****OFFICIAL 2012 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[dirk digler]

Great sports weekend with the draft and now the NBA Playoffs starting today

First Round Matchups Today:

76ers vs Bulls
Knicks vs Heat
Magic vs Pacers
Mavs vs Thunder

Sunday:

Jazz vs Spurs
Celtics vs Hawks
Clippers vs Grizzlies
Nuggets vs Lakers

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Barry Bonds is quite possibly the best player to ever play the game of baseball. His greatness has nothing to do with how many championships he won (zero) and everything to do with how dominant he was compared to his opponents/peers.

LeBron likely has quite a few more championships that he'll win, but that will never define who he is as a player. He's done that through his incredible career of basketball, the kind of dominance that hasn't been seen since MJ. It's time to appreciate just how special this guy actually is. No more nitpicking.

Rings are more important in basketball. A single player has a lot more control over it than other sports.

LeBron is probably top ten with 1 title, but probably needs 2 or more to be in the top five

[tk13]

I think LeBron certainly would go down as one of the greats either way. But in basketball I think you have to win a title to reach that upper class of players like MJ, Kobe, etc. that LeBron's talent dictates he should be in.

And that's probably especially true in basketball over any other sport because superstar players make such a difference in basketball. In a sport like baseball or hockey you could be an all-timer and never win because you never had a great pitching staff or goalie, etc. In basketball, the true legends win titles.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

It's very ignorant to say nobody looks at Barkley as a great player. He shouldn't be blamed for playing in the same era as MJ's Bulls...he should be recognized for the amazing things he accomplished and the phenomenal player he was (and believe me...knowledgeable fans do).

Or we can look at it your way (ignoring that championships are about team quality) and view Robert Horry as one of the all-time greats.

Barkley and Malone are a little different because they played at the same time as the greatest player ever. LeBron is the best player of his time.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

It's very ignorant to say nobody looks at Barkley as a great player. He shouldn't be blamed for playing in the same era as MJ's Bulls...he should be recognized for the amazing things he accomplished and the phenomenal player he was (and believe me...knowledgeable fans do).

Or we can look at it your way (ignoring that championships are about team quality) and view Robert Horry as one of the all-time greats.

Not an all time great, but why and how do you remember Horry?...oh yeah...he's got a billion titles.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

Again, Bonds is remembered for the off the field stuff and yep...you guessed it...no ring. It's all that matters in sports.

No, Bonds is remembered for being one of the greatest hitters in baseball history (and from the more ignorant fans...PEDs). Whether he won a championship never comes up because most reasonable people realize he can't control team quality.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Shogun

Chris Bosh just makes it so easy

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Rings are more important in basketball. A single player has a lot more control over it than other sports.

LeBron is probably top ten with 1 title, but probably needs 2 or more to be in the top five

3 is the magic number for top 5 IMO.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

Not an all time great, but why and how do you remember Horry?...oh yeah...he's got a billion titles.

Not an all-time great? WTF? Barkley is probably one of the 10 greatest players to ever play basketball. Few people would dispute that.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Barkley and Malone are a little different because they played at the same time as the greatest player ever. LeBron is the best player of his time.

But he wasn't on the best team until last year. That makes all the difference because championships are a measure of team quality, not individual quality.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Shogun

Dude, gross. NTTIAWWT.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

No, Bonds is remembered for being one of the greatest hitters in baseball history (and from the more ignorant fans...PEDs). Whether he won a championship never comes up because most reasonable people realize he can't control team quality.

I'm not saying it's fair. It's just how you measure success. The ultimate goal is titles. If I were LeBron or any pro athlete I'd trade all my stats for rings because that's the true measure of success in sports. Unless I switch to horseshoes then almost is good enough.

[Hammock Parties]

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Not an all-time great? WTF? Barkley is probably one of the 10 greatest players to ever play basketball. Few people would dispute that.

Hmm, Barkely isn't top 10.

Jordan
Wilt
Russell
Kareem
Oscar
Magic
Bird
Shaq
Hakeem
LeBron

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Not an all-time great? WTF? Barkley is probably one of the 10 greatest players to ever play basketball. Few people would dispute that.

No I'm saying Horry isn't an all time great but you remember him like I do...because he has a billion titles.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Toad King

That's pretty good.