James and Wade the top 2 players in the NBA?

[Juneauz]

1. Lebron
2. Dirk
3. Dwight

[housecall]

I say no...Lebron is probably tied for #1 with Dirk at this moment.I rank Wade closer to #5.Rose is #3 because he's carrying a team most of the time singlehanded.Durant is my #4 because he can win games on his own too.

[ManUp]

Is Durant really that good? I guess I have to watch more of him.

[Fafnir]

Is Durant really that good? I guess I have to watch more of him.

As an offensive player, yes.

He only needs to tap into his defensive potential to start to rival LeBron. I have my doubts to whether or not he can ever become a better playmaker for others though.

[soap07]

Surprised at the amount of Dirk love - definitely a top 10 player, but not top 5...

LeBron, Wade, Howard, Paul, Deron and Kobe are still very much better than Dirk, with Carmelo with a decent argument as well.

Dirk, for all his shooting prowess, is not a great defender and is a very weak rebounder. He's never been a particularly good passer either. He's an extremely efficient scorer, but outside of that, not much more.

Melo, for example, is not only an exceptional scorer, is an excellent rebounder for his position too.

[EdoG89]

Oh, Melo is a Garbage. He is only statistic oriented, but he can't help a team .


My top 10 :


LeBron 1
Wunderdirk 2
Durant 3
Rose 4
Bryant 5
Rondo 6
Dwight 7
Wade 8
Williams 9
Garnett 10


Why you Love Paul ? Why do you think is better than Rondo?

Rondo is the only reason for our run last year, he is absolutley Dominant. What  has done in his career Chris Paul ? has put up good numbers in regoular season for to disappear in the Playoff. I hate the way you think...Rondo last yeartook a nasty blow from Howard, and for a long time he play with a several ailments... but when he is fit is  absolutely dominant

[Mr October]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

I think their defense is equally mediocre.

I think their passing/facilitating is equally OK.

Durant has potential to be greater, but he's not quite there yet.

[Celtics18]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

I think their defense is equally mediocre.

I think their passing/facilitating is equally OK.

Durant has potential to be greater, but he's not quite there yet.

Agree, except I think that both Dirk's shooting and passing ability is superior to Durant's. 

KD is much more athletic.  But, yeah, Nowitzki's the superior player at this point. 

[Fafnir]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

I think their defense is equally mediocre.

I think their passing/facilitating is equally OK.

Durant has potential to be greater, but he's not quite there yet.

Durant has just as big of a height advantage against most SFs who attempt to guard him. Their efficiencies are very close, positionally Durant is a stronger rebounder and most of the time a stronger defender. (Durant is a strong rebounding SF, Dirk is a weak rebounding PF)

I rate them as very similar in quality. I put LeBron and then Howard, after that Wade/Durant/Dirk/CP3 are all mulling around the same level in my head.

[Who]

Yes -- LeBron (1st) and Wade (2nd) are the two best players in the league and they have been for quite some time now.

Dwight Howard is near by at #3.

Kevin Durant is #4 but not in the same league as any of the three guys above him, yet. I expect him to make the grade soon though. 

[Mr October]

Surprised at the amount of Dirk love - definitely a top 10 player, but not top 5...

LeBron, Wade, Howard, Paul, Deron and Kobe are still very much better than Dirk, with Carmelo with a decent argument as well.

Dirk, for all his shooting prowess, is not a great defender and is a very weak rebounder. He's never been a particularly good passer either. He's an extremely efficient scorer, but outside of that, not much more.

Melo, for example, is not only an exceptional scorer, is an excellent rebounder for his position too.

I felt that way about Dirk for a while too. And I think his play deserved criticism in the Miami and GS series.

But Dirk's offense is on another level this post season. He is the most consistently unguardable player right now. He's automatic. And to do it with a cast around him that is well below all star level, is just amazing.

[OsirusCeltics]

1. Wade
2. Dirk
3. Pierce
4. Chris Paul
5. Carmelo

[Who]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

I think their defense is equally mediocre.

I think their passing/facilitating is equally OK.

Durant has potential to be greater, but he's not quite there yet.

The biggest difference in Durant's favour is rebounding.

Durant is well above average rebounder at SF and a solid rebounder at PF in small ball lineups. Dirk Nowitzki, at this point in his career, is very slow to the ball. He is well below average on the glass as both a PF and C. He costs his team rebounds on a daily basis with his inability to explode to the ball. Just too old.

Dirk Nowitzki's offensive game has gotten better and better as he has gotten older but his defense + rebounding (especially his rebounding) have continued to decline year after year.

I also Durant is better defensively. Nothing special but solid. His size, quickness and length intimidates people. Not that good when guys attack his D but he gets attacked a lot less than most SFs. Intimidation. Those long arms of his. Again, nothing special but very solid. He could be special if he put more work in. 

I'd give Dirk the nod as a passer and scorer. For me, Dirk is the best offensive player in the NBA today.

[Mr October]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

I think their defense is equally mediocre.

I think their passing/facilitating is equally OK.

Durant has potential to be greater, but he's not quite there yet.

Durant has just as big of a height advantage against most SFs who attempt to guard him. Their efficiencies are very close, positionally Durant is a stronger rebounder and most of the time a stronger defender. (Durant is a strong rebounding SF, Dirk is a weak rebounding PF)

I rate them as very similar in quality. I put LeBron and then Howard, after that Wade/Durant/Dirk/CP3 are all mulling around the same level in my head.

Good points about Durant's size and rebounding vs small forwards.

Now, why is that not translating into better shot selection. When he goes cold from the outside, i find it curious that he can't use all his speed and length to get some better shots off.

The guy should be good enough to take Stevenson or Marion in the post and do damage. Instead he's cool with bricking away from the 3 point line. ...kind of like a younger version of Dirk.

Considering how similar their games are, shot selection is my tie breaker. But yeah, overall they are on the same level.

[Who]

I'm curious... For those who rank Durant over Dirk, please tell me why?

I think their shooting skill is equal, yet Dirk has better shot selection.

I Think Dirk's height has an advantage over Durant's speed in that it helps Dirk get off more unguardable shots in his sweet spots about 12-18 feet out.

Durant has just as big of a height advantage against most SFs who attempt to guard him. Their efficiencies are very close, positionally Durant is a stronger rebounder and most of the time a stronger defender. (Durant is a strong rebounding SF, Dirk is a weak rebounding PF)

Durant has the height and length but he doesn't have the weight (physical advantage) or the post game (skill-set advantage) that Dirk has.

That is why Durant is more vulnerable (than Dirk) to struggling against certain elite defenders.

That, for me, is the key difference between the two offensively.