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Who is the third best player in the NBA?

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Pro Sports ▸ Who is the third best player in the NBA?
Leonardo's avatar

Leonardo

Senior Member

4,986 posts
Feb 26, 2010 4:22 AM
I think we can all agree LeBron/Kobe are 1-2 in whichever order you prefer, so who is number three?
Feb 26, 2010 4:22am
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Feb 26, 2010 4:29 AM
Lebron is #1
Durant is #2
Howard is #3
Kobe is #4
Wade is #5
Feb 26, 2010 4:29am
hoops23's avatar

hoops23

Senior Member

15,696 posts
Feb 26, 2010 4:31 AM
Good topic.

Obviously, the safe pick is Dwayne Wade, then going Carmelo 4th..

However, I think Kevin Durantula has quickly elevated himself to that 3rd-5th best player range.

Tim Duncans time has come and gone.. Brandon Roy is great, but not to the level of these guys. Dirk? Nah. Great scorer, but doesn't do the "other things".. Chris Bosh? Again, great scorer and rebounder, but can't really carry a team by himself..

Now, CP3? I know I'll get my balls busted for this, but I don't even think he's the best PG in the NBA.. I think Deron Williams is.. Also, the gap is closing between those two and a guy like Derrick Rose..

Dwight Howard? Nah.. He looks so great because of the guys around him. He's definitely a great player, but he doesn't have those "go-to" moves to put him in the elite echelon.

So I'd go, imo of course..

1.LBJ
2.Kobe
3.DWade
4.Melo
5.Durant (I do think Durant can find himself within the top 3 if he keeps this up)
Feb 26, 2010 4:31am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 4:39 AM
Wade.

Durant is good, picking up a lot of steam with his play of late--but he's been good since he came into the league. Just took his little streak for people to notice him, which is stupid. But it doesn't mean he's as good as Wade. Or Melo. Or Howard. Or a healthy Chris Paul. He's definitely real good.

I love that he's the next in line to be called the best scorer in the league. I just love this argument because it really makes people look dumb. REALLY dumb. They keep a stat to tell who is the best scorer in the league--it's called PPG.
Feb 26, 2010 4:39am
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

Tomfoolery & shenanigans

17,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 5:55 AM
From what I have seen of Anthony this year.....I will give him a very slight edge over Dwade.
Feb 26, 2010 5:55am
S

Swamp Fox

Senior Member

2,218 posts
Feb 26, 2010 6:18 AM
I think when you factor in what the team would be like without his presence, I'd have to lean in Dwayne Wade's direction. He can do just about everything on the court and do it very well.
Feb 26, 2010 6:18am
hoops23's avatar

hoops23

Senior Member

15,696 posts
Feb 26, 2010 6:26 AM
wes_mantooth wrote: From what I have seen of Anthony this year.....I will give him a very slight edge over Dwade.
Well, to be fair, DWade is playing with a bunch of nobodies.. Though B-Easy should turn into a very good player here soon, he's definitely shown potential of doing so this season..

And, we've seen what DWade can do with a good supporting cast. He had the best supporting class of any of the '03 draft superstars, though I think the Cavs this year may be better..

Melo hasn't really done much. His teams never really advanced deep into the playoffs until they got Chauncey.. Which brings me to my next point, Melo isn't even the leader of his own team... Billups is no doubt the leader of that squad.

DWade, like LeBron, has been the leader from day 1..
Feb 26, 2010 6:26am
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Feb 26, 2010 8:07 AM
D-Wade. I want to see what Durant can do when the pressure is on, a situation he hasn't been in yet.
Feb 26, 2010 8:07am
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

A USA American

14,946 posts
Feb 26, 2010 10:19 AM
durant. nobody has done what he just done(consec games of 25+ since mj).
Feb 26, 2010 10:19am
G

Gobuckeyes1

Senior Member

497 posts
Feb 26, 2010 10:20 AM
Kobe.

Wade is #2.
Feb 26, 2010 10:20am
D

dat dude

Senior Member

1,564 posts
Feb 26, 2010 10:26 AM
SQ_Crazies wrote: I love that he's the next in line to be called the best scorer in the league. I just love this argument because it really makes people look dumb. REALLY dumb. They keep a stat to tell who is the best scorer in the league--it's called PPG.
And he's currently ranked the 2nd highest scorer, .1 behind Lebron. Doesn't seem too unreasonable to me, unless I am not understanding your post correctly.
Feb 26, 2010 10:26am
G

goldengonzo

Senior Member

140 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:12 AM
dat dude wrote:
SQ_Crazies wrote: I love that he's the next in line to be called the best scorer in the league. I just love this argument because it really makes people look dumb. REALLY dumb. They keep a stat to tell who is the best scorer in the league--it's called PPG.
And he's currently ranked the 2nd highest scorer, .1 behind Lebron. Doesn't seem too unreasonable to me, unless I am not understanding your post correctly.
It's because SQ Crazies has this ridiculous argument where a .1 difference makes everything in the world when it comes to being the best scorer in the league. Everything is black & white, where things like free throws, supporting cast and type of shots are completely irrelevant.
Feb 26, 2010 11:12am
killdeer's avatar

killdeer

Hat Trick

1,538 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:13 AM
Wade
Feb 26, 2010 11:13am
M

mtrulz

Senior Member

2,905 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:18 AM
D Wade
Feb 26, 2010 11:18am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:18 AM
No, everyone else has a ridiculous argument that someone with a pretty jump shot is a better "pure scorer". I don't even think people read what they're actually typing. How does that even make sense? The best scorer is the guy averaging the most points. It's incredible that he goes on that long a streak of 25+ and he's still behind LeBron. I'll make this argument for any guy who is at the top of the scoring list. The point is, there is no argument when you're talking about who the best scorer is. If there was, then why even keep PPG stats?
Feb 26, 2010 11:18am
ytownfootball's avatar

ytownfootball

Bold faced liar...

6,978 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:22 AM
They don't award style points in the NBA, it's not figure skating.
Feb 26, 2010 11:22am
G

goldengonzo

Senior Member

140 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:25 AM
SQ_Crazies wrote: No, everyone else has a ridiculous argument that someone with a pretty jump shot is a better "pure scorer". I don't even think people read what they're actually typing. How does that even make sense? The best scorer is the guy averaging the most points. It's incredible that he goes on that long a streak of 25+ and he's still behind LeBron. I'll make this argument for any guy who is at the top of the scoring list. The point is, there is no argument when you're talking about who the best scorer is. If there was, then why even keep PPG stats?
Because when the top three players in the PPG stat are all averaging 29 points a game and only separated by a decimal point, then it can warrant an argument.

This isn't like a race where the fastest time wins and that person is clearly the best quickest person. This is basketball. There are tangibles to the sport. Shot attempts matter. Teammates matter. Injuries can play a part. Again, it's not black and white.
Feb 26, 2010 11:25am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:29 AM
It is black and white.

LeBron 1766 points.
Durant 1667 points.

1667 is not more than 1766.

If shot attempts matter then LeBron is shooting 50% from the field, Durant 48%.

Anything else?

29.9>29.8

They keep the stat for a reason. They give scoring titles based on it. They give scoring titles to the best scorer in the league in a given year--there is no BS argument, because more points is more points, period.
Feb 26, 2010 11:29am
D

dat dude

Senior Member

1,564 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:30 AM
Agreed. I fail to see how it is "REALLY dumb" to consider someone averaging .1 less to be a better scorer than said person.
Feb 26, 2010 11:30am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:32 AM
dat dude wrote: Agreed. I fail to see how it is "REALLY dumb" to consider someone averaging .1 less to be a better scorer than said person.
Because it isn't up for consideration. There is a stat that tells us this at any given time--you don't even have to think about it, just look the stat up.
Feb 26, 2010 11:32am
G

goldengonzo

Senior Member

140 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:36 AM
SQ_Crazies wrote: It is black and white.

LeBron 1766 points.
Durant 1667 points.

1667 is not more than 1766.

If shot attempts matter then LeBron is shooting 50% from the field, Durant 48%.

Anything else?

29.9>29.8

They keep the stat for a reason. They give scoring titles based on it. They give scoring titles to the best scorer in the league in a given year--there is no BS argument, because more points is more points, period.
I'm not even saying Durant is a better scorer than LeBron, I'm just saying it's debatable. I believe KD, LJ and CA have all led the league in scoring at one point or another during the season. Do you change your opinion on who the best scorer is depending on who is at the top of the stat sheet everytime?

Stats are numbers, but they don't totally tell everything.
Feb 26, 2010 11:36am
G

goldengonzo

Senior Member

140 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:36 AM
SQ_Crazies wrote:
Because it isn't up for consideration. There is a stat that tells us this at any given time--you don't even have to think about it, just look the stat up.
[/quote]

Ok, now I'll just remember you don't THINK when it comes to discussing basketball.
Feb 26, 2010 11:36am
D

dat dude

Senior Member

1,564 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:36 AM
I would agree that the PPG stat would create a presumption. However, just looking at that stat in a vacuum without considering variables would be faulty analysis.

Consider if Lebron were on a team with Kobe, D Wade, Dirk, etc and therefore only averaged 20 PPG because there are only so many shots to go around. If Durant were on a team with 4 other no-namers and averageed 20.1, that would automatically make him the "best scorer" by default?
Feb 26, 2010 11:36am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:37 AM
goldengonzo wrote:
SQ_Crazies wrote: It is black and white.

LeBron 1766 points.
Durant 1667 points.

1667 is not more than 1766.

If shot attempts matter then LeBron is shooting 50% from the field, Durant 48%.

Anything else?

29.9>29.8

They keep the stat for a reason. They give scoring titles based on it. They give scoring titles to the best scorer in the league in a given year--there is no BS argument, because more points is more points, period.
I'm not even saying Durant is a better scorer than LeBron, I'm just saying it's debatable. I believe KD, LJ and CA have all led the league in scoring at one point or another during the season. Do you change your opinion on who the best scorer is depending on who is at the top of the stat sheet everytime?

Stats are numbers, but they don't totally tell everything.
Ummm...clearly. Because it isn't an opinion. You're right, stats don't tell everything--but PPG tell me who the top scorer in the league is.
Feb 26, 2010 11:37am
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

The Godfather

7,977 posts
Feb 26, 2010 11:40 AM
dat dude wrote: I would agree that the PPG stat would create a presumption. However, just looking at that stat in a vacuum without considering variables would be faulty analysis.

Consider if Lebron were on a team with Kobe, D Wade, Dirk, etc and therefore only averaged 20 PPG because there are only so many shots to go around. If Durant were on a team with 4 other no-namers and averageed 20.1, that would automatically make him the "best scorer" by default?
If that was the case and they were at the top, then Durant is the better scorer. Who would the NBA give the scoring title to? LeBron, because he's on a team of All Stars and if he wasn't...well, he'd have more points! LOL, no. They'd give it to Durant. There is no argument for who wins the scoring title--it's whoever scores the most points. They are the best scorer in a given year. It IS that black and white. There are no variables, if the ball went in the hoop it went in the hoop--if not, then it didn't. That's the only variable.
Feb 26, 2010 11:40am