Anthony Davis Discussion: Only Player On Both All NBA + All Def

sure, but by the time shaq was more polished, he was no longer "skinny" shaq.

 

Fat shaq would have even more trouble defending Hakeem

 

Funny you mentioned Hakeem because I was going to mention him before Shaq. However, Shaq was still in shape the last couple of years as a Magic and the first three or four as a Laker and dominated everyone.
Yes, Hakeem beat up on him before Shaq entered his prime years.

 

I had never heard anyone say Wilt didn't play defense before, so I just let it go. Did sound odd to me, but when you haven't seen a ton of film, I allowed for the possibility.

 

Me neither. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been mostly true though I guess.

 

i'll ask my dad; he watched him a ton and was a big fan, but never talked much about his defense (as opposed to russell, whom he said was just a beast).

 

listed as probable again, but doesn't sound good.

I really think we should get another center even if it's just to play 8-10 minutes per game.

 

I watched him a bunch, you know, Russell was better on D but Wilt was no slouch, he was a load for everyone to deal with. He blocked shots and he dissuaded people from entering the lane. The lane belonged to Wilt. I mean, I don't think he had much of a mid game either, I read one comment about him being dominant on offense from mid-range. ??? He had a huge reach and this weird underhanded scoop shot, where he would get elevation and just palm the ball with his arm fully extended and the ball pointing up and we would just pop it out of his palm and it would be like a 2 foot shot. Nobody could block it without fouling him. But face up shots from mid range???? Maybe on occasion but certainly not a strength of his.

He kept his eye on the ball, and played the ball. How else can you average 20+ rebounds per game?

 

I'm old enough to have watched Wilt play, but I was a child and not a discerning fan, especially on defensive play.

NBA didn't track blocked shots until 1973-74. And in that year, 7'0" Elmore Smith of the (then-fading) Lakers had a game against POR that was 12/16/2, with 17 blocks, which remains the single-game record. It's not hard to imagine Wilt, or esp. Bill Russell having 20 blocks in a game. Those just weren't counted during their careers.

Skinny Shaq had a game for ORL that was 24/28/3 with 15 blocks, 1993. Not bad!

 

2001 shaq vs 1995 Hakeem? Love them both

 

I remember Wilt on the GREAT team of 1971-72. He was their 4th leading scorer, behind Goodrich, West and 23 year old Jim McMillian, who stepped up after Elgin went down. Anyway, Wilt, as I recall, had a pretty good 8 foot bank shot. Anyone who saw footage of him remembers the incredible "finger rolls" (did Chick also coin that term?): one or two dribbles, pump fakes, long-arm outstretched to the hoop: impossible to block. At age 35, Wilt that year (Lakers won 33 straight at one point, one of my magical childhood memories) played all 82, averaged 42 mins per game. Shot 65%. 19 boards per game! Happy Hairston: 13 boards per game. Ohhhhh my!

 

I'd take Hakeem

similar offensive games, but way better defender and much more reliable FT shooter

Shaq was a freak, but I think Hakeem was the more talented basketball player.

 

What happened to dominant AD?
To passive tonight.
Demand the ball!!!!

 

LOL

 

Brittle beta... can't be Ben Wallace. There is a reason there wasn't a defense-only leader of a team since, like, Mutombo.

 

He needs to put more shots up man. He was able to score on the post pretty easily

 

DEAD TIRED

 

Needs his next 4 week break.

 

He's still a force on the boards and defensively but yeah his offense just ain't it on a consistent basis..

Need Bron back soon so him and Dlo can pick up the slack and just spoon feed AD easy ones.

 

Good times!!! That was one great year. After more than a decade of getting second place in perpetuity. This is why I often bring up the journey is as important as winning. The struggle is real, it gets personal and the harder the hill is to climb the more satisfying the journey is. Winning without a journey, is just gratuitous, it's like being a trust fund baby of a multibillionaire. It's empty. Anyhow, Wilts 8 foot shots where like layups, those dang finger rolls were probably from close to 8 feet away. His arms were pretty long and he was so dang strong.