2014 Anger General Geatest of All Time: #22 selection

[kobeunderbite]

I'll take peak Dirk and peak Playoffs Dirk (28-8, 48%/46%/94%) over peak Wade and peak Playoffs Wade.

Additionally, despite the loss as a #1 seed, Dirk is one of the most clutch players of all-time, and one of the greatest Game 7 performers of all-time as well.

[ripper76]

I think Dirk has a legit case that can be made here over Wade, though personally I think Wade was better at his best and that's still my vote.

What I don't get is all the votes for Isiah. He belongs behind both those guys.

[Y2K]

I think Dirk has a legit case that can be made here over Wade, though personally I think Wade was better at his best and that's still my vote.

What I don't get is all the votes for Isiah. He belongs behind both those guys.

Absolutely. I figured Isiah Thomas to be late 20s at the earliest.

[ripper76]

Not that a Top 10 plays video has or should have any bearing on voting in a poll like this, but I just came across this one of Wade that's pretty good and topical:

[youtube]pjkRwRmWpH8[/youtube]

#8 is ridiculous
#7 Playoff game winner his rookie year, first ever playoff game.
#3 and #2 are just sick dunks
#1 is awesome. Tie game, seconds left in overtime and the bulls have the ball. Wade with the steal and the game winner.

Here's one for Dirk as well:

[youtube]7bJpkSPLqCk[/youtube]

[kobeunderbite]

Dirk 1x Champion, Isiah 2x Champion.
Dirk 1x FMVP, Isiah 1x FMVP.
Dirk 1x MVP, Isiah 0x MVP.
Dirk 12x All-Star (and counting), Isiah 12x All-Star.
Dirk 9x All-NBA Team (-3rd team which was not counted for part of Isiah's career), Isiah 5x All-NBA Team.
Dirk 4x All-NBA First Team, Isiah 3x All-NBA First Team.
Dirk 10th All-Time in Win Shares, Isiah 137th All-Time in Win Shares.
Dirk 19th All-Time in PER, Isiah 132nd All-Time in PER.
Dirk 10th All-Time in Playoff PER, Isiah 51st All-Time in Playoff PER.
Dirk 22nd All-Time in MVP Shares, Isiah 67th All-Time in MVP Shares.
Dirk 50-40-90 Club.
Dirk one of eleven players to have been NBA Champion, NBA regular season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and a 10× NBA All-Star.
Dirk 10th All-Time in Points and likely to move into top 7-8.
Dirk 11-straight 50-Win seasons.

Dirk's peak is higher as well, and as good as Isiah may have been in some big moments, Dirk is one of the best playoff/clutch performers ever:

In the playoffs, he has averaged 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, which only Hakeem Olajuwon, Bob Pettit and Elgin Baylor (ALL ON THE LIST ALREADY) have managed to do. In elimination games he averaged 28.8 points, 11.8 rebounds. He has had 14 elimination games where he scored 30 or more points, which ties him with Jerry West for most all time. Of the top 100 elimination game performances in the last 20 years, Nowitzki has had the best performances in 8 of them, more than any other player in the NBA in that same time frame.



If Isiah wins over Dirk, it will have been the worst voting result in this process so far, by far.

[wailuaFC]

After a long time pondering, I vote for the round mound of rebound

[kobeunderbite]

I count 6 votes for Zeke - phuture, carpe, infidel, spade, stars, jackson - and I challenge any of them to explain why Isiah should be ranked ahead of Dirk on this list.

[kobeunderbite]

After a long time pondering, I vote for the round mound of rebound

Kind of like voting for an independent in the Presidency in that your vote will not impact the final result at all (as Barkley has just one vote). I implore you to vote for a candidate who can overtake Isiah, otherwise the vote is essentially meaningless, even if you believe Barkley belongs in the spot.

[Y2K]

I count 6 votes for Zeke - phuture, carpe, infidel, spade, stars, jackson - and I challenge any of them to explain why Isiah should be ranked ahead of Dirk on this list.

Elmouse03 voted for Isiah as well.

[kobeunderbite]

I count 6 votes for Zeke - phuture, carpe, infidel, spade, stars, jackson - and I challenge any of them to explain why Isiah should be ranked ahead of Dirk on this list.

Elmouse03 voted for Isiah as well.

I don't understand it at all.

[wailuaFC]

After a long time pondering, I vote for the round mound of rebound

Kind of like voting for an independent in the Presidency in that your vote will not impact the final result at all (as Barkley has just one vote). I implore you to vote for a candidate who can overtake Isiah, otherwise the vote is essentially meaningless, even if you believe Barkley belongs in the spot.

I see what you're saying, but I would rather have Barkley then dirk, wade, admiral, zeke, and so on. It would be disingenuous for me to pick someone lesser then him just for the sake of having an impact. I'd rather vote for the player I think is deserving of the spot, then vote against one not deserving it

[Incognito]

Have to go with Dirk.

[Bush4Ever]

Now is a good time for Dirk.

Dirk.

[Y2K]

I count 6 votes for Zeke - phuture, carpe, infidel, spade, stars, jackson - and I challenge any of them to explain why Isiah should be ranked ahead of Dirk on this list.

Elmouse03 voted for Isiah as well.

I don't understand it at all.

Neither do I. I'm not personally attacking anyone nor their selection but I simply 100% disagree on the basis of very little advantage(s) that Isiah has over the plethora of advantages that several candidates have over him.

[americaninfidel]

Elmouse03 voted for Isiah as well.

I don't understand it at all.

Neither do I. I'm not personally attacking anyone nor their selection but I simply 100% disagree on the basis of very little advantage(s) that Isiah has over the plethora of advantages that several candidates have over him.

I've only got a moment here, so I can't give as thorough an answer as I'd like--or as you'd probably like as well. But as an explanation for my pick of Isiah, I'd say this:

From 1980, the NBA had a great narrative of Magic v Bird, Lakers v Celtics, with a bone thrown to the legacy of the ABA and Dr. J in 1983. The ascendency of Jordan as a replacement to the dichotomy of Bird/Magic seemed a given, up until these upstarts from Detroit showed up. They were brash, nasty even--the Bad Boys--and their unquestioned leader was Isiah Thomas.

Thomas deserves this spot for being the best player on that team. For topping three of the top six players in this poll. No other player in the list can claim that.

[Carpediem77]

I don't understand it at all.

Neither do I. I'm not personally attacking anyone nor their selection but I simply 100% disagree on the basis of very little advantage(s) that Isiah has over the plethora of advantages that several candidates have over him.

I've only got a moment here, so I can't give as thorough an answer as I'd like--or as you'd probably like as well. But as an explanation for my pick of Isiah, I'd say this:

From 1980, the NBA had a great narrative of Magic v Bird, Lakers v Celtics, with a bone thrown to the legacy of the ABA and Dr. J in 1983. The ascendency of Jordan as a replacement to the dichotomy of Bird/Magic seemed a given, up until these upstarts from Detroit showed up. They were brash, nasty even--the Bad Boys--and their unquestioned leader was Isiah Thomas.

Thomas deserves this spot for being the best player on that team. For topping three of the top six players in this poll. No other player in the list can claim that.

^^^THIS.

[vcsgrizzfan]

I am a little bit puzzled with the overwhelming love for Thomas. I can see a case for him but I would have him a little lower down.

There have been a number of posts forgetting that it wasn't Thomas against the Celtics, Bulls etc and personalizing matchups. Those Pistons were deep and talented with big and versatile front courts and another HOFer in the back court with him in Dumars.

I prefer both Wade and Dirk here over Thomas.

I'll vote Wade since it appears he has the best chance to overtake Thomas at this point.

I'm essentially indifferent between Wade and Dirk. With Dirk having gained momentum here ahead of Wade, I switch my vote to Dirk.

Isiah simply does not belong here. The arguments for him I've read here are generally simplistic and kind of dumb.

[Y2K]

I am a little bit puzzled with the overwhelming love for Thomas. I can see a case for him but I would have him a little lower down.

There have been a number of posts forgetting that it wasn't Thomas against the Celtics, Bulls etc and personalizing matchups. Those Pistons were deep and talented with big and versatile front courts and another HOFer in the back court with him in Dumars.

I prefer both Wade and Dirk here over Thomas.

I'll vote Wade since it appears he has the best chance to overtake Thomas at this point.

I'm essentially indifferent between Wade and Dirk. With Dirk having gained momentum here ahead of Wade, I switch my vote to Dirk.

Isiah simply does not belong here. The arguments for him I've read here are generally simplistic and kind of dumb.

I'll document the change.

[vcsgrizzfan]

Neither do I. I'm not personally attacking anyone nor their selection but I simply 100% disagree on the basis of very little advantage(s) that Isiah has over the plethora of advantages that several candidates have over him.

I've only got a moment here, so I can't give as thorough an answer as I'd like--or as you'd probably like as well. But as an explanation for my pick of Isiah, I'd say this:

From 1980, the NBA had a great narrative of Magic v Bird, Lakers v Celtics, with a bone thrown to the legacy of the ABA and Dr. J in 1983. The ascendency of Jordan as a replacement to the dichotomy of Bird/Magic seemed a given, up until these upstarts from Detroit showed up. They were brash, nasty even--the Bad Boys--and their unquestioned leader was Isiah Thomas.

Thomas deserves this spot for being the best player on that team. For topping three of the top six players in this poll. No other player in the list can claim that.

^^^THIS.

Hardly. Isiah was much more a cog in the wheel than the wheel. His teams that won were teams with great depth in both the front court and the back court and while he might have been the 'leader' in a sense, he was more the first among equals than the lead dogs of his era. People are trying way too hard to make him something he wasn't.

[wailuaFC]

I am a little bit puzzled with the overwhelming love for Thomas. I can see a case for him but I would have him a little lower down.

There have been a number of posts forgetting that it wasn't Thomas against the Celtics, Bulls etc and personalizing matchups. Those Pistons were deep and talented with big and versatile front courts and another HOFer in the back court with him in Dumars.

I prefer both Wade and Dirk here over Thomas.

I'll vote Wade since it appears he has the best chance to overtake Thomas at this point.

I'm essentially indifferent between Wade and Dirk. With Dirk having gained momentum here ahead of Wade, I switch my vote to Dirk.

Isiah simply does not belong here. The arguments for him I've read here are generally simplistic and kind of dumb.

Dont switch your vote just to change the outcome, thats not fair. Although we might not agree with who everyone is voting for, that doesnt change that thats who they are. You might think that isiah doesnt deserve the spot, but a ton of people do and to change your vote just to spite them is wrong