lessthanjake

Make your list of who you think were the best NBA players by era. Era isnt necessarily a decade or anything. It can be as big as you want it to be but can also be as little as 2 years. You dont have to use the same time spans that I use. So without any further adieu, heres my list. The criteria for me is mostly just talent and statistical output but there is also some amount of team success factored in especially when I think certain players have roughly equal talent over a certain period.

1950-1953
George Mikan
He basically dominated everyone. I doubt there is much of an argument here.

1954-1955
Neil Johnston
He was easily as good as Mikan in 1954 and with no Mikan in 1955 he was the best player in the NBA, his only competition being a rookie Bob Pettit who wasnt quite there yet.

1956-1959
Bob Pettit
Led the league in PER in every one of those years. Johnston was close to him the first 2 years, but the last two in this period, no one was all that close.

1960-1963
Wilt Chamberlain
Averages 42.94 points per game and 26 rebounds a game during this time. Basically this period was total dominance by the Big Dipper.

1964-1965
Oscar Robertson
This was one of the hardest decisions I had to make here. Wilt and Oscar were the two best players during these two years easily, with Wilt even having better PER in both years. But these were subpar years for Wilt, with him not leading the league in rebounding both years, and also posting some of his worst years in TS%. Oscar scored almost as much as Wilt but did it much more efficiently (being in the top three in TS% both years). He obviously rebounded a lot less (but still rebounded hugely for a guard). However, he led the league in assists, being over 11 both years. It is a really hard call, but I was swayed by the fact that the Big O won an MVP award in 1964 while Wilt wasnt even all NBA first team in 1965.

1966-1968
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt won the MVP award in every single one of these years and led in PER in all the years too. Not really a tough call, especially with Wilt being a beast with assists in these years too (averaging 7.21 during this time)

1969-1970
Jerry West
Since Wilt only played like 12 games in 1970, Jerry West takes these 2 years as the best player, with no one else really there as competition.

1971-1973
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem dominated this period, owning the PER title in all three years by very large margins every time.

1974-1975
Bob McAdoo
McAdoo got the MVP in 1975 and in 1974 not only lead the league in PPG but also TS%. Meanwhile, Kareem had a down year in 1974 and missed 16 games in 1975. These were also his worst years in terms of TS%.

1976-1980
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
He lead the league in PER in every year but 1980, and got 3 MVPs during this 5 year period. He missed 20 games in 1978 or else he wouldve won the MVP that year too most likely. Moses Malone was arguably better in 1979 but overall this period was Kareem's.

1981-1983
Moses Malone
Obviously he got the MVP in 1982 and 1983 and lead in PER those years too. I couldve easily put 1981 as part of Kareem's previous period above. It is very close. Kareem had a higher PER and more win shares, while Moses had more Player Wins. I give it to Moses though because he scored more and rebounded A LOT more (because at this point Kareem had started his decline in rebounding) while Kareem had an off year in passing so his passing advantage isnt as much as it would normally be.

1984-1986
Larry Bird
Bird got the MVP all three years. Hard to argue with that.

1987-1992
Michael Jordan
Obviously Jordan lead in points all these years, lead in PER all these years, and won 3 MVPs in these 6 years. I doubt anyone will argue with this one.

1993-1995
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem may have had less in PER than Jordan in 1993, but dont let that fool you. He was the better player that year, especially with his superior defense (Jordan was an amazing defender but nowhere near Hakeem's impact on the defensive end. This is backed up by Hakeem's DPOY award). David Robinson had better PER than Hakeem during this time and each won one MVP award, but I gotta give it to Hakeem because of the two titles and his amazingly playoff performances. Very hard choice, but DRob just wasnt really at the same level of player that Hakeem was. PER may say I am wrong, but I know what I saw.

1996-1997
Michael Jordan
Didnt lead the league in PER either year but overall had the highest during the two years combined. Obviously the Bulls dominated these years and Jordan was highest in PPG and win shares.

1998-1999
Karl Malone
Malone was better than Jordan in 1998. He shouldve gotten his MVP award that year, not in 1997. He DID get the MVP in 1999 though. Shaq beat him in PER both years but Shaq missed 22 games in 1998, taking him out of the running. Malone was all defensive first team both of these years too.

2000-2001
Shaquille O'Neal
Obviously, Shaq just dominated these two years hugely. No need to explain.

2002-2003
Tim Duncan
Duncan wins MVP in both years. Shaq may have been a better player during this time but he missed too many games in my opinion. Consequently Duncan beat him easily in Player Wins and Win Shares. Of course, Duncan also got a ring in 2003 too.

2004-2005
Kevin Garnett
Lead the league in PER both years. Got the MVP in 2004. Lead the league in rebounding both years and was just a statistical beast, and in my opinion the best player around in those two years.


I am not doing 2006 because that isnt a 2 year period yet (and Garnett did not continue his reign as best player). We will have to wait to see next year who will have been the best in those two years. Prime candidates are LeBron, Kobe, Dirk and Wade. I would wager it will end up being LeBron.

And I sense people will say I am relying too much on PER or something but I dont think that is true. I simply used it many times as my evidence. I factored in many other things.

kflo

Pretty solid. I'd argue kareem owned the entire 70s, with maybe walton sharing in 77-78. The doc was co-owner for a time, only in the aba. Moses owned the early 80s, then it was magic and bird. Jordan sharing the stage from 88 - 90. Jordan owned 91 - 98, with hakeem owning 94-95. Noone owned '99, with shaq owning '00-'02. Duncan owned till '04. Noones owned since.

My list is on pecking order in the game, not on year by year stats. Wilt, russ and to a lesser extent oscar (and elgin) owned the 60s till the end of the decade, where there was a vacancy with arguably west taking the top spot.

Minstrel

I'd say that Garnett and Duncan co-owned '03-05. Otherwise, solid run-down.

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neoxsupreme

Tough to argue against lessthanjake's list. It looks good to me. Tim Duncan's era is done. We have entered the LeBron, Wade, Kobe era.

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lessthanjake

A couple things I would like to add just in terms of players that were left off of here.

Elgin Baylor had his best years unfortunately coincide directly to Wilt's total ownage years (1960-1963) so thats why he is never on there. If he had had those peak years at a different time he most likely wouldve managed to be the best player during that time.

When I started making this list I felt like I would end up having Dr J in there somewhere. However, in the NBA he was never really the best player and just to simplify things I didnt consider ABA players. I am a big fan of Dr J though and he probably was the best professional basketball player there was from 1974-1976

Magic Johnson is probably my favorite player ever. I think he was amazing. However, you cant really argue that he was the best player for any significant period of time. Up until 1987 Bird was a better player (not by much but definately better). But 1987 was the year that MJ started turning it on hugely. So I wanted to give Magic something but in the end you cant really do that.

I also really like Charles Barkley. But his peak from 1988-1993 happens to coincide with Jordan's peak, which he cant really compete with. Well he can compete with it offensively but his lack of defense stops him from getting a spot on my list.

David Robinson lead the league for three years straight from 1994-1996 in PER. Anyone else who has done that got on this list. However, I just couldnt put him on here. Hakeem to me may not have technically been as good statistically as DRob during those years, but in the playoffs that man was a total beast, and Robinson wasnt.

PauloCatarino

You're nuts.

kflo

the magic-bird argument was always a personal preference issue. bird was winning mvp's, but he didn't play with kareem. i'd argue there was no consensus best player until jordan took the undisputed crown in '91. magic won 3 mvps in 4 years himself.

pmac34

I'd say Kobe owned this year

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lessthanjake

Why?

Do you think Magic should be there?

Cause if so, read what I wrote above. Also just so you know, I think Magic was a better overall player than Bird career-wise, but he wasnt better in those three years, and his peak came during Jordan's peak. Thats just the way it went.

white360

I don't think you can call 2 years an era?

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