Who Is Currently 2nd Best NBA Player Overall After LeBron?

Search

hacheman@therx.com
Staff member
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
139,222
Tokens
Who Is Currently 2nd Best NBA Player Overall After LeBron?'

A couple of years ago the obvious answer was Kevin Durant.

But now Stephen Curry & a couple of others have something to say about that.

Do you think it's still Durant (A Healthy Durant) or someone else?
 

Member
Handicapper
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Messages
28,332
Tokens
The kid with the unibrow.
 

New member
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Messages
20,483
Tokens
Before his leg injury I would say Paul George

Now it has to be steph curry. In fact he's close to passing out LeBron with how he is playing.

Anthony Davis has to prove to me he can play a full season healthy and help his team make the playoffs
 

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
2,515
Tokens
Not sure Steph isn't already the #1 player in NBA.

Today's game (more open & less physical than 1980-1990s NBA) is perfect for Curry.
 

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
2,515
Tokens
Not long ago I would have agreed but the league is watered down more than ever & lacking super-stars these days, much less greats...

Probably the opposite (league is watered down) --- very little expansion since 1995, combined with a massive influx of international players. More talent than ever before.

I agree about the relative lack of super-stars, but that's only because older teams/players have "hogged" the Playoffs/Finals stage. All of the Spurs, LeBron + Wade + Heat, Kobe + Lakers, and the Celtics crew (Paul Pierce, KG, Ray Allen).

As the younger teams advance into the Playoffs/Finals, new super-stars will be created.
 

hacheman@therx.com
Staff member
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
139,222
Tokens
As the younger teams advance into the Playoffs/Finals, new super-stars will be created.




A lot of people don't understand that there's a big difference between Super-Stars & Stars.

A Super-Star go down as one of the greatest, in an elite group all-time.

As of right now there are only 3 Super Stars in the NBA (LeBron & Durant) with Curry just now reaching that level but still borderline as we'll have to see if it continues.

Some guys might teeter in-between SuperStar & Star Status, but never reach the elite level.
Let's use Russell Westbrook & Chris Paul as examples.
2 terrific players, but only stars because you simply & clearly don't put him in Jordan, Magic, or Lebron's category.

There aren't even any great centers in the game like there used to be.

Anthony Davis might get there but he's not in Shaq, Hakeem, D. Robinson, etc.'s group.

All of the above is why the league lacks top-talent as it's dwindled through the years...
 

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
31,613
Tokens
Curry can't impact the game on both ends like the elite 2 way players but he is a little underrated because he isn't your prototypical physically dominate NBA superstar.

If you can get 12 3's a game up at 44%, you're basically playing a math trick/cheat code on the league. There just isn't really a way to be better than that offensively and if you trap him he is a great passer/great handle.

He is definitely the first of his kind.
 

Conservatives, Patriots & Huskies return to glory
Handicapper
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
87,101
Tokens
A lot of people don't understand that there's a big difference between Super-Stars & Stars.

A Super-Star go down as one of the greatest, in an elite group all-time.

As of right now there are only 3 Super Stars in the NBA (LeBron & Durant) with Curry just now reaching that level but still borderline as we'll have to see if it continues.

Some guys might teeter in-between SuperStar & Star Status, but never reach the elite level.
Let's use Russell Westbrook & Chris Paul as examples.
2 terrific players, but only stars because you simply & clearly don't put him in Jordan, Magic, or Lebron's category.

There aren't even any great centers in the game like there used to be.

Anthony Davis might get there but he's not in Shaq, Hakeem, D. Robinson, etc.'s group.

All of the above is why the league lacks top-talent as it's dwindled through the years...

AD & AD will be two great centers
 

hacheman@therx.com
Staff member
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
139,222
Tokens
Curry can't impact the game on both ends like the elite 2 way players but he is a little underrated because he isn't your prototypical physically dominate NBA superstar.



I agree but I felt I would catch hell if I said he wasn't in the other 2's category right now.

I want to see a little more first to be honest...
 

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
31,613
Tokens
Regarding centers, you still have a lot of really good big guys in the league. They just don't play "Center"

Kevin Durant is 6'11, Dirk you don't consider a big but he is 1 of the best ever offensively and he is 7ft, on the downside now but him and KG started that whole versatile big movement.

The game is just different in that way. I mean these guys are big human beings, just not traditional NBA "bigs"

Then it is a lot tougher to stay healthy now for whatever reason.....Dwight, Yao, Oden.
 

hacheman@therx.com
Staff member
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
139,222
Tokens
Regarding centers, you still have a lot of really good big guys in the league. They just don't play "Center"

Kevin Durant is 6'11, Dirk you don't consider a big but he is 1 of the best ever offensively and he is 7ft

The game is just different in that way. I mean these guys are big human beings, just not traditional NBA "bigs"

Then it is a lot tougher to stay healthy now for whatever reason.....Dwight, Yao, Oden.


Early on it looked like Howard was going to be in "the" list of all-time bigs.

He was the only guy in the league & gym who could out-jump LeBron around the hoop. (Seen him swat LeBron's stuff many times around then)

But some guys are never the same after they start developing injuries...
 

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,884
Tokens
Russell Westbrook
 

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
2,625
Tokens
Russell Westbrook

I'm not a big NBA fan but watch the games leading to the playoffs & the only player
I love to watch is Russell Westbrook. Ten years or more ago it was Iverson for me
by a mile but I actually think Westbrook is just as exciting to watch as Iverson & as fast
& he is bigger and has a better shot.
 

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
31,613
Tokens
I'm not a big NBA fan but watch the games leading to the playoffs & the only player
I love to watch is Russell Westbrook. Ten years or more ago it was Iverson for me
by a mile but I actually think Westbrook is just as exciting to watch as Iverson & as fast
& he is bigger and has a better shot.

He definitely is the most aggressive and plays the hardest on a night to night basis.

Freak of nature.
 

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2000
Messages
3,293
Tokens
I have been watching basketball for a long time but I have never seen a better combined shooter an passer in the NBA than Curry. Fans who live on the east coast don't get to see him play as much. I cant wait to see him against the Clippers tomorrow night
 

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,884
Tokens
GG is 8 point favorite over the Clippers. 8 points

I hope the Warriors lay a beat down on the Clippers...I mean by a good 20 plus.
 

Active member
Handicapper
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
90,884
Tokens
I'm not a big NBA fan but watch the games leading to the playoffs & the only player
I love to watch is Russell Westbrook. Ten years or more ago it was Iverson for me
by a mile but I actually think Westbrook is just as exciting to watch as Iverson & as fast
& he is bigger and has a better shot.

I like Russell....He plays hard every game.....Fearless as hell.....Love when he goes coast to coast right through the middle.

He can hang with the best of them.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,119,787
Messages
13,572,973
Members
100,863
Latest member
brokenplanethoodiec
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com