Julius Erving is the greatest Philadelphia 76ers player of all-time

Thursday, July 16, 2020

 

The Philadelphia 76ers were founded in 1946 and since then, they have been in the postseason more than half of their existence in the league.  They also have three championships to their name.  But aside from that, the 76ers have had a lot of talented players on their rosters and this is a TOUGH decision but the greatest 76ers player of all-time is Julius Erving.

Not only was Julius Erving one of the most dominant players of his time, but he has also changed the way the game was played.  He was extremely crafty the ball, accomplishing amazing feats including the behind-the-backboard finger roll layup and dunking over Bill Walton (a defensive legend who was known for blocking shots).

Erving played with the 76ers for his entire 11 seasons in the NBA after the ABA-NBA merger.  During his time in Philadelphia, he was an 11-time All-Star who made the All-NBA First Team five times and the All-NBA Second Team twice.  He won league MVP during the 1980-1981 season and even helped the 76ers win a championship in 1983.

While playing with the 76ers, Erving averaged 22.0 points per game, along with 6.7 rebounds a game, 3.9 assists a game, 1.8 steals a game, and 1.5 blocks a game.  He was also an amazing scorer.  He averaged those 22.0 points on 51% but shot only 26% from behind the three-point line.  He finished those 11 seasons with a true shooting percentage of 56%.

Currently, Julius Erving is the Philadelphia 76ers fourth all-time leader in points with 18,364.  He is also their seventh all-time leader in rebounds with 5,601, their fourth all-time leader in assists with 3,224, their third all-time leader in steals with 1,508, and their 72nd all-time leader in three-pointers made with 46.  He is their all-time leader in blocks with 1,293.

Erving helped the 76ers make the playoffs every year he played with them and assisted them in winning a championship.  During the playoffs, he averaged 21.9 points per game, along with 7.0 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game, and 1.7 blocks per game.  He shot 49% from the field but shot only 19% from beyond the arc.  He finished with a combined true shooting percentage of 54%.

As of right now, Julius Erving is the Philadelphia 76ers’ all-time leader in points scored during the playoffs with a total of 3,088 and blocks with 239.  He is also their third all-time leader in rebounds with 994, their second all-time leader in assists with 594, their second all-time leader in steals with 235, and their 25th all-time leader in three-pointers made with just seven.

The reason I say that Julius Erving was a tough decision for me is because the 76ers have had players like Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley suit up for them and they accomplished a whole lot, as well.  I understand that Erving had Moses Malone when the 76ers won that championship in 1983 but he still was great (averaging 21.4 points per game that season).  In my opinion, Julius Erving is the greatest 76ers player of all-time.

Alex English is the greatest Denver Nuggets player of all-time

Saturday, July 4, 2020

 

The Denver Nuggets were founded in 1967 and despite all the postseason appearance they’ve had, they still weren’t able to win a championship.  The franchise has had many phenomenal talents on their rosters but the player that really stands out as the greatest Nugget of all-time is Alex English.

During his time in Denver (which was for 11 seasons), English was an eight-time All-Star who made the All-NBA Second Team three times.  He was one of the most prolific scorers of that time as he led the league in scoring during the 1982-1983 season while averaging 25.9 points per game on 51% shooting.  He wasn’t a good three-point shooter, though, as he shot only 23%.  He did, however, finish with a 55% true shooting percentage.  Along with the 25.9 points per game, English also averaged 5.6 rebounds a game, 4.4 assists a game, 1.0 steals a game, and 0.7 blocks a game.

Currently, Alex English is the Denver Nuggets’ all-time leader in points with a total of 21,645 and assists with 3,679.  He is also their third all-time leader in rebounds with 4,686, their third all-time leader in steals with 854, their fifth all-time leader in blocks with 624, and their 94th all-time leader in three-pointers made with just 18.

Even though English led the Nuggets to nine straight postseason appearances, he was never able to hold that trophy.  But, nevertheless, he averaged 26.1 points per game during the playoffs, along with 5.6 rebounds a game, 4.7 assists a game, 0.7 steals a game, and 0.4 blocks a game.  He shot 50% from the field but missed all eight of attempted three-pointers.  He finished with a combined true shooting percentage of 56%.

As of right now, Alex English is the Nuggets’ all-time leader in points scored during the playoffs with 1,540.  He is also their all-time leader in assists with 280.  He is their second all-time leader in rebounds with 329, their ninth all-time leader in steals with 41, and their tenth all-time leader in blocks with 25.

Like I said before, the Nuggets have had amazing talent on their rosters.  They had the opportunity to have players like Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, David Thompson, and Dan Issel put on the blue and white uniform.  Even right now, the Nuggets are looking promising again with players like Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic but Alex English is the greatest Denver Nuggets player of all-time, in my opinion.

Who are my top three players who have never won a championship?

Friday, June 19, 2020

 

Let’s admit it:  winning a championship is every NBA player’s dream at the end of the day.  You don’t have to be a Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or a Kobe Bryant (R.I.P.) to be considered an amazing player.  There are a lot of NBA players who haven’t won a championship and are still considered some of the greatest in history.  My top three (not in any particular order) greatest players who never won a championship are Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Charles Barkley.

I’ll start with Allen Iverson, who is arguably one of the greatest offensive players of all-time.  He’s a dangerous scorer who can handle the ball like no other.  He may have been a controversial individual but his passion for the game made him admirable.  Even though Iverson played with players like Carmelo Anthony and Dikembe Mutombo, he was never able to hold that Larry O’Brien trophy.

Throughout his 17-year career, Allen Iverson played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Denver Nuggets, the Detroit Pistons, and the Memphis Grizzlies.  He is an eleven-time All-Star who led the league in scoring four times (twice in a row).  He also led the league in steals three times in a row while being named 2000-2001 NBA MVP.

Iverson played with the 76ers for twelve seasons.  While he was with the 76ers, Iverson averaged 27.6 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, 6.1 assists per game, and 2.3 steals per game.  He shot 42% from the field while knocking down 31% of his three-pointers.  He took them to the playoffs six times (five times in a row).

In the playoffs, he averaged 30.6 points per game, as well as 4.2 rebounds per game, 6.1 assists per game, and 2.2 steals per game.  He shot 40% from the field and 33% from the three-point line.  Iverson took the 76ers as far as the 2001 NBA Finals but were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1.

He played with the Denver Nuggets for three seasons and helped them make it to the playoffs twice in a row.  He averaged 25.6 points per game while playing in Denver, along with 3.0 rebounds per game, 7.1 assists per game, and 1.9 steals per game.  He shot 46% from the field while shooting 34% from the three-point line.

During those two playoff trips, he averaged 23.6 points per game, along with 1.7 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game.  He shot 40% from the field while knocking down just 26% of his shots from beyond the arc.  He was never able to lead the Nuggets past the first round in the playoffs.

Just like Iverson, Carmelo Anthony is a huge offensive threat.  He can score from inside the paint and outside the perimeter, as well.  He’s known for his clutch performances but gets criticized for his lack of defense and being a “ball-stopper”.  He has made it to the playoffs numerous times but has never made a Finals appearance.

So far, Anthony has played for the Denver Nuggets, the New York Knicks, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers.  He is a ten-time All-Star who led the league in scoring during the 2012-2013 season.  Even though he never won a league MVP, he still put up MVP-type numbers.

During his eight-season tenure with the Nuggets, he averaged 24.8 points per game, as well as 6.3 rebounds a game, and 3.1 assists a game.  He shot 46% from the field and 31% from behind the three-point line.  Anthony helped the Denver team make it to the playoffs seven straight times.  During the playoffs, he averaged 24.5 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game.  He shot 42% from the field while shooting 34% from beyond the arc.

Carmelo Anthony played with the New York Knicks for seven seasons and led them to the playoffs three straight times.  During those three playoff appearances, he averaged 28.0 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 2.3 assists per game.  He completed 40% of his shots and 30% of his three-pointers.

On the court, Charles Barkley was a force to be reckoned with.  He could score the basketball, grab rebound after rebound, and even play defense.  He’s an eleven-time All-Star who led the league in rebounds during the 1986-1987 season and even won league MVP during the 1992-1993 season.  Throughout his 16-season career, Barkley played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Phoenix Suns, and the Houston Rockets.

Charles Barkley played with the 76ers for eight seasons.  During his time with them, he averaged 23.3 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, and 1.0 blocks per game.  He was able to shoot 58% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc.  He helped the 76ers make the playoffs six times.  In the playoffs, he averaged 22.4 points per game, as well as 13.1 rebounds per game, and 1.0 blocks per game.  He shot 57% from the field while knocking down 21% of his three-pointers.

Barkley played with the Suns for four seasons.  While suiting up for them, he averaged 23.4 points per game, 11.5 rebounds per game, and 0.8 blocks per game.  He shot 50% from the field while completing 30% of his three-pointers.  He helped them reach the playoffs every year he played for them.  In the playoffs, Charles Barkley averaged 26.5 points per game, as well as 13.4 rebounds a game and 1.0 blocks a game.  He shot 49% from the field and 27% from the three-point line.

Those were my top three players who never won a ring but it was hard for me to choose between who goes on my list.  Players such as Dikembe Mutumbo, Tracy McGrady, Karl Malone, and Reggie Miller were extremely tough to not put on my list.  But Iverson, Anthony, and Barkley were the three that really stood out to me talent-wise.

Which Kobe Bryant was better? Number 8 or number 24?

It was recently announced that the Los Angeles Lakers will retire both of Kobe Bryant’s number eight and number twenty-four jerseys on December 18, 2017.  In my opinion, Kobe Bryant is hands-down one of the best scorers in NBA history.  He is very competitive, not to mention, extremely loyal.  He has spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, even though they have fallen off a cliff and haven’t been back up since 2013.  But between number eight and twenty-four, which Kobe is better in my opinion?  I’m definitely going with number eight and I have my reasons which I will detail in the following paragraphs.

Kobe Bryant was the first guard to ever be drafted out of high school as he was chosen by the Charlotte Hornets as the thirteenth pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft.  But before the draft began, the Hornets and the Lakers would agree to a trade that would send their 1996 draft selection to Los Angeles.  So, Kobe would be traded to the Lakers as soon as he was drafted.  Since then, Bryant has been sensational.  He is a five-time champion (making a total of fifteen postseason appearances), two-time NBA Finals MVP, eighteen-time NBA All-Star, four-time All-Star MVP and he is a two-time scoring champion.  He has been listed on the All-NBA First Team eleven times, the All-NBA Second Team two times, the All-NBA Third Team two times, the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times and NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times.

While wearing the number eight jersey (which was for ten straight years), Kobe Bryant averaged twenty-four points per game in the regular season, along with five rebounds per game, five assists per game, two steals per game and one block per game.  He shot forty-five percent from the field while shooting thirty-four percent from the three-point line and eighty-three percent from the free-throw line.  He recorded a total of 16,866 points, 3,634 rebounds, 3,148 assists, 1,059 steals, 431 blocks and 799 three-pointers.

He would appear in nine playoffs while wearing the number eight jersey.  During the postseason, he averaged twenty-three points a game, five rebounds a game, five assists a game, one steal a game and one block a game.  He would shoot forty-four percent from the field, thirty-two percent from beyond the arc and seventy-nine percent from the charity stripe.  He scored a total of 2,889 points, pulled down 621 rebounds, dished off 564 assists, committed 169 steals, blocked 92 shots and connected for 135 three-pointers.

When he was playing in his number eight jersey, he was more athletic, not to mention that he was in his prime.  He has appeared in eight All-Star games and has been listed on the All-NBA Team, All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive Team four times each.  He was also a three-peat champion but Shaquille O’Neal would be the NBA Finals MVP in all three.  And nobody can forget the eighty-one points that Kobe dropped on the Toronto Raptors in the Staples Center on January 22, 2006.

While he was in his number twenty-four jersey, he was more prone to injuries, from his Achilles to his fingers.  Don’t get wrong:  He was still Kobe, one of the greatest on the planet, but his prime was slowly declining.  During the regular season, he now averaged twenty-six points per game, five rebounds per game, five assists per game and one steal per game.  He would shoot forty-four percent from the field while shooting thirty-three percent from the three-point line and eighty-four percent from the free-throw line.  He ended up recording a total of 16,777 points, 3,413 rebounds, 3,158 assists, 885 steals and 1,028 three-pointers.

Bryant would make six more playoff appearances while wearing the number twenty-four.  In these playoffs, he would average twenty-nine points a game, five rebounds a game, five assists a game and one block a game.  He ended up shooting forty-six percent from the field, thirty-three percent from beyond the arc and eighty-five percent from the charity stripe.  He scored a total of 2,751 points, grabbed 498 rebounds, gave out 476 assists, stole the ball 141 times, blocked 52 shots and dropped 157 three-pointers.

In that popular twenty-four jersey, Kobe was a ten-time All-Star and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player while being listed on the All-NBA Team seven times and the NBA All-Defensive Team six times.  He also received two more champions while being named Finals MVP both times.  Now, you may look at these numbers and start comparing them, saying that number twenty-four seemed better.  Yes, the numbers were obviously better but the number eight Kobe had that “hunger” in him.  He was ready to take off somebody’s head at any given time.  But like I said, from 2006 to his retirement year, Kobe was still Kobe.  He was still able to score and he proved it in his very last game of his career, dropping sixty points against the Utah Jazz.