Tell me you're thoughts on this
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/kelly_dwyer/10/27/player.rankings/index.html
Text:
1 - Dwyane Wade
The Finals MVP gets the early edge in our inaugural list because of his inspired play in last year's postseason. Not only did he find ways to win the big games by himself, driving to the hole while wing counterparts like LeBron and Kobe stayed on the perimeter for their respective teams, he also improved what was a dodgy outside touch -- nailing 14 three-pointers in the playoffs, after hitting just 13 in the regular season.
2 - Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk was unstoppable for stretches of the Mavs' run to the Finals, after a regular season that saw him lead his team to 60 wins while throwing in as good a statistical line as can be expected -- 48 percent from the floor, 41 from the 3-point arc, 90 percent from the line, with averages of 26.6 points, 9 rebounds and just 1.9 turnovers in 38 minutes.
3 - LeBron James
It won't be long before LBJ vaults to the top spot on this list, but not before he learns from Wade's magical playoff run last year, and takes it to the hole late in close contests. Too often in Cleveland's Game 6 and 7 conference semifinal losses last spring, James was seen meandering on the perimeter. Still, regular-season averages of 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists from a 21-year old? Sick.
4 - Kobe Bryant
We're not as hard on Kobe as his toughest detractors, since we prefer to watch the eight-time All-Star shoot over double teams instead of seeing Kwame Brown, Brian Cook or Smush Parker work their magic against single coverage. Still, for Kobe to hit the top spot on this list, he's going to have to be willing to let the triangle offense run through him at the small forward spot.
5 - Kevin Garnett
Quietly, KG had as good a second half as anyone in the NBA last season, finishing the campaign with averages of 21.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a combined 2.8 blocks and rebounds, while shooting 53 percent from the field for a putrid Timberwolves squad.
6 - Shawn Marion
As good as Steve Nash is, he still needs guys to corral the rebounds for him, get open on the other end, and be ready to nail a three-pointer if the defenders relent. More often than not, Marion excels in all three necessary roles: 21.8 points, 11.8 boards, a combined 3.7 blocks and steals, with just 1.5 turnovers in 40 minutes last year for this underrated star.
7 - Elton Brand
Due to the Clippers' playoff appearance, fair-weather NBA observers got to see what the league's real fans have known for years: Elton is as good as gets in the low post. Brand averaged 25 and 10 in 2005-06, blocking 2.5 shots per game, while a slimmer frame allowed him to improve his already stellar defense and cut down on fouls.
8 - Steve Nash
As surprising as Nash's 2005 MVP run was, his improved play (at age 32) in 2005-06 was the real mind-blower. And as dangerous as Wade, LeBron and Kobe can be on offense, it's Nash who drives teams the battiest. Just a flick of the wrist, and defenders are decimated by a pin-point pass or back-breaking jumper.
9 - Yao Ming
Despite missing 25 games last season due to injury, Yao firmly established himself as the NBA's best pivotman. Though the Rockets continually found inspired ways of keeping the ball from him, he still averaged 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in just 34 minutes a game.
10 - Tim Duncan
Battling nagging arch injuries all season, Duncan still averaged 18.6 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game. All three were career-lows, but Duncan rebounded with a 25.8-point average in the playoffs, where his Spurs were one ill-timed conference semifinal foul away from a likely title defense.
11 - Gilbert Arenas
The league's most talented nutter, Arenas carried the Wizards at times last year, prodding a team beset by both injury and rotation issues to make a second straight playoff appearance. Gilbert averaged 29.3 points per game, got to the line 10 times per contest (hitting on 82 percent of his gimmies) and won't turn 25 until next January.
12 - Paul Pierce
The 29-year-old Celtics star is a step below the Wade/LeBron/Kobe triptych, but it's a small step. Pierce acted as the rock for a Boston team still desperately searching for an identity, setting career-best marks in points per game (26.8) and field goal percentage (47.1).
13 - Allen Iverson
His team is going nowhere fast, but Iverson keeps getting better and better. Playing a startling 43.1 minutes a night, Iverson set a career high by averaging 33 points while contributing 7.4 assists. AI's 45 percent mark from the floor was the second-best mark of his 10-year career.
14 - Dwight Howard
Lost in another mediocre season from Orlando was that Howard, at 20, nearly led the NBA in rebounding with 12.5 per game. And the league's leader, Kevin Garnett, averaged just .2 more rebounds a contest while playing two more minutes a night.
15 - Chris Bosh
Bosh exploded in his third season last year, staying on the court for 39 minutes a night while contributing 23 points and 9.4 rebounds a contest. The 22-year-old earns points off the court for keeping the fire for a Raptors team that has averaged just 31 wins a year during his fledging career.
16 - Chauncey Billups
The NBA's best offensive/defensive package at the game's most important position, Billups has come a long way from the first six years of his career, when he sat on the bench of six . Chauncey averaged 18.6 points and 8.6 assists last year for the 64-18 Pistons.
17 - Vince Carter
At long last, a determined, productive season from the once-maligned Mr. Carter. Vince averaged 8.3 free throw attempts per game in 2005-06, easily the best mark of his career, while averaging 26.3 points and 11 combined rebounds and assists. Those marks should only improve in 2006-07, as VC enters a contract year.
18 - Shaquille O'Neal
Just about every team in the NBA would kill for a chance to feature the Diesel in its low post, even if it's a given he won't start to pick up the slack until after the groundhog starts searching for his shadow. Still, Shaq was a shadow of his former self in 2005-06, averaging career lows in minutes (30.6), points (20), and rebounds (9.2).
19 - Tracy McGrady
The eyes of the league are squarely focused on this 10-year veteran, who has yet to win a playoff series and has been battling back issues for the last five years. T-Mac, who missed 35 games last year, averaged 24.4 points but shot a career-low (40.6 percent) from the floor.
20 - Michael Redd
All he does is score, but at the end of the day, what's more important than putting points on the board? Though his help in the Milwaukee rotation comes and goes, Redd still averaged 25.4 points in his sixth season. He shot the lights out, nailing 45 percent of his looks from the field, 40 from behind the arc, and 88 percent from the charity stripe. Better yet, Redd turned the ball over just 2.1 times in 39 minutes a night.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/kelly_dwyer/10/27/player.rankings/index.html
Text:
1 - Dwyane Wade
The Finals MVP gets the early edge in our inaugural list because of his inspired play in last year's postseason. Not only did he find ways to win the big games by himself, driving to the hole while wing counterparts like LeBron and Kobe stayed on the perimeter for their respective teams, he also improved what was a dodgy outside touch -- nailing 14 three-pointers in the playoffs, after hitting just 13 in the regular season.
2 - Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk was unstoppable for stretches of the Mavs' run to the Finals, after a regular season that saw him lead his team to 60 wins while throwing in as good a statistical line as can be expected -- 48 percent from the floor, 41 from the 3-point arc, 90 percent from the line, with averages of 26.6 points, 9 rebounds and just 1.9 turnovers in 38 minutes.
3 - LeBron James
It won't be long before LBJ vaults to the top spot on this list, but not before he learns from Wade's magical playoff run last year, and takes it to the hole late in close contests. Too often in Cleveland's Game 6 and 7 conference semifinal losses last spring, James was seen meandering on the perimeter. Still, regular-season averages of 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists from a 21-year old? Sick.
4 - Kobe Bryant
We're not as hard on Kobe as his toughest detractors, since we prefer to watch the eight-time All-Star shoot over double teams instead of seeing Kwame Brown, Brian Cook or Smush Parker work their magic against single coverage. Still, for Kobe to hit the top spot on this list, he's going to have to be willing to let the triangle offense run through him at the small forward spot.
5 - Kevin Garnett
Quietly, KG had as good a second half as anyone in the NBA last season, finishing the campaign with averages of 21.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a combined 2.8 blocks and rebounds, while shooting 53 percent from the field for a putrid Timberwolves squad.
6 - Shawn Marion
As good as Steve Nash is, he still needs guys to corral the rebounds for him, get open on the other end, and be ready to nail a three-pointer if the defenders relent. More often than not, Marion excels in all three necessary roles: 21.8 points, 11.8 boards, a combined 3.7 blocks and steals, with just 1.5 turnovers in 40 minutes last year for this underrated star.
7 - Elton Brand
Due to the Clippers' playoff appearance, fair-weather NBA observers got to see what the league's real fans have known for years: Elton is as good as gets in the low post. Brand averaged 25 and 10 in 2005-06, blocking 2.5 shots per game, while a slimmer frame allowed him to improve his already stellar defense and cut down on fouls.
8 - Steve Nash
As surprising as Nash's 2005 MVP run was, his improved play (at age 32) in 2005-06 was the real mind-blower. And as dangerous as Wade, LeBron and Kobe can be on offense, it's Nash who drives teams the battiest. Just a flick of the wrist, and defenders are decimated by a pin-point pass or back-breaking jumper.
9 - Yao Ming
Despite missing 25 games last season due to injury, Yao firmly established himself as the NBA's best pivotman. Though the Rockets continually found inspired ways of keeping the ball from him, he still averaged 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in just 34 minutes a game.
10 - Tim Duncan
Battling nagging arch injuries all season, Duncan still averaged 18.6 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game. All three were career-lows, but Duncan rebounded with a 25.8-point average in the playoffs, where his Spurs were one ill-timed conference semifinal foul away from a likely title defense.
11 - Gilbert Arenas
The league's most talented nutter, Arenas carried the Wizards at times last year, prodding a team beset by both injury and rotation issues to make a second straight playoff appearance. Gilbert averaged 29.3 points per game, got to the line 10 times per contest (hitting on 82 percent of his gimmies) and won't turn 25 until next January.
12 - Paul Pierce
The 29-year-old Celtics star is a step below the Wade/LeBron/Kobe triptych, but it's a small step. Pierce acted as the rock for a Boston team still desperately searching for an identity, setting career-best marks in points per game (26.8) and field goal percentage (47.1).
13 - Allen Iverson
His team is going nowhere fast, but Iverson keeps getting better and better. Playing a startling 43.1 minutes a night, Iverson set a career high by averaging 33 points while contributing 7.4 assists. AI's 45 percent mark from the floor was the second-best mark of his 10-year career.
14 - Dwight Howard
Lost in another mediocre season from Orlando was that Howard, at 20, nearly led the NBA in rebounding with 12.5 per game. And the league's leader, Kevin Garnett, averaged just .2 more rebounds a contest while playing two more minutes a night.
15 - Chris Bosh
Bosh exploded in his third season last year, staying on the court for 39 minutes a night while contributing 23 points and 9.4 rebounds a contest. The 22-year-old earns points off the court for keeping the fire for a Raptors team that has averaged just 31 wins a year during his fledging career.
16 - Chauncey Billups
The NBA's best offensive/defensive package at the game's most important position, Billups has come a long way from the first six years of his career, when he sat on the bench of six . Chauncey averaged 18.6 points and 8.6 assists last year for the 64-18 Pistons.
17 - Vince Carter
At long last, a determined, productive season from the once-maligned Mr. Carter. Vince averaged 8.3 free throw attempts per game in 2005-06, easily the best mark of his career, while averaging 26.3 points and 11 combined rebounds and assists. Those marks should only improve in 2006-07, as VC enters a contract year.
18 - Shaquille O'Neal
Just about every team in the NBA would kill for a chance to feature the Diesel in its low post, even if it's a given he won't start to pick up the slack until after the groundhog starts searching for his shadow. Still, Shaq was a shadow of his former self in 2005-06, averaging career lows in minutes (30.6), points (20), and rebounds (9.2).
19 - Tracy McGrady
The eyes of the league are squarely focused on this 10-year veteran, who has yet to win a playoff series and has been battling back issues for the last five years. T-Mac, who missed 35 games last year, averaged 24.4 points but shot a career-low (40.6 percent) from the floor.
20 - Michael Redd
All he does is score, but at the end of the day, what's more important than putting points on the board? Though his help in the Milwaukee rotation comes and goes, Redd still averaged 25.4 points in his sixth season. He shot the lights out, nailing 45 percent of his looks from the field, 40 from behind the arc, and 88 percent from the charity stripe. Better yet, Redd turned the ball over just 2.1 times in 39 minutes a night.
Last edited by a moderator:
efense ratios...
