Top 20 Impact Players As I see it

[cordobes]

celticmaestro, I read your post, and I understand you differentiate "good" from "impact", but how exactly do you (and others) define "impact"?

[ma11l]

It's hard to tell this year as the season is only a couple nights old.  I know who would be on top of my list for last year though.  That would be number 5 on the Celts.  I don't see him dropping out of the top 5 never mind the top 10 or 20.

[celticmaestro]

celticmaestro, I read your post, and I understand you differentiate "good" from "impact", but how exactly do you (and others) define "impact"?

I based it on offense, and the guys I picked are proven scorers in any way shape or form. The word "impact" is a bit of a hit and miss word though, I just see it as guys you turn to if you're down big, or down late in a game.

[moiso]

Arenas, Carmelo, and McGrady are in no way top 10 players at this point.  I agree with a healthy Manu being in there.  Wade, if he is healthy, is equal to kobe and Lebron.  And definitely Dwight Howard needs to be in the top 5, not in terms of skill, but just by way of sheer physical dominance.  And KG belongs in there, but maybe in the 8-11 range.

[NoraG1]

As this is "Top Impact Players" this is my list, this is not an order of "Best Players" - although the top #2 wouldn't change.

1 - Kobe
2 - LeBron
3 - Wade
4 - Dirk
5 - Pierce
6 - Paul
7 - Ginobili
8 - McGrady
9 - Arenas
10 - Anthony

I strongly considered KG for that list, because he is just too quick, too strong and too big for anyone to match up against him; if he wanted he could take over every night. We know he's more than that and his "weak mentality" has been well documented so I wont go into that, but potentially, KG is a top 5 impact player.

There is another way to impact a team as well and it is what usually wins championships. Defense.

[celticmaestro]

As this is "Top Impact Players" this is my list, this is not an order of "Best Players" - although the top #2 wouldn't change.

1 - Kobe
2 - LeBron
3 - Wade
4 - Dirk
5 - Pierce
6 - Paul
7 - Ginobili
8 - McGrady
9 - Arenas
10 - Anthony

I strongly considered KG for that list, because he is just too quick, too strong and too big for anyone to match up against him; if he wanted he could take over every night. We know he's more than that and his "weak mentality" has been well documented so I wont go into that, but potentially, KG is a top 5 impact player.

There is another way to impact a team as well and it is what usually wins championships. Defense.

I based it on offense. I never once undermined defense.