'98 draft - Paul or Dirk?

[wahz]

you said in hindsight so my answer is Dirk. Unlike many or most here, I think and have thought that Dirk is phenomenal. Based on what I have heard and read, Arnold would have picked Dirk. That's good enough for me.

[makaveli]

Paul was, is and will be the best player in that class. If Paul played with players Dirk had for years, Dallas would be putting up his statue by now. But Dirk is amazing as well, a lot of respect for him

[moiso]

The C's were going to take Dirk if was wasn't snatched up.  It's a tough choice between two great players, but I think Dirk is just a little bit better than Paul.

[Bahku]

Paul was, is and will be the best player in that class. If Paul played with players Dirk had for years, Dallas would be putting up his statue by now. But Dirk is amazing as well, a lot of respect for him

This, (TP).

I hate to say it, but if the Mavs hadn't just won the NBA Championship and Dirk hadn't received the Finals MVP Award, threads like these would not be popping up.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with asking this question, just that it's the "Flavor-of-the-Month" type of inquiry.

I think some may have forgotten that Paul also received the Finals MVP Award, playing against a much tougher opponent in Kobe and the (then) Lakers, and that he has been more of a consistent "clutch" player and team Captain than Dirk will ever be, IMHO.

Those who think otherwise just haven't been watching closely enough for the last 13 years, (not counting Pierce's amazing college career).

Paul is a much more complete player, (pretty much shutting Kobe down for that 2008 series), and Dirk's defensive skills leave a great deal to be desired.

I don't think it's even close ... we easily made the right choice, (though Dirk had a great season this year, and is one heckuva player).

Dirk is no KG, either.

[slamtheking]

At the time, if the C's had a choice, probably Dirk to play PF and move Walker to SF with Mercer at SG.  Dirk's bigger which was a premium at the time.

In either case, I think PP and Dirk turned out to be the 2 best players from that draft class over time so I don't think either is a losing proposition no matter which was picked.

[Moranis]

Paul was, is and will be the best player in that class. If Paul played with players Dirk had for years, Dallas would be putting up his statue by now. But Dirk is amazing as well, a lot of respect for him

This, (TP).

I hate to say it, but if the Mavs hadn't just won the NBA Championship and Dirk hadn't received the Finals MVP Award, threads like these would not be popping up.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with asking this question, just that it's the "Flavor-of-the-Month" type of inquiry.

I think some may have forgotten that Paul also received the Finals MVP Award, playing against a much tougher opponent in Kobe and the (then) Lakers, and that he has been more of a consistent "clutch" player and team Captain than Dirk will ever be, IMHO.

Those who think otherwise just haven't been watching closely enough for the last 13 years, (not counting Pierce's amazing college career).

Paul is a much more complete player, (pretty much shutting Kobe down for that 2008 series), and Dirk's defensive skills leave a great deal to be desired.

I don't think it's even close ... we easily made the right choice, (though Dirk had a great season this year, and is one heckuva player).

Dirk is no KG, either.

Pierce has never come close to winning a MVP award (7th was his best year - Dirk has finished 7th or better 6 times including 3 top 3 finishes and the one MVP). 

Pierce never came close to the NBA Finals until joined by 2 other HOFers playing in a much weaker conference, while Dirk took a team of role players to the Finals in 05/06 and beat the defending champs along the way. 

[moiso]

Paul was, is and will be the best player in that class. If Paul played with players Dirk had for years, Dallas would be putting up his statue by now. But Dirk is amazing as well, a lot of respect for him

This, (TP).

I hate to say it, but if the Mavs hadn't just won the NBA Championship and Dirk hadn't received the Finals MVP Award, threads like these would not be popping up.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with asking this question, just that it's the "Flavor-of-the-Month" type of inquiry.

I think some may have forgotten that Paul also received the Finals MVP Award, playing against a much tougher opponent in Kobe and the (then) Lakers, and that he has been more of a consistent "clutch" player and team Captain than Dirk will ever be, IMHO.

Those who think otherwise just haven't been watching closely enough for the last 13 years, (not counting Pierce's amazing college career).

Paul is a much more complete player, (pretty much shutting Kobe down for that 2008 series), and Dirk's defensive skills leave a great deal to be desired.

I don't think it's even close ... we easily made the right choice, (though Dirk had a great season this year, and is one heckuva player).

Dirk is no KG, either.

Pierce has never come close to winning a MVP award (7th was his best year - Dirk has finished 7th or better 6 times including 3 top 3 finishes and the one MVP). 

Pierce never came close to the NBA Finals until joined by 2 other HOFers playing in a much weaker conference, while Dirk took a team of role players to the Finals in 05/06 and beat the defending champs along the way. 

Gotta agree with this post.  One guy was the MVP over the course of an entire regular season.  One guy finished 7th once.

[GreenFaith1819]

Paul Pierce all the way...especially in retrospect.

IMO, if we had drafted Dirk, KG or Ray wouldn't have come. Dirk would've occupied the PF slot, and the history would've probably been altered (2007-08).

I think we'd still be Bannerless, since 1986.

[Bahku]

Paul was, is and will be the best player in that class. If Paul played with players Dirk had for years, Dallas would be putting up his statue by now. But Dirk is amazing as well, a lot of respect for him

This, (TP).

I hate to say it, but if the Mavs hadn't just won the NBA Championship and Dirk hadn't received the Finals MVP Award, threads like these would not be popping up.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with asking this question, just that it's the "Flavor-of-the-Month" type of inquiry.

I think some may have forgotten that Paul also received the Finals MVP Award, playing against a much tougher opponent in Kobe and the (then) Lakers, and that he has been more of a consistent "clutch" player and team Captain than Dirk will ever be, IMHO.

Those who think otherwise just haven't been watching closely enough for the last 13 years, (not counting Pierce's amazing college career).

Paul is a much more complete player, (pretty much shutting Kobe down for that 2008 series), and Dirk's defensive skills leave a great deal to be desired.

I don't think it's even close ... we easily made the right choice, (though Dirk had a great season this year, and is one heckuva player).

Dirk is no KG, either.

Pierce has never come close to winning a MVP award (7th was his best year - Dirk has finished 7th or better 6 times including 3 top 3 finishes and the one MVP).  

Pierce never came close to the NBA Finals until joined by 2 other HOFers playing in a much weaker conference, while Dirk took a team of role players to the Finals in 05/06 and beat the defending champs along the way.  

What are you talking about?!? He won the 2007-2008 NBA Finals MVP Award ... he carried it around for the next month and went on three talk shows with it! It's the same award Dirk just got ... please read my posts completely before bashing them, or check your facts a little more closely. Thanks.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN-AbPrxve0


 

[Donoghus]

Probably still Pierce but it really does make you think.

[get_banners]

Re: Dirk doing better in MVP voting - Dirk had a MUCH BETTER team for pretty much his entire career, and was the offensive centerpiece of that team in terms of scoring, so it's not surprise he put up better numbers and finished higher in the MVP voting. It's not like Pierce can't put up 25 consistently - he just doesn't shoot as much as Dirk. Dirk might be a slightly better player on offense (maybe), but only because he's a 7 footer. Pierce has an equally deadly outside, mid-range, and inside game, can create his own shot as well as Dirk, and plays defense exponentially better than Dirk. I'd pick Pierce every time. Also, Pierce can win you games without scoring a ton. Dirk can't. Had Terry not had a huge game, for instance, Dallas definitely loses Game 6.

[RAG50K]

Pierce: 22.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, 44.8 FG%, 37.3P%
Nowitzki: 23 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 47.6 FG%, 38.1 3P%

Pierce is just as good a player as Dirk offensively, and is FAR superior defensively

But also, wouldn't either of them be gone by #10? That was a decently deep draft but there's no way 9 teams pass on a European big who can shoot threes in '98, or a two-time MVP in the Big 12

[hardlyyardley]

Hard to believe it was Milwaukee that drafted him right before
Pierce and then traded him to Dallas for Traylor

[soap07]

Paul, in his prime, was one of the best rebounders for his position and is an excellent defender. He's also a decent passer for his position. Dirk, FWIW, is a bad rebounder, defender and passer. He can score exceptionally well and Paul is a notch below in that respect. But he more than makes up for it in the other parts of his game.

[indeedproceed]

Out of curiousity...who are the "great players" that Dirk has been playing with for years?

Jason Terry? Marquis Daniels? Jerry Stackhouse? Keith Van Horn?

The three best players Dirk has ever played with were Jason Kidd (well past his prime) and Steve Nash (before he really reached his ceiling) and Michael Finley (who I can't knock at all during his time in Dallas, he was awesome).

Every other player that has been key for the Mavs have either been guys who were seen as overpaid risks before they found success with Dallas (Tyson CHandler, Shawn Marion), or have failed to replicate the success they found in Dallas on a consistent basis (Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels, Devin Harris).

Erick Dampier? Shawn Bradley?

Dirk's best teams have been significantly worse than Pierce's best teams.