Peak Alonzo Mourning or Peak Dwight Howard

[Bigsmoke]

And all those guys are better than Dwight

Mutombo aint got shit on Dwight

[jstern]

Mourning, even though I don't like him.

[ronnymac]

Mutombo aint got shit on Dwight

Moutombo is one of the greatest defensive C's that the game has ever seen. One of the greatest shotblocker and rebounders basketball has ever seen. He took the Nuggets from the 8th seed and beat the number 1 Sonics in their prime with guys like Shawn Kemp, Gary Payon, Nate McMillian,Detlef Schremf and Eddie Johonson.

Early on his career Deke was 17 points per game game player but he changed his game and concentrated on defense.Deke could score if he needed to.

[greymatter]

at Deke "could score if he needed to".

You guys thought Howard has bad footwork and looks awkward on offense? Deke makes Al Gore look like Michael Jackson. How many quality players out there have ever had their rookie season as their best scoring season?

[greymatter]

As to the OP: Mourning with the slight edge on both ends.

[ronnymac]

at Deke "could score if he needed to".

You guys thought Howard has bad footwork and looks awkward on offense? Deke makes Al Gore look like Michael Jackson. How many quality players out there have ever had their rookie season as their best scoring season?

Deke was a consistant 16 points per game player in his first few seasons. He wasnt pretty, but he could score off put backs and few hand offs.

[greymatter]

Deke was a consistant 16 points per game player in his first few seasons.

You've a very poor memory.

First five season averages: 16.6, 13.8, 12.0, 11.5, 11.0. Has there ever been an allstar caliber player in league history with decreasing scoring averages over his first 5 seasons?

He wasnt pretty, but he could score off put backs and few hand offs.

He was at best a rich man's Mark Eaton.

[ronnymac]

First few seasons if you add up the first 3 season averages, it equates to around 14 a game and thats what i meant.Secondly it went down because he was better off focusing on what his strength was and that was to play defense. He had high scoring guys like Abdul rauf and LaPhonso Ellis(both in Denver and Atlanta) and Steve Smith with Mookie Baylock in Atlanta.

[ShaqAttack3234]

I like Deke and if I needed someone to guard prime Shaq, Yao, Ewing ect. I'd say he'd do a better job, but in terms of building a championship team, I'd take Mourning and Howard over him 10 times out of 10.

As great as Mutombo was, he was never a legit franchise player/superstar like Mourning and Howard. Mourning and Howard can dominate defensively while giving you 20 ppg.

[greymatter]

First few seasons if you add up the first 3 season averages, it equates to around 14 a game and thats what i meant.Secondly it went down because he was better off focusing on what his strength was and that was to play defense. He had high scoring guys like Abdul rauf and LaPhonso Ellis(both in Denver and Atlanta) and Steve Smith with Mookie Baylock in Atlanta.

Focus schmocus. He simply wasn't a good option to run an offense through. His jump hook looked uglier than Anthony Mason's FT technique.

[Nastradamus]

kidding? Zo. Next. Better defender(Dwight is great due to athletic ability, but Zo was better man to man and was generally tougher) and better true post scorer and brought a tenacity that Dwight can't dream of. He just likes to laugh and play.

[ChuckOakley]

I don't see Zo leading the Magic team to the Finals that Dwight did. Zo never made the Finals until late in his career with Miami, and never led his team there.

Dwight is just such a monster on the boards and defensively. If Howard could play as physical as Zo was allowed to he would be even more frightening.

It's close, and may depend on team need, but I have to go with Dwight, especially considering he is only 24 and has yet to peak.

[BFRESH44]

I don't see Zo leading the Magic team to the Finals that Dwight did. Zo never made the Finals until late in his career with Miami, and never led his team there.

There was this guy named Michael Jordan who played in the Eastern Conference in the 90's, when Zo had a team capable of going all the way(96-97 61 win "Road Warriors" Miami Heat).

Dwight would've never seen the Finals in that era, either.

[jbryan1984]

Zo was never as good as Dwight currently is imo.

[ChuckOakley]

There was this guy named Michael Jordan who played in the Eastern Conference in the 90's, when Zo had a team capable of going all the way(96-97 61 win "Road Warriors" Miami Heat).

Dwight would've never seen the Finals in that era, either.

96 - 1st round sweep to CHI
97 - ECF lost to CHI
98 - 1st round to NYK
99 - 1st round to NYK
00 - 2nd round to NYK
01 - 1st round sweep to CHA
02 - Missed playoffs