Wouldn't it be great if you could see a game of 2on2 with MJ/Pippen vs Wade/LeBron? What a matchup in their primes.

 

NBA Jam doesn't count? I crushed Wade and Lebron.

LeBron v. Jordan would be a great matchup. If it is a game of 1 on 1 on the street or in an empty gym I'm taking LeBron. He's just too strong and too fast and too big. If real rules are played I'll take Jordan without hesitation in the hypothetical one on one game.

What else would we be looking at?

 

I assumed we if we are going to compare them in this sense then we would compare them at the time they were a duo together. If their primes were at the same time Kobe and Shaq would have been completely unstoppable. But they didn't play together in their primes. Which Jordan and which Pippen are we using? Do we use today's DWade and LeBron? Which Jordan?

 

What is the purpose of ranking them if we are not talking about when they played together for this thread?

I assumed we if we are going to compare them in this sense then we would compare them at the time they were a duo together. If their primes were at the same time Kobe and Shaq would have been completely unstoppable. But they didn't play together in their primes. Which Jordan and which Pippen are we using? Do we use today's DWade and LeBron? Which Jordan?

 

What is the purpose of ranking them if we are not talking about when they played together for this thread?

 

I see what you are saying but no I was talking about their whole body of work. If we are just doing it on time played together this isn't even close to a debate.

I assumed we if we are going to compare them in this sense then we would compare them at the time they were a duo together. If their primes were at the same time Kobe and Shaq would have been completely unstoppable. But they didn't play together in their primes. Which Jordan and which Pippen are we using? Do we use today's DWade and LeBron? Which Jordan?

 

What is the purpose of ranking them if we are not talking about when they played together for this thread?

 

 

The Kobe of the 3Peat run was still the 2nd best player in the league. He was truly one of the top defenders in the league at the time as well. Keep in mind he was so superb at that time that he was disappointed he didn't win one of the MVP awards. That Kobe was still a tremendous player. Tremendous enough that LA felt like they were losing nothing by not caving to Shaq's outrageous contract demands. The Kobe that had 48 points and 16 rebounds against the Kings one night in the Western Conference Finals. Shaq was just at his most dominating point at the time that I think you are forgetting just how long Kobe has been great.

 

 

I ranked my players based on how good they were/are during their title runs. That is why I have Shaq higher than Kobe and LBJ. During those 3 years Shaq went on what they call the 2nd or 3rd most dominating performances by an NBA player. MJ was #1. I think LBJ is a better overall basketball player than Kobe and will be regarded as such when he is done.

I see what you are saying but no I was talking about their whole body of work. If we are just doing it on time played together this isn't even close to a debate.

 

I just don't know if LeBron and Wade can be fairly compared then. The real stages of their careers have just begun.

The Kobe of the 3Peat run was still the 2nd best player in the league. He was truly one of the top defenders in the league at the time as well. Keep in mind he was so superb at that time that he was disappointed he didn't win one of the MVP awards. That Kobe was still a tremendous player. Tremendous enough that LA felt like they were losing n

 

Was he the 2nd best in the league? Allen Iverson was very close, and honestly I feel better for what he did the year he took them to the Finals. It was a poor era for basketball. That Kobe wasn't close to what DWade and LeBron are right now IMO. He was pretty good in their first Finals appearance, average in ring #2 and very good in #3. He was getting there, but no where like what he was from about '04-'09. At that point he was on track for top 30-40 player all-time, he's gotten so much better since then it isn't even funny. JMO

I just don't know if LeBron and Wade can be fairly compared then. The real stages of their careers have just begun.

 

Exactly. We don't even know if they are going to win any rings.

Exactly. We don't even know if they are going to win any rings.

 

Very true. They could end up being the most overrated duo of all-time. I don't see that happening, but it really could.

And you're assuming LeBron can guard Jordan. Not buying it.

 

Even so then switch the matchups and let Pippen guard LeBron. MJ could still smother DWade.

 

MJ never played against or guarded anyone remotely close to LBJ physically or athletically. I'm not buying MJ being able to do anything he is accustomed to against LBJ on offense or defense. I'll sell MJ being MJ against LBJ.

 

Pippen on LBJ? That's laughable. I can hear Scottie have a migraine come on as soon as MJ says....'I got Wade'

Was he the 2nd best in the league? Allen Iverson was very close, and honestly I feel better for what he did the year he took them to the Finals. It was a poor era for basketball. That Kobe wasn't close to what DWade and LeBron are right now IMO. He was pretty good in their first Finals appearance, average in ring #2 and very good in #3. He was getting there, but no where like what he was from about '04-'09. At that point he was on track for top 30-40 player all-time, he's gotten so much better since then it isn't even funny. JMO

 

 

He was a lot more exciting then. That's for sure. That was the Kobe that was dunking on everybody. Sure his jumper became more reliable, his game more cerebral and yes, he became a better basketball player from 04-09 but I have NEVER thought Iverson was better than Kobe. Kobe was winning All Star MVP's at that time also(he cried in Philly when they booed him). I also have never thought that any DWade that I have seen be better than anyone Kobe I have seen once LA started winning titles. Remember....Kobe had to elevate his game for the Lakers to win their titles and he did that.

 

 

I already ranked him 4th. That's all you'll get from me.

 

 

For the record, if I was drafting a team of all time players and I had first pick I am taking Kobe Bean Bryant.

He was a lot more exciting then. That's for sure. That was the Kobe that was dunking on everybody. Sure his jumper became more reliable, his game more cerebral and yes, he became a better basketball player from 04-09 but I have NEVER thought Iverson was better than Kobe. Kobe was winning All Star MVP's at that time also(he cried in Philly when they booed him). I also have never thought that any DWade that I have seen be better than anyone Kobe I have seen once LA started winning titles. Remember....Kobe had to elevate his game for the Lakers to win their titles and he did that.

 

 

I already ranked him 4th. That's all you'll get from me.

 

 

For the record, if I was drafting a team of all time players and I had first pick I am taking Kobe Bean Bryant.

 

I'll take '06 DWade over the early 2000s Kobe. But, for their careers I wouldn't dream of putting them in the same sentence. DWade is on his way to becoming an all-time great, but Kobe is in another tier IMO.

Do you all think D Wade is past his prime?

Do you all think D Wade is past his prime?

 

He is certainly on the downside IMO. His body is going to start diminishing just like Kobe's has.

LeBron v. Jordan would be a great matchup. If it is a game of 1 on 1 on the street or in an empty gym I'm taking LeBron. He's just too strong and too fast and too big. If real rules are played I'll take Jordan without hesitation in the hypothetical one on one game.

I would take the opposite. If it were no holds barred pure street ball where you take out the ball when you get fouled, Jordan would not lose. He would simply tackle LeBron before he would let him score. And I think he would dominate him mentally because of it.