CB Historical Draft: Vote Best Power Forward of the Era

[RockinRyA]

i think its duncan, but i am letting my bias get the better of me and convince myself that kg is better because duncan is really a C 

(okay why was toine not in the choices  )

[KCattheStripe]

Nick: Karl Malone didn't make JohN Stockton better?

I would argue it was the other way around.

Without Stockton pushing a pace complimentary to Malone's presence and without Stockton to deliver him the ball in the best position for Malone while also getting it at the exact time Malone would be most effective with the ball, would Malone be who he was.

Look at Tyson Chandler and Twight Howard as examples. Tyson Chandler had his best offensive years with a great point guard in Chris Paul and was near All-Star caliber with FG% near league leading heights when playing with him. Without him he's pretty much a stiff. Now look at Dwight Howard and think just how much better would he be with a true play making, passing first, floor general type PG like Williams or Rondo?

I say Stockton made Malone better, not the other way around.

Without a guy with the physical tools and toughness to be the second leading scorer in NBA history, would Stockon's passing ability be remembered as well? Without as dominating a presence rolling to the basket would Stockton have had as much room to get his shot off?

The idea that Malone was even comparably as limited a scorer as Dwight Howard, let alone Tyson Chandler, is just not one I can even remotely buy into. Those two made each other great, neither of them would be as successful without the other.

And I would argue that does Deron Williams and Chris Paul have dominant scorers that make them get better shots or increase their assist numbers? No. So why would Stockton need Malone to still be a dominating PG?

I am not putting Malone in the same category as Howard and Chandler. All I am pointing out is that with and without great PGs they were better and worse because of it. Malone was definitely better because of Stockton but I just don't see that Malone made Stockton better as the very best point guards are great no matter who they play with.

Look at Marion's career with and without Nash. What was KG's best year in his prime? The one with the best PG.

Stockton needed Malone to get his Assts per game to the stratospheric 14 that he averaged from 1987-1992, those are numbers Williams or Paul haven't even sniffed yet most likely because they don't have an all time great scorer to play with.


Also, Barkley, Duncan,  McHale didn't rely on all time greats to produce.

[GreenFaith1819]

I voted KG here.

Just going down Memory Lane on Youtube - Kevin Garnett was an Absolute B.E.A.S.T.

Great List here, though. I think Karl Malone was under-rated during his time as a Defender, though..man was just too strong for most PFs to handle down low.

[ibby]

I understand that Barkley is underrated/overrated by some (I voted for Duncan), but the man was probably 6'4" leading the league in rebounds (or [dang] close) and no one ever really mentions him with the likes of Rodman or Ben Wallace as far as rebounders.  The guy was the size of a "small" SG playing PF and some C.