature players of this past decade, you see that the 00s were the decade of the PF/C.  This decade has been dominated by ballhandlers of all sizes.

[Donoghus]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

Yeah, there's really no way the 80s are clear cut unless you simply want to go by rings. 

Bird & Magic are neck & neck, IMO.   Accomplishments are pretty comparable.   

Essentially, I think you have to go for a split for the 80s. 

[PhoSita]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

80s was Bird AND Magic, there is no other correct answer.

[Jvalin]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

[PhoSita]

All Decade Second Team

Westbrook

A.D.

Dame

Kawhi

Griffin



All Decade Third Team


Wade

Butler

George

Aldridge

Pau

[bdm860]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

Keeps Melo off his list for "zero team success", puts Anthony Davis on the 1st team.  Nice, no bias here. 

[Jvalin]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

Keeps Melo off his list for "zero team success", puts Anthony Davis on the 1st team.  Nice, no bias here. 

Well, there are not many elite players to choose from at the C position whereas there is plenty of competition at the wing position. Gimme an elite C who enjoyed even moderate team success during the 10's and I'll put him over AD. At the end of the day, AD and Boogie may were the only elite Centers of the 10's (just in terms of talent). Embiid almost never played. Can't think of anybody else at that level. KAT and Porzingis would have been in the conversation, but none of them played enough games either. Btw, most of these guys weren't even legit Centers. I just had no other options to choose from.

[slamtheking]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

Yeah, there's really no way the 80s are clear cut unless you simply want to go by rings. 

Bird & Magic are neck & neck, IMO.   Accomplishments are pretty comparable.   

Essentially, I think you have to go for a split for the 80s. 

well, you know, it's Moranis.  Everything Celtic-related --> as bad as it can possibly be.  Everything non-Celtic-related --> as good as it gets.   I'm still in shock he gave the 60's to Russell instead of Wilt.

[bdm860]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

Keeps Melo off his list for "zero team success", puts Anthony Davis on the 1st team.  Nice, no bias here. 

Well, there are not many star players to choose from at the C position whereas there is plenty of competition at the wing position (LeBron, KD, Kawhi, George to name a few). Gimme an elite C who enjoyed even moderate team success during the 10's and I'll put him over AD. At the end of the day, AD and Boogie may were the only elite Centers during the 10's (just in terms of talent). Embiid almost never played. Can't think of anybody else at that level. KAT and Porzingis would have been nice options, but none of them played enough games in the 10's.

Like Dwight Howard?  58 playoff games from '10-'19.  Played more playoff games in a single season ('10 or '15) than Davis has played in his career.


I'm just giving you a hard time, but there is serious bias going on.

No ones sticking up for Dwight here, and he's a bum now, but we're talking (just from '10-'19):

2x DPOY
5x All Star
3x 1st team All-NBA
1x 2nd team All-NBA
1x 3rd team All-NBA
3x 1st team All-Defense
3 top 10 MVP finishes (2, 4, and 7). (I think this is a terrible metric, but it's being used by some, so I'll throw it out there).

For the decade (for those listed as F-C, C, or C-F): 2nd in Rebs, 3rd in WS, Blocks, 4th in Pts

Probably should be on everybody's first team. 

[celticsclay]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

Yeah, there's really no way the 80s are clear cut unless you simply want to go by rings. 

Bird & Magic are neck & neck, IMO.   Accomplishments are pretty comparable.   

Essentially, I think you have to go for a split for the 80s. 

well, you know, it's Moranis.  Everything Celtic-related --> as bad as it can possibly be.  Everything non-Celtic-related --> as good as it gets.   I'm still in shock he gave the 60's to Russell instead of Wilt.

Lol. Also I would say mentioning magic and not bird on a Celtics forum is pretty ridiculous.

[Moranis]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

80s was Bird AND Magic, there is no other correct answer.

The Lakers won 5 titles in the 80's and lost in the Finals 3 times.  The C's were 3-2 in Finals appearances and to me that just sets Magic apart from Bird.  They are certainly close, but I just think the titles separate them

EDIT:  And the titles is why I have Russell over Wilt even though I believe Wilt was the better player.  A player owning the decade has to account for titles or what is the point.  Titles aren't the only thing, but they absolutely matter..

[Jvalin]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

Keeps Melo off his list for "zero team success", puts Anthony Davis on the 1st team.  Nice, no bias here. 

Well, there are not many star players to choose from at the C position whereas there is plenty of competition at the wing position (LeBron, KD, Kawhi, George to name a few). Gimme an elite C who enjoyed even moderate team success during the 10's and I'll put him over AD. At the end of the day, AD and Boogie may were the only elite Centers during the 10's (just in terms of talent). Embiid almost never played. Can't think of anybody else at that level. KAT and Porzingis would have been nice options, but none of them played enough games in the 10's.

Like Dwight Howard?  58 playoff games from '10-'19.  Played more playoff games in a single season ('10 or '15) than Davis has played in his career.


I'm just giving you a hard time, but there is serious bias going on.

No ones sticking up for Dwight here, and he's a bum now, but we're talking (just from '10-'19):

2x DPOY
5x All Star
3x 1st team All-NBA
1x 2nd team All-NBA
1x 3rd team All-NBA
3x 1st team All-Defense
3 top 10 MVP finishes (2, 4, and 7). (I think this is a terrible metric, but it's being used by some, so I'll throw it out there).


For the decade (for those listed as F-C, C, or C-F): 1st in Reb 2nd in WS, Pts, Blk.

Probably should be on everybody's first team.

Yeah, you're probably right about Howard. I said it myself that he had 5 all-NBA selections (3 of them in the first team). The 5 all-NBA selections on their own should have been enough to put him in the all-decade teams. In all honesty, I just don't like his game anymore. That's why I didn't include him in the teams. I guess recency bias is a b*tch

[Moranis]

I'm a big fan of Iggy's game, but I wouldn't go as far as including him in the all-decade teams. I also tried to balance out the teams by including 1 PG and 1 big man in each team.

Steph
Harden
LeBron
Durant
Davis

Paul (the best floor general in the 2010's)
Klay (3-time champ, revolutionized the game alongside Steph)
Kawhi (2-time champ + 2-time Finals MVP)
Blake
Giannis (1 MVP)

Westbrook (1 MVP, out of this world stats, mediocre team success since the big 3 broke up)
Wade (2-time champ)
George
Green (3-time champ)
Boogie (based on pure talent alone)


honorable mentions:

- didn't include Kobe and Dirk cause imo their best years were in the 00's (although they both won a championship in the 10's).
- Dwight Howard (3 all-NBA first teams, 1 all-NBA second team, 1 all-NBA third team, but I just don't like his game anymore. In all honesty, recency bias isn't working in his favour.)
- Melo (zero team success, the numbers are there but I just never liked his game)
- Aldridge
- Marc Gasol (over his brother in the 10's)
- Kyrie (huge clutch shot to win the Cavs their only NBA title)

Keeps Melo off his list for "zero team success", puts Anthony Davis on the 1st team.  Nice, no bias here. 

Well, there are not many star players to choose from at the C position whereas there is plenty of competition at the wing position (LeBron, KD, Kawhi, George to name a few). Gimme an elite C who enjoyed even moderate team success during the 10's and I'll put him over AD. At the end of the day, AD and Boogie may were the only elite Centers during the 10's (just in terms of talent). Embiid almost never played. Can't think of anybody else at that level. KAT and Porzingis would have been nice options, but none of them played enough games in the 10's.

Like Dwight Howard?  58 playoff games from '10-'19.  Played more playoff games in a single season ('10 or '15) than Davis has played in his career.


I'm just giving you a hard time, but there is serious bias going on.

No ones sticking up for Dwight here, and he's a bum now, but we're talking (just from '10-'19):

2x DPOY
5x All Star
3x 1st team All-NBA
1x 2nd team All-NBA
1x 3rd team All-NBA
3x 1st team All-Defense
3 top 10 MVP finishes (2, 4, and 7). (I think this is a terrible metric, but it's being used by some, so I'll throw it out there).

For the decade (for those listed as F-C, C, or C-F): 2nd in Rebs, 3rd in WS, Blocks, 4th in Pts

Probably should be on everybody's first team.

yeah I totally forgot about him.  He should definitely be on a team (and frankly I think I'd put him on the 1st team). 

So my all decade teams (holding to their 2 backcourt, 3 frontcourt)

1st - Curry, Westbrook, James, Durant, Howard
2nd - Harden, Paul, Leonard, Davis, Griffin
3rd - Wade, Lillard, George, Aldridge, Antetokounmpo

The interesting choice for me was Giannis or Melo for the last spot.  Giannis is obviously a better player, but his best decade will be the 20's and he didn't play for several seasons of the 10's, but at the end of the MVP for Giannis let me bump him up ahead of Melo. 

[Who]

I thought Dwight only had 1 of his Orlando years in 2010-2019 but he had two full healthy MVP caliber years (my pick for MVP back in 2011 instead of D-Rose). Then 2/3rds of a year before he had his back injury. Then a couple of top 10 player years in LA and Houston before another All-Star caliber year before becoming a good starting caliber center (3 years).

Yeah, Dwight should be in there. 1st or 2nd team.

----------

I have to bump Marc Gasol to make way for Dwight. Not too happy about that. Tempted to bump Blake Griffin instead and play Al Horford at PF. Yeah, I'll do that.

[slamtheking]

Clearly Lebron was the player of the decade, but it got me wondering, who was the player of the decade for the 2000's.  Duncan?  Shaq? Kobe? was it Lebron that decade also?  My gut says Duncan, but I'm just not sure.  And that really is the only decade where there is really any real debate as the 90's was Jordan, 80's was Magic, 70's was Kareem, 60's was Russell, and 50's was Pettit.

80s was Magic? Bird has a good argument.

80s was Bird AND Magic, there is no other correct answer.

The Lakers won 5 titles in the 80's and lost in the Finals 3 times.  The C's were 3-2 in Finals appearances and to me that just sets Magic apart from Bird.  They are certainly close, but I just think the titles separate them

EDIT:  And the titles is why I have Russell over Wilt even though I believe Wilt was the better player.  A player owning the decade has to account for titles or what is the point.  Titles aren't the only thing, but they absolutely matter..

sure. they matter but Lakers had a much easier road to get to the finals than the C's.   C's had to go through the bloodbath of a Sixer series 80 and 82 which took a lot out of the Sixers and made it a bit easier for the Lakers those years.  85 and 87 the Lakers were facing an injured C's team (85 with Max and 87 with pretty much everyone) so those aren't the superlative achievements they are made out to be.   Let's not forget Magic had the help of a number of #1 picks on his Laker teams (Kareem, Worthy, Mychal Thompson not to mention him being a #1) so titles for Magic shouldn't get the same weight as other players IMO because he had plenty of help.   

Let's also not overlook the biggest won/loss swing a rookie has made on a team which Bird accomplished.    Lakers didn't need that kind of bump from Magic.  That's incredibly significant since Bird was the only real addition from the prior year.  3 consecutive MVP awards as well.   oh, and don't overlook the fact Bird had no weaknesses in his game --> the same cannot be said of Magic whose shooting needed a good 8-9 years to develop some decent range.

I'll take Bird all day in that discussion.