Bill Russell is the GOAT

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I wouldn't go so far as calling him "GOAT"...but he is definitely in the top 10 all time....and a case can even be made for somewhere in the top 5...imho

 

[HammerDown]

Philip Seymor Hoffman > Bill Russell

Thanks! I have added him to the list.

 

[HammerDown]

I wouldn't go so far as calling him "GOAT"...but he is definitely in the top 10 all time....and a case can even be made for somewhere in the top 5...imho

He's not even in the top 5 Celtics all time. If he tried out for the '86 Celtics, ML Carr and Cornbread Maxwell would laugh their ass off.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

His offensive game was my biggest draw backs but if you compare him t.the players of his era his offense was well above average.

Size over opponents is a valuable and credible attribute. The modern day game is almost entirely physical advantages and lack of fundamentals.

Yes Russel had the best team, it takes a team to win championships and go ahead and compare the championship teams of the other all time greats vs their competitions teams. What is more important to me is that he was the best player on that team and the driving force.

Wilt did not own Russel but he had more success against him than anybody else because of his physical advantages. Those are huge but it still not take much away from Russel, he was still able to d what was needed to win those games.

@Hammerdown it is always nice to read your relevant additions to a thread.

 

[rmilia1]

No player in NBA history has been responsible for more PPG for his team than Big O. Guy averaged 26 ppg and 10 apg ( also almost 8 rpg ) and he did almost all of this before the advent of the 3 point shot. Guy shot 49% in an era where goaltending was legal as well. College champion, NBA champion, 9 time first team All NBA ( only played 13(?) seasons). He also averaged 4 blocks per game in the only year he played when the NBA kept that stat ( his last year ). If there were stats for steals and blocks his first dozen years he would be the all time leader for forwards in bpg and towards the top in steals as well. If you want to talk greatest of all time he is on the very very short list of maybe 3-5 guys that can lay claim to that title. Id make a case for Magic but that case has been made ad nauseum.

 

[HammerDown]

Wilt did not own Russel

I stopped reading right there.

BTW, all you "Russel" experts, please start by learning to spell his name.

 

[HammerDown]

No player in NBA history has been responsible for more PPG for his team than Big O. Guy averaged 26 ppg and 10 apg ( also almost 8 rpg ) and he did almost all of this before the advent of the 3 point shot. Guy shot 49% in an era where goaltending was legal as well. College champion, NBA champion, 9 time first team All NBA ( only played 13(?) seasons). He also averaged 4 blocks per game in the only year he played when the NBA kept that stat ( his last year ). If there were stats for steals and blocks his first dozen years he would be the all time leader for forwards in bpg and towards the top in steals as well. If you want to talk greatest of all time he is on the very very short list of maybe 3-5 guys that can lay claim to that title. Id make a case for Magic but that case has been made ad nauseum.

"Who is the Big O?" - Bill "Russel" experts

 

[BOTSLAYER]

The Celtics, with Red as "El Capo" were the sports version of La Cosa Nostra. The very definition of organized crime.

"I never saw him play but Bill Russell was sooooooo amaaaaaaaazing!"

Bill Russell would have a very difficult time making a D-League roster in today's game.

Oh well because we never saw them play then how good could he possibly be :rollseyes:

 

[TheDangerousKitchen]

Jordan was THE greatest two-way player in NBA history (Offense + Defense combined), and he was the greatest Playoffs / Finals performer ever.

Russell wasn't.

1) Jordan
2) Russ / KAJ
3) Russ / KAJ

 

[WhiteMamba]

Kevin Duckworth > Bill Russell

Arvydas Sabonis > Bill Russell

there he is

and

 

[HammerDown]

Jordan was THE greatest two-way player in NBA history (Offense + Defense combined), and he was the greatest Playoffs / Finals performer ever.

Russell wasn't.

1) Jordan
2) Russ / KAJ
3) Russ / KAJ

That's utter insanity on any level to compare Bill Russell to Kareem. ON WHAT BASIS???

Magic at 19 yrs old had a better game starting at center than any game Russell played in his entire fucking CAREER!!!

How in THE HELL can people say Bill Russell was the greatest ever? He wasn't even the best player on his own fucking TEAM!!!

 

[WhiteMamba]

fun read was fun

lol

 

[Jims_Doors]

No player in NBA history has been responsible for more PPG for his team than Big O. Guy averaged 26 ppg and 10 apg ( also almost 8 rpg ) and he did almost all of this before the advent of the 3 point shot. Guy shot 49% in an era where goaltending was legal as well. College champion, NBA champion, 9 time first team All NBA ( only played 13(?) seasons). He also averaged 4 blocks per game in the only year he played when the NBA kept that stat ( his last year ). If there were stats for steals and blocks his first dozen years he would be the all time leader for forwards in bpg and towards the top in steals as well. If you want to talk greatest of all time he is on the very very short list of maybe 3-5 guys that can lay claim to that title. Id make a case for Magic but that case has been made ad nauseum.

Magic said recently, when people were comparing MJ and LeBron, that rings are all that matters. If that's how he feels, then even he can't make a case for himself.

 

[HammerDown]

Magic said recently, when people were comparing MJ and LeBron, that rings are all that matters. If that's how he feels, then even he can't make a case for himself.

Magic never said that.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Magic said recently, when people were comparing MJ and LeBron, that rings are all that matters. If that's how he feels, then even he can't make a case for himself.

I agree with Magic (^^^if he said that)

 

[Jims_Doors]

Magic never said that.

His tweet is shown in the link. It's exactly what he said.

I was wrong about the subject. It was about James' top 3

Magic Johnson fires back at LeBron for not having him in top three | ProBasketballTalk

 

[HammerDown]

So then guys who rode the pine for the Celtics in the 50s are better than Jordan.

Bullshit.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Just to add to the hilarity displayed by some of the posters here....

He was so fucking good, that during his NBA coaching career, he would moonlight as the shortstop for the LA Dodgers.

BOOM!!!!!!

 

[TheDangerousKitchen]

That's utter insanity on any level to compare Bill Russell to Kareem. ON WHAT BASIS???

Magic at 19 yrs old had a better game starting at center than any game Russell played in his entire fucking CAREER!!!

How in THE HELL can people say Bill Russell was the greatest ever? He wasn't even the best player on his own fucking TEAM!!!

Russell is in the argument for greatest Rebounder and greatest Defender ever... those are 2 of the 3 most important facets of the game. Add in the 11 Rings and Russ' legacy sort of speaks for itself as Top 3 all-time at least (again, IMO).

I have it as follows:

1) Jordan
2) Jabbar
3) Russell
4) Magic
5) Bird

 

[Nosferatu]

Christian Laettner > Bill Russell

Ok, now you've gone to far!

With all due respect to Kareem, Bird and Magic, MJ and Oscar are the only ones who should be in any conversation regarding GOAT.