Dwyer: 10 best NBA players of the decade

[jtm081385]

[Edited.]

[CelticG1]

If is best players of the decade, why are they including James and Wade. Those guys haven't even played ten years yet. They should have to pick their fruit before they eat it, just like everyone else.


I'd, personally, rank them like this:

Duncan
Shaq
Kobe
Garnett
Iverson
Nowitzki
Kidd
Pierce
Allen
Nash

I basically agree with this list.  I'm not sure Ray belongs on the list, but given the criteria, it's hard to pick somebody who clearly jumps over him.  (For instance, I'd say Chris Webber, but he didn't play the entire decade).

I think I'd still put Lebron on the list, though.  Yes, he's only played part of the decade, but he's been the most dominant player in the NBA for most of that time.

Just curious since it's seems like a few people agree on Shaq being number 1 or 2 just what your criteria is based on. Is it that he was just THAT dominant during the ealier part of this decade that it automatically puts him at 1 or 2? I feel like some of these guys (kobe, KG, and TD) could pretty much arguably be in top 5 discussion for every year of this decade, where Shaq definitely would be in the first half of this decade but certainly not the second half.

This decade, Shaq:

* has won 4 titles
* made it to the Finals five times
* has made the all-star game 9 times
* was Finals MVP three times
* was NBA MVP once
* finished in the top six in MVP voting six times
* led the league in FG% seven times

Shaq had one poor season, in 2008.  Otherwise, he's been a well-above average center for the entire decade, including an absolutely dominant one early on.  I do think he gets extra credit for being so dominating early in the decade, while savvy enough to still be an all-star later on.

Fair Enough.. Shaq was absolutely insane the first half of the decade as far as anything goes. It does seem stupid to have lebron ahead of him. Lebron didn't even play in the first few years of the decade so pretty much Shaq just being an NBA player for the past 3 years would make him higher than James. If Shaq had performed that way in the latter part of this decade than he would no doubt be number 1 (based on KD) cause it seems like recent performance is still regarded as more important for some reason. Shaq did miss 20 games in '05 '06 and half the season in '06 '07, apparently I tend to value longevity a bit more than other people as being an important stat. Basically no matter how good you are if you are missing time on the floor it's not very valuable. I'm not saying that Shaq missing those chunks  of the season's as well as his poor '07 '08 season is enough to rate him worse, but just throwing it out there.

[crownsy]

List looks ok to me except the two things already pointed out. Shaq should be higher, Tmac should be swapped for pierce.

[Cman]

If is best players of the decade, why are they including James and Wade. Those guys haven't even played ten years yet. They should have to pick their fruit before they eat it, just like everyone else.


I'd, personally, rank them like this:

Duncan
Shaq
Kobe
Garnett
Iverson
Nowitzki
Kidd
Pierce
Allen
Nash

I agree with the individuals on your revised list.  I think your ranking is reasonable -- particularly moving up Shaq (for reasons elucidated above) and AI, who, despite the hate he has received on this board in the last year, certainly deserves to be in contention for a spot in the top 5.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think we all agree that KG is too high on that list, right?  I love the guy, but in terms of both statistics and achievements during the last decade, I can't place him above Shaq or even -- gag -- Kobe.

[Cman]

I think we all agree that KG is too high on that list, right?  I love the guy, but in terms of both statistics and achievements during the last decade, I can't place him above Shaq or even -- gag -- Kobe.

Trying to rile up the fan base?
 

[Roy Hobbs]

I think we all agree that KG is too high on that list, right?  I love the guy, but in terms of both statistics and achievements during the last decade, I can't place him above Shaq or even -- gag -- Kobe.

Trying to rile up the fan base?
 

Haha.


Kobe >>>>>> KG!  Wooooooo!

[BballTim]

I think we all agree that KG is too high on that list, right?  I love the guy, but in terms of both statistics and achievements during the last decade, I can't place him above Shaq or even -- gag -- Kobe.

  I could easily put him ahead of Kobe if you factor in what he's meant to teams defensively. Wherever Duncan is on the list I'd probably put KG one spot lower. And I'd put Dirk below Kidd.

[slamtheking]

I must be the only one that considers Shaq incredibly overrated.

Every game I've seen him play he dominates the opposing team because the refs let him break rules left and right-->traveling, pushing, charges, over-the-back, etc...
He can't hit a shot outside 8 feet

I'm not saying I wouldn't have gladly taken him on the team had the opportunity presented itself but Shaq's dominance was due in large part to being allowed to play outside the rules that applied to most of his opponents.  He's not completely unskilled near the basket or as a passer and was pretty solid defensively but if the league hadn't annointed him as the savior after Jordan's 1st retirement, Shaq's first few years in the league would not have gone as well.

[nickagneta]

Wow!! Just came across this!! What was Kelly Dwyer thinking??

How can any list of the top 10 players this decade not start either TD/Shaq or Shaq/TD??

Shaq 6th??

TMac??

Wade??

LeBron top 5 for 5 years work??

My list has to go something like

1. Shaquille O'Neal
2. Tim Duncan
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Kevin Garnett
5. Allen Iverson
6. Jason Kidd
7. Steve Nash
8. LeBron James
9. Dirk Nowitski
10. (tie) Pau Gasol/Paul Pierce

[nickagneta]

I must be the only one that considers Shaq incredibly overrated.

Every game I've seen him play he dominates the opposing team because the refs let him break rules left and right-->traveling, pushing, charges, over-the-back, etc...
He can't hit a shot outside 8 feet

I'm not saying I wouldn't have gladly taken him on the team had the opportunity presented itself but Shaq's dominance was due in large part to being allowed to play outside the rules that applied to most of his opponents.  He's not completely unskilled near the basket or as a passer and was pretty solid defensively but if the league hadn't annointed him as the savior after Jordan's 1st retirement, Shaq's first few years in the league would not have gone as well.

You've got to be kidding me?

Shaq might be the most fouled played where the fouls aren't called in the league. He is constantly getting hacked all over the place and the calls don't come because he is so big and strong that the fouls don't have any effect on him. That doesn't make them any less a foul.

[drza44]

I think we all agree that KG is too high on that list, right?  I love the guy, but in terms of both statistics and achievements during the last decade, I can't place him above Shaq or even -- gag -- Kobe.

I'll fight you to the death!

All jokes aside, I do still have him above Kobe in terms of bothstatistics and achievements.  Especially statistically, KG has built a pretty solid lead on Kobe.  As far as achievements, it comes back to the rings vs teammates arguments.  I don't see a reason to say that playing next to Shaq made Kobe a better player, when I am ultra confident that had the roles been reversed KG would also have had at least 3 extra rings playing next to Shaq.  But the reverse isn't true...I'm not sure at all that Minnesota has any 50-win seasons or even the moderate playoff success that they had if you put Kobe onto those teams instead of KG.

But as individuals, I think that KG has produced more and also done more with less talent than Kobe has done this decade.  So for me, I pretty comfortably rank KG ahead of him and welcome the inevitable arguments to the contrary.

[BballTim]

I must be the only one that considers Shaq incredibly overrated.

Every game I've seen him play he dominates the opposing team because the refs let him break rules left and right-->traveling, pushing, charges, over-the-back, etc...
He can't hit a shot outside 8 feet

I'm not saying I wouldn't have gladly taken him on the team had the opportunity presented itself but Shaq's dominance was due in large part to being allowed to play outside the rules that applied to most of his opponents.  He's not completely unskilled near the basket or as a passer and was pretty solid defensively but if the league hadn't annointed him as the savior after Jordan's 1st retirement, Shaq's first few years in the league would not have gone as well.

You've got to be kidding me?

Shaq might be the most fouled played where the fouls aren't called in the league. He is constantly getting hacked all over the place and the calls don't come because he is so big and strong that the fouls don't have any effect on him. That doesn't make them any less a foul.

  Not that I'm agreeing with him, but look at it from the other side. He made a career out of bumping defenders off their spot when they were set and in position. He'd back into them and literally lift them off their feet to get close enough to dunk.

[Celtics17]

KG vs. Kobe is not as easy as most would make it out. How do you gauge KG's impact on the defensive end. You cant just give the teams defensive numbers because he is not the team, just a big part of it. You cant gauge his individual opponent because KG stops a lot more then that. And, you can't gauge it by blocked shots any more then you can gauge Kobe's D by his number of steals. Offensively though you have to go with Kobe and as good as KG is offensively he is not in the same class as Kobe is.The thing is though, defense wins titles.

[Fafnir]

KG vs. Kobe is not as easy as most would make it out. How do you gauge KG's impact on the defensive end. You cant just give the teams defensive numbers because he is not the team, just a big part of it. You cant gauge his individual opponent because KG stops a lot more then that. And, you can't gauge it by blocked shots any more then you can gauge Kobe's D by his number of steals. Offensively though you have to go with Kobe and as good as KG is offensively he is not in the same class as Kobe is.The thing is though, defense wins titles.

I don't know about that. Offensively I think they've been about the same efficiency/effectiveness. Kobe just uses more of his teams possessions.

Defensively I don't think they're remotely comparable. Kobe gets by on his rep as a defender most of the time.

I think Garnett's a better player overall, big men usually are. I think the top two have to be Shaq/Duncan and KG is third.