Tim Legler "Derrick Rose is the best since Magic Johnson"

[OsirusCeltics]

I was shocked and bewildered by what Legler said about Rose. To me Leger and Skip Bayless are the only ones in the media I respect. Always have intelligent basketball insight, and don't have that undercover homerism for certain teams

But wow. One thing I can't stand is people not reading their history books. Honestly, I just had enough of this Derrick Rose hype. He's not even a real point guard. Rose actually reminds me of a Vinnie Johnson instead of a person on Magic Johnson's level in a player that would come off the bench and explode for 30 or 40 points with all of the crossover moves

Rose is not even 1/2 as good a player these legends were:
-Gary Payton
-John Stockton
-Kevin Johnson
-Jason Kidd
-Allen Iverson
-Tim Hardaway
-Penny Hardaway


Love whatever Tim Legler says, but in the words of Mark Jackson
"You're better than that"

[BballTim]

  Well, we know that he's not the best *passer* since Magic, since LeBron has that one sewed up, just watch sportscenter and you'll see.

[heitingas]

I hope the ground will open up and swallow that Rose.



No profanity, masked or otherwise.
-IP

[housecall]

I see D.Rose as a decent pg but a very good 2g...maybe its because they don't have a consistent scorer at the 2g is why he looks for shot(20per.ga.) more than the average pg.Magic looked to involve his team more into the offense first and his own shot second or third most nights.Magic dominated the scoring when he had a real big mismatch at the pg or the other team mates didn't have it that night.Rose doesn't have the bb brains to compare him with Magic at this stage of his career.Usually i agree with most of what Leggs has to say but i think this time he got starstruck  by a great performance aganist the Hawks last night,a team that appeared to have thrown in the towel at the half...tp for the OP

[Chris]

They said the same thing about Chris Paul a couple years ago.  Lets see some sustained greatness before we do too many of these proclamations.

[Fafnir]

They said the same thing about Chris Paul a couple years ago.  Lets see some sustained greatness before we do too many of these proclamations.

CP3's season in 2007-2008 was much better than Rose's this year. He really should have won the MVP, Kobe got his as a career achievement.

[indeedproceed]

It ain't basketball analysis if it ain't unnecessarily hyperbolic...also, it ain't a single unless Nate Dogg's on it.

[soap07]

CP3's season in 2007-2008 was much better than Rose's this year.

One could argue that CP3's season is better this year too. Paul is top 5 in PER and leading the league in Win Shares/48 - FWIW. Also has a better TS%, eFG%, more steals (leading the league, in fact), more assists, slightly better rebound rate...

They said the same thing about Chris Paul a couple years ago.  Lets see some sustained greatness before we do too many of these proclamations.

Is it inaccurate? Yeah, Paul has struggled through injuries - but he's still considered the best point guard in the league, I would think, by the majority of players.

[fairweatherfan]

It ain't basketball analysis if it ain't unnecessarily hyperbolic...also, it ain't a single unless Nate Dogg's on it.

RIP singles 

[OsirusCeltics]

They said the same thing about Chris Paul a couple years ago.  Lets see some sustained greatness before we do too many of these proclamations.

CP3's season in 2007-2008 was much better than Rose's this year. He really should have won the MVP, Kobe got his as a career achievement.

Ohh myy Godd, I was saying the same thing. Chris Paul is head over heels better than Rose. Chris Paul so good that year it was scary. One of the best point guard performances (regular season and playoffs) that I ever seen. Kobe got that award as a  career achievement award for a just a reasonable year for him

[Chris]

They said the same thing about Chris Paul a couple years ago.  Lets see some sustained greatness before we do too many of these proclamations.

Is it inaccurate? Yeah, Paul has struggled through injuries - but he's still considered the best point guard in the league, I would think, by the majority of players.

IMO, Paul has not replicated that season since.  He is still really good, and probably still the best in the league (although Rose does have an argument for this season), but unless he comes all the way back from the knee injury and regains the quickness he had a few years back, I think the "Best PG ever" label could be tough to obtain for him.

But that season was spectacular.

[Donoghus]

ESPN is a joke when it comes to its NBA coverage.  

None of this should be surprising.  That network is the ultimate hype machine and gets more caught up in the moment than any other sports outlet by far.

[Assassin70]

Well that is his opinion...he is entitled to it?

But I would not say that this early in his career.

Like mentioned before in this thread see Penny Hardaway.

Don't get me wrong D Rose is a beast...not hating in the least. If he stay healthy though his career, sure he can be an all time great, just don't see it @ PG.

But when it is all said and done just like AI and Kobe he wont be a PG much longer.  I see him moving over to the 2 soon and turning into a explosive volume shooter.

[Marcus13]

He is a 2011 Allen Iverson/Steve Francis

That's really about as deep as you have to look into it

[jimmywolfrey]

Well I think everyone has their opinion, but Derrick Rose is a great player, a great PG, a franchise player, a 1 every 5 years type player.  I think right now I would take him as a PG over just about everyone including Chris Paul (only due to Paul's injury risk and the fact that Rose steps up better in the playoffs).  Most people who ridicule him will say he isn't a point guard because he scores so much.  That is total nonsense.  He has the ball in his hand to run the offense whether he is the scorer or passer.  He also is responsible for bringing the ball up the court which some of you think is required as a PG.  

There has not been anyone who can defend him especially in clutch time.  When the top defender on your team needs to guard Rose because the normal PG can't that is saying something.  Rose, during the crunch time, goes against the best of the best defenders and still comes through.  His defense has definitely improved this year whether its because he totally kills his opponents confidence with his offense or whether he simply got smarter defensively.  Who knows.

People will look at his 44% FG percentage and cry but he is taking many more 3pointers this year which is distorting that FG%. His TS% is actually up this year despite his lower FG%.  

He was a freaking monster the last two years in the first rounds of the playoffs.  

He has the type of game that can simply take over a game.  Not many PGs can do that as both a scorer and distributor.  

The reality for Derrick Rose is that he needs to bring it in the playoffs and lift his team to playoff success.  Last year, he almost single handedly helped his team gain a monumental upset. This year, he has help, and he will need to prove to everyone that he has what it takes when it matters most.  That will change all the doubters minds.