2015 Anger General Greatest post-merger Players of All Time #40

[Y2K]

2013-14 Klay Thompson: +15.4

[Havlicekstealsit]

Meh, I like Curry here. Then Allen next, and MAYBE Reggie if Worthy can't sneak in.

[americaninfidel]

I recognize that this will likely be his lone vote, but I'll go with Parker. He's got more hardware than anyone on the list and has acquired it over longer than a decade. And yes, I know he wasn't the lead dog and gets the benefit of playing with an all-time great, but he's still got four rings and a FMVP in his trophy case. No one else on the list has that.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I recognize that this will likely be his lone vote, but I'll go with Parker. He's got more hardware than anyone on the list and has acquired it over longer than a decade. And yes, I know he wasn't the lead dog and gets the benefit of playing with an all-time great, but he's still got four rings and a FMVP in his trophy case. No one else on the list has that.

I can see the argument for Parker.

Definitely.

[Deez]

if parker gets in already then I think Worthy should be on or at minimal already voted on the current list for the round. He has a title and lead dog ring.

[Y2K]

if parker gets in already then I think Worthy should be on or at minimal already voted on the current list for the round. He has a title and lead dog ring.

Lead dog ring??

[vcsgrizzfan]

I recognize that this will likely be his lone vote, but I'll go with Parker. He's got more hardware than anyone on the list and has acquired it over longer than a decade. And yes, I know he wasn't the lead dog and gets the benefit of playing with an all-time great, but he's still got four rings and a FMVP in his trophy case. No one else on the list has that.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, and I think for two of those rings, Parker was a very big part and I'm talking about 2005 and 2007 in particular. We can have our own judgments on how important he was or wasn't in 2014.

But as far as 2003 is concerned, Tony had deer in the headlights syndrome and really was almost a hindrance at times. He played scared most of those playoffs and guys like Stephen Jackson even played bigger because they weren't afraid of the moment. The role players like Malik Rose. Drob (by then a role player), Bowen and Manu (rookie that year) all played better than Tony.

[Deez]

if parker gets in already then I think Worthy should be on or at minimal already voted on the current list for the round. He has a title and lead dog ring.

Lead dog ring??

I'm slow, I mean Finals MVP

[americaninfidel]

I recognize that this will likely be his lone vote, but I'll go with Parker. He's got more hardware than anyone on the list and has acquired it over longer than a decade. And yes, I know he wasn't the lead dog and gets the benefit of playing with an all-time great, but he's still got four rings and a FMVP in his trophy case. No one else on the list has that.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, and I think for two of those rings, Parker was a very big part and I'm talking about 2005 and 2007 in particular. We can have our own judgments on how important he was or wasn't in 2014.

But as far as 2003 is concerned, Tony had deer in the headlights syndrome and really was almost a hindrance at times. He played scared most of those playoffs and guys like Stephen Jackson even played bigger because they weren't afraid of the moment. The role players like Malik Rose. Drob (by then a role player), Bowen and Manu (rookie that year) all played better than Tony.

I don't disagree Parker was out of his element in 2003. But we're a dozen years beyond that now, and that overwhelmed French kid has added another three championships and an FMVP. I get that I'm in the minority, but at #40 post-merger, we're well beyond the point where choices are obvious. A guy with four rings and a FMVP is a reasonable pick in this spot.

[876Stephen]

I'd put Worthy ahead of Parker tbh.

Curry is unique in every way. There isn't a more valuable player in the league besides lebron than curry. If you have watched the warriors the last 3 seasons his impact cannot be understated. The warriors have been pretty bad when curry isn't on the court, let alone not play in the game at all. It's a fascinating phenomenon because it's not like lebron in his first stint in cleveland were his has terrible teammates. Especially last year, the warriors supporting cast is legit. Yet as good as guys like klay, draygod, iggy etc are, the warriors turn into one of the worst teams in the league when curry doesn't play. I thought that would change this past year when kerr implemented the spurs style motion offense this past year but it didn't. This offense cannot function at all without curry. I mean the warriors haven't won a game the past 2 seasons when curry doesn't play.

I'd easily vote for curry in this spot and he's better than a lot of the guys already picked.

Curry is my vote.

[876Stephen]

I recognize that this will likely be his lone vote, but I'll go with Parker. He's got more hardware than anyone on the list and has acquired it over longer than a decade. And yes, I know he wasn't the lead dog and gets the benefit of playing with an all-time great, but he's still got four rings and a FMVP in his trophy case. No one else on the list has that.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, and I think for two of those rings, Parker was a very big part and I'm talking about 2005 and 2007 in particular. We can have our own judgments on how important he was or wasn't in 2014.

But as far as 2003 is concerned, Tony had deer in the headlights syndrome and really was almost a hindrance at times. He played scared most of those playoffs and guys like Stephen Jackson even played bigger because they weren't afraid of the moment. The role players like Malik Rose. Drob (by then a role player), Bowen and Manu (rookie that year) all played better than Tony.

I don't disagree Parker was out of his element in 2003. But we're a dozen years beyond that now, and that overwhelmed French kid has added another three championships and an FMVP. I get that I'm in the minority, but at #40 post-merger, we're well beyond the point where choices are obvious. A guy with four rings and a FMVP is a reasonable pick in this spot.

I equate parker's 07 fmvp with worthy's in 88. It's nice for him that he got it but everyone and their grandma knows who the real mvp was those years.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Where would Tony Parker be if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miraculous shot in 2013? Parker was the best player on that Spurs team... maybe not in the Finals though.

[876Stephen]

Where would Tony Parker be if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miraculous shot in 2013? Parker was the best player on that Spurs team... maybe not in the Finals though.

4 titles but would still only have 1 fmvp, plus i don't think he was the best player on the spurs that year anyway.

Frankly i think there has beenc1 season when Parker was the best player on the spurs.

2010-2011, in which they got upset in the first round by the Grizzlies.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Where would Tony Parker be if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miraculous shot in 2013? Parker was the best player on that Spurs team... maybe not in the Finals though.

4 titles but would still only have 1 fmvp, plus i don't think he was the best player on the spurs that year anyway.

Frankly i think there has beenc1 season when Parker was the best player on the spurs.

2010-2011, in which they got upset in the first round by the Grizzlies.

Close between him and Duncan. Parker was just so important to what they wanted to do. The guy had a pretty solid statistical season too:

20.3 ppg / 7.6 ast / 52% fg.

[876Stephen]

Where would Tony Parker be if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miraculous shot in 2013? Parker was the best player on that Spurs team... maybe not in the Finals though.

4 titles but would still only have 1 fmvp, plus i don't think he was the best player on the spurs that year anyway.

Frankly i think there has beenc1 season when Parker was the best player on the spurs.

2010-2011, in which they got upset in the first round by the Grizzlies.

Close between him and Duncan. Parker was just so important to what they wanted to do. The guy had a pretty solid statistical season too:

20.3 ppg / 7.6 ast / 52% fg.

Parker has been a very important piece for the spurs obviously. They def wouldn't have 5 titles without him or ginobli.

In reference to the 12-13, Parker was very, very good. Duncan however averaged 18-10-3-3 that year on 50% as well as still being the premier defensive big man in the game at 36. On top of that, Duncan was very clearly the spurs best player in the finals and would have got fmvp if they won it.

That would give Duncan 6 titles, 4 fmvp's(should have 5), 2 mvp's, second greatest defensive big man ever, on top of all the all star games, first team all nba teams and all defensive teams he has. That's a top 3 all time resume.

[Bush4Ever]

My anchor for those years was basically "they are about equal offensively, maybe Parker by a smidge...but Duncan (even then) was overwhelmingly superior defensively. So Duncan wins."

[876Stephen]

My anchor for those years was basically "they are about equal offensively, maybe Parker by a smidge...but Duncan (even then) was overwhelmingly superior defensively. So Duncan wins."

Actually a lot of years(especially early in parker's career) they weren't equal offensively. Duncan was very clearly better and more impactful.

But i agree with your premise.

[Bush4Ever]

Yes, I meant in the years where Duncan became less prolific offensively, while Parker was rising...creating a sort of sense of equality between the two offensively. Perhaps from 2007ish onwards or so.

Duncan was clearly the best in all facets early in Parker's career.

[Y2K]

I'll be the first to admit that I am not and never will be a fan of Tony Parker. It is something about him that I just don't care for. however, I can't think of a single active player that doesn't get his just dues the way that TP doesn't. Dude was having not just a great season but an MVP season in 2012-13 until the high ankle sprain took him out for like a month.

He's worked hard to become a much better well rounded offensive player. It may not be the most conventional situation but he clearly has been every bit as important, and at times more, to their success than any other player on the roster in this decade.

[vcsgrizzfan]

I'll be the first to admit that I am not and never will be a fan of Tony Parker. It is something about him that I just don't care for. however, I can't think of a single active player that doesn't get his just dues the way that TP doesn't. Dude was having not just a great season but an MVP season in 2012-13 until the high ankle sprain took him out for like a month.

He's worked hard to become a much better well rounded offensive player. It may not be the most conventional situation but he clearly has been every bit as important, and at times more, to their success than any other player on the roster in this decade.

I think you will find the following numbers very startling.

They are the offensive and defensive ratings numbers for each of the big 3 for the entirety of the playoff runs for the Spurs 4 title winning teams when the big 3 of Duncan, Parker and Manu were together. They really are startling. This is not the regular seasons or just the finals, but the entirety of the four title year playoff runs.

2003

Duncan: off rating - 116 def rating 92 NET DIFFERENCE + 24
Gino: off rating - 107 def rating 97 NET DIFFERENCE + 10
Parker - off rating 96 def rating 102 NET DIFFERENCE - 6


2005

Duncan off rating 111 def rating 101 NET DIFFERENCE +10
Manu off rating 124 def rating 104 NET DIFFERENCE +20
Parker off rating 98 def rating 109 NET DIFFERENCE -11


2007

Duncan off rating 111 def rating 98 NET DIFFERENCE +13
Manu off rating 112 def rating 100 NET DIFFERENCE +12
Parker off rating 103 def rating 107 NET DIFFERENCE -4


2014

Duncan off rating 120 def rating 104 NET DIFFERENCE +16
Manu off rating 118 def rating 106 NET DIFFERENCE +12
Parker off rating 103 def rating 109 NET DIFFERENCE -6
Leonard off rating 119 def rating 101 NET DIFFERENCE +18 . Truly a coming out party for Kawhi.

Those are very startling numbers and they 'mostly' confirm what I witnessed. In particular Duncan dominating in 2003 and also Manu'sicredible 2005 playoffs, especially in some earlier rounds.