http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation...g?event_id=2814<u>1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>2) Best rebounder?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>3) Best defender?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>4) Best passer?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>5) Best shot-blocker?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>6) Most clutch?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>8) Which center is your favorite?</u> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton <u>9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game?</u> Yes No <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer? 54.9% Wilt Chamberlain 21.8% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10.4% David Robinson 5.3% Hakeem Olajuwon 4.2% Shaquille O'Neal 1.5% Bill Russell 0.7% George Mikan 0.7% Patrick Ewing 0.3% Moses Malone 0.2% Bill Walton 2) Best rebounder? 29.5% Bill Russell 25.6% Wilt Chamberlain 14.2% Moses Malone 12.6% David Robinson 5.1% Shaquille O'Neal 5.0% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 4.8% Hakeem Olajuwon 1.8% Patrick Ewing 0.9% Bill Walton 0.6% George Mikan 3) Best defender? 43.4% Bill Russell 19.4% Hakeem Olajuwon 19.0% David Robinson 4.2% Shaquille O'Neal 3.8% Wilt Chamberlain 3.8% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3.3% Patrick Ewing 1.6% Moses Malone 1.0% Bill Walton 0.5% George Mikan 4) Best passer? 28.0% Bill Walton 15.6% David Robinson 12.6% Shaquille O'Neal 11.5% Hakeem Olajuwon 11.0% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 8.0% Bill Russell 6.2% Wilt Chamberlain 2.6% Moses Malone 2.5% George Mikan 2.0% Patrick Ewing 5) Best shot-blocker? 30.8% Hakeem Olajuwon 24.6% Bill Russell 16.0% David Robinson 9.6% Wilt Chamberlain 6.1% Shaquille O'Neal 6.1% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3.7% Patrick Ewing 1.4% Moses Malone 1.1% George Mikan 0.7% Bill Walton 6) Most clutch? 36.3% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 16.3% Hakeem Olajuwon 16.2% Bill Russell 11.7% David Robinson 7.8% Shaquille O'Neal 6.7% Wilt Chamberlain 1.6% Patrick Ewing 1.2% Bill Walton 1.2% Moses Malone 1.1% George Mikan 7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around? 24.6% Shaquille O'Neal 19.4% Wilt Chamberlain 15.6% Bill Russell 14.1% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 12.2% David Robinson 10.7% Hakeem Olajuwon 1.2% Patrick Ewing 0.9% Bill Walton 0.8% George Mikan 0.5% Moses Malone 8) Which center is your favorite? 22.1% Shaquille O'Neal 18.7% David Robinson 15.7% Hakeem Olajuwon 11.3% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10.8% Bill Russell 10.0% Wilt Chamberlain 5.3% Patrick Ewing 2.5% Bill Walton 2.2% Moses Malone 1.3% George Mikan 9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game? 59.3% No 40.7% Yes Total Votes: 72,505</div>
Here is what I voted for1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer?Kareem2) Best rebounder?Wilt3) Best defender?Hakeem ( I was kinda unsure on this one, so I just went with him)4) Best passer?No idea5) Best shot-blocker?Wilt6) Most clutch?No Idea7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around?Wilt8) Which center is your favorite?Wilt9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game?Yes (Greg Oden)
Best Scorer: WiltBest Rebounder: WiltBest Defender: RussBest Passer: WiltBest Shotblocker: Wilt/RussMost Clutch: KareemWhich Center would you build around? WiltFavorite: WiltWill we ever see a center dominated game again? No (Greg Oden)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ Mar 8 2007, 09:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Will we ever see a center dominated game again? No (Greg Oden)</div>If you think you will never see another dominate the game, why did you put greg oden?
When you used him as an example as to how the league will once again be center dominated, I thought, "he aint going to do it by himself" (if he indeed does it at all). I just put his name there.
Best Scorer: WiltBest Rebounder: WiltBest Defender: Hakeem/RusselBest Passer: Walton/Shaq (haven't seen as much of Walton as the others)Best Shotblocker: HakeemMost Clutch: KareemWhich Center would you build around? ShaqFavorite: Patrick EwingYeah, I said I'd build around Shaq because in his prime he was determined and dominated just about everyone. He was extremely skilled, and surprisingly very athletic for his size. He was absolutely dominate at just about everything for a period of a few years. Yeah, you can say the same thing about Wilt, but check the Chamberlain topic from a few months back for my thoughts on that.
1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer? 55.0% Wilt Chamberlain 21.8% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10.2% David Robinson 5.4% Hakeem Olajuwon 4.2% Shaquille O'Neal 1.5% Bill Russell 0.7% George Mikan 0.7% Patrick Ewing 0.3% Moses Malone 0.2% Bill Walton 2) Best rebounder? 29.4% Bill Russell 25.9% Wilt Chamberlain 14.1% Moses Malone 12.4% David Robinson 5.1% Shaquille O'Neal 5.0% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 4.8% Hakeem Olajuwon 1.8% Patrick Ewing 0.9% Bill Walton 0.6% George Mikan 3) Best defender? 43.3% Bill Russell 19.5% Hakeem Olajuwon 18.8% David Robinson 4.2% Shaquille O'Neal 4.0% Wilt Chamberlain 3.8% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3.3% Patrick Ewing 1.6% Moses Malone 1.1% Bill Walton 0.5% George Mikan 4) Best passer? 28.0% Bill Walton 15.3% David Robinson 12.7% Shaquille O'Neal 11.6% Hakeem Olajuwon 10.9% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 8.0% Bill Russell 6.4% Wilt Chamberlain 2.6% Moses Malone 2.4% George Mikan 2.0% Patrick Ewing 5) Best shot-blocker? 30.9% Hakeem Olajuwon 24.5% Bill Russell 15.9% David Robinson 9.8% Wilt Chamberlain 6.1% Shaquille O'Neal 6.1% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3.6% Patrick Ewing 1.4% Moses Malone 1.1% George Mikan 0.7% Bill Walton 6) Most clutch? 36.3% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 16.4% Hakeem Olajuwon 16.1% Bill Russell 11.5% David Robinson 7.9% Shaquille O'Neal 6.9% Wilt Chamberlain 1.6% Patrick Ewing 1.1% Moses Malone 1.1% Bill Walton 1.1% George Mikan 7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around? 24.7% Shaquille O'Neal 19.6% Wilt Chamberlain 15.5% Bill Russell 14.0% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 12.0% David Robinson 10.8% Hakeem Olajuwon 1.2% Patrick Ewing 0.9% Bill Walton 0.8% George Mikan 0.5% Moses Malone 8) Which center is your favorite? 22.1% Shaquille O'Neal 18.6% David Robinson 15.8% Hakeem Olajuwon 11.3% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10.8% Bill Russell 10.2% Wilt Chamberlain 5.3% Patrick Ewing 2.4% Bill Walton 2.2% Moses Malone 1.3% George Mikan 9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game? 59.2% No 40.8% Yes Total Votes: 74,166
Best Scorer: WiltBest Rebounder: Bill RussellBest Defender: Hakeem/RusselBest Passer: WaltonBest Shotblocker: HakeemMost Clutch: KareemWhich Center would you build around? Shaq, at 7'1 325 pounds, he is the biggest and baddest center to have played the game. In his prime he would dominate any other center in the league. Hell, half the people on this list Shaq has dominated or taken it to. In that finals against he Hakeem, Shaq lit him up on the offensive end. He took it to Hakeem just the same as Hakeem took it to Shaq, and Shaq was a young buck at that time. Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, all of these guys had to go against Shaq early in his career, and he did well against all of these guys. I just don't see anyone on this list that could control him, more than he could control them if they was to play. He to me is the most dominate a center could be.Favorite: ShaqDo I ever think the center position will return to dominance? I think we will see it return sooner or later. With players like Howard, Stoudemire, Jefferson, Oden, Bynum starting to come out I think we will see the center position bulk up here in the next few years.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (carolina_kid22 @ Mar 9 2007, 08:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He took it to Hakeem just the same as Hakeem took it to Shaq, and Shaq was a young buck at that time.</div>Hakeem outscored him every game of the series, and the Rockets did sweep the Magic...but point is well taken. And as you know, I agreed with pretty much everything you said.I forgot to answer the question fo do I think the league will ever be center-dominated again. I think that it will always be a small man 's game, and has been that was for quite awhile now. But, I do think that great big men will continue to come up, and we will have some great battles in the near future. Oden, Stoudemire, Howard, Jefferson, Bynum, and Thomas are going to be the next generation of big men. Stoudemire has already shown he can put up averaged of around 15-30/10 when Nash is out, and is basically already proven. Howard has become arguably the league's best rebounder, and still only 20yrs old. If he adds a few moves in the post, he will become something truly special. Jefferson in the past month or so has shown flashes of brilliances. Bynum is the least athletic of the bunch, but has shown some impressive post moves. If Thomas can keep his head straight, he could be similar to what Amare was 2 years back, with added defensive skills. And Oden will bring some low post defense that we have not seen in a long time, and will likely also be a great scorer.As MJ said, the future is in good hands.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 10 2007, 11:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Hakeem outscored him every game of the series, and the Rockets did sweep the Magic...but point is well taken. And as you know, I agreed with pretty much everything you said.</div>While it is true that Hakeem outscored him every game of the series, it wasn't by much. Shaq still battled back for 28 points a game. He outrebounded Hakeem on the series, and he passed better out of the double team than Hakeem did, averaging a full assist and rebound more for both of those two on the series. He did everything possible for his team to win, they got swept because the rest of the Magic did not produce the entire series the same way the Rockets produced for Hakeem that series. There was simply not much Shaq could do for his team around him not playing as well.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 10 2007, 12:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Hakeem outscored him every game of the series, and the Rockets did sweep the Magic...but point is well taken. And as you know, I agreed with pretty much everything you said.I forgot to answer the question fo do I think the league will ever be center-dominated again. I think that it will always be a small man 's game, and has been that was for quite awhile now. But, I do think that great big men will continue to come up, and we will have some great battles in the near future. Oden, Stoudemire, Howard, Jefferson, Bynum, and Thomas are going to be the next generation of big men. Stoudemire has already shown he can put up averaged of around 15-30/10 when Nash is out, and is basically already proven. Howard has become arguably the league's best rebounder, and still only 20yrs old. If he adds a few moves in the post, he will become something truly special. Jefferson in the past month or so has shown flashes of brilliances. Bynum is the least athletic of the bunch, but has shown some impressive post moves. If Thomas can keep his head straight, he could be similar to what Amare was 2 years back, with added defensive skills. And Oden will bring some low post defense that we have not seen in a long time, and will likely also be a great scorer.As MJ said, the future is in good hands.</div>Thanks MJ for ruining the Center dominated game.
Best Scorer: Wilt/HakeemBest Rebounder: Bill RussellBest Defender: Hakeem/RusselBest Passer: Walton/ShaqBest Shotblocker: Hakeem/RobinsonMost Clutch: KareemWhich Center would you build around?: Shaq/RussellFavorite: Patrick Ewing
1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer?Kareem2) Best rebounder?Malone3) Best defender?Russell4) Best passer?Walton5) Best shot-blocker?Russell6) Most clutch?Kareem7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around?Wilt(100 points is good enough for me)8) Which center is your favorite?Wilt9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game?No
I was going to ask why you didnt put Walton on the Best passer category. He is considered as the best passing centers in history. Also the Bill Russel over Hakeem deal. Hakeem was the better shot blocker, but in no means a man to man defender like Russell.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RaptorFan#1 @ Mar 26 2007, 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I was going to ask why you didnt put Walton on the Best passer category. He is considered as the best passing centers in history. Also the Bill Russel over Hakeem deal. Hakeem was the better shot blocker, but in no means a man to man defender like Russell.</div>Yes because Russell would let his man Wilt drop 50 on him all the time. The Celtics beat Wilts teams. Russell did not shut down Wilt.
Arvydas Sabonis is the greatest passing center of all time. If anyone here ever got to see him play in his prime he made passes that would leave the crowd speechless after the game.
1) Which of these centers was/is the best scorer?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 2) Best rebounder?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 3) Best defender?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 4) Best passer?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 5) Best shot-blocker?Kareem Abdul-JabbarWilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 6) Most clutch?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 7) If you were starting a team from scratch, which center would you want to build your team around?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 8) Which center is your favorite?Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Patrick Ewing Moses Malone George Mikan Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Walton 9) Will we ever see a return to a center-dominated game?Yes, The NBA has gone through different era's, the game will continue to evolve. No
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Arvydas Sabonis is the greatest passing center of all time. If anyone here ever got to see him play in his prime he made passes that would leave the crowd speechless after the game.</div>His prime was with Lithuania in the late 80's and yeah, he could pass like it was nobody's bussiness. I don't know why people keep saying Shaq was the best passer, he can't touch Sabonis, Russell, Wilt, Walton or Unseld. But I chose Wilt because, in 1967 everybody called him a selfish ballhog and in response he said "I'll lead the league in assists next year" and he f*cking did it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ Mar 31 2007, 02:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>His prime was with Lithuania in the late 80's and yeah, he could pass like it was nobody's bussiness. I don't know why people keep saying Shaq was the best passer, he can't touch Sabonis, Russell, Wilt, Walton or Unseld. But I chose Wilt because, in 1967 everybody called him a selfish ballhog and in response he said "I'll lead the league in assists next year" and he f*cking did it.</div>This is getting ridiculous, you hate Shaq and love Wilt you don't need to post it in every thread about a center in the NBA. Shaq is still arguebely the biggest low post prescence in the NBA and has been since Hakeem left the league you can't underrated him. Also your fact about the assists, his team was litteraly run through him. He always touched the ball and created the play on every offensive possesion because no team had an answer for him.
I'm not underrating Shaq, you guys are overrating him. And the Wilt thing comes from the fact that nobody here seems to give him credit. Read some of the things they say, its stupid. And, the offense didn't go through Wilt in 68' when he led the league in assists. It went through him in 1962, when he averaged 50.4ppg and 48.5 minutes.
