Blasphemy Thread..How many of you think Russell > Shaq seriously?

[rodman91]

According to his peers, Wilt was 7-2. Wilt could bench press 400lbs+.

What physical feats does Shaq have over Wilt?

I guess Shaq had 450lbs.

He is as tall as Wilt and also with bigger body.

But none of them means stronger.Even bench pressing doesn't equal being stronger.

Ben Wallace had better bench pressing than Shaq. He was strong like a bull but not like a Shaq.

[Collie]

As a player? probably not. But his accomplishments and the praise he earned from his peers and the people who saw him (a big factor for greatness in my book) make me put him over Shaq in the all-time list.

It's like a Ferrari 599 GTB, which is faster, more efficient, more comfortable - heck, just all around better than the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. But I'd GUARANTEE you that you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who considers the 599 GTB as a greater car.

[D-Wade316]

I guess Shaq had 450lbs.

He is as tall as Wilt and also with bigger body.

Wilt was capable of lifting 500+, to be exact. Wilt was also faster, quicker, and more durable than Shaq.

[PHILA]

post their pics

In the first photo below we can see him performing the "Dirk fade away" shot vs. Thurmond.

[D.J.]

Russell won 11 titles and was the defensive anchor on arguably the best team in NBA history. That's why he's above Shaq.

[HylianNightmare]

no

[pauk]

*raises hand up*

russell > shaq (in terms of career)

but as players i would take shaq any day over russell... just much more dominant-talented i think

[rodman91]

Russell won 11 titles and was the defensive anchor on arguably the best team in NBA history. That's why he's above Shaq.

There was only 8 team. 1/8 chance every year. Add that some of best players of 60's he played with..its not as difficult as to accomplish like in modern basketball.

Shaq was both offensive & defensive anchor in his teams.Except pick and roll defensive, he was great defender in his prime. Offense? He doubles Russell with much better %.

15 ppg with 44% in 42 minutes. In 60's basketball.

Those are Ben Wallace like numbers in 60's.

Ben Wallace was defensive anchor his successful teams and 4 time DPOY.. He won a title.

With same logic,he should be considered better than Ewing? No MVPs, no titles, no DPOY. I mean Ben Wallace had offense but greater rebounder and defender than Ewing..and got a ring, right?

Russell was one of the greatest player of his time.All time great as overall but putting him over Shaq as better player is believing myths.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Those are Ben Wallace like numbers in 60's.

Ben Wallace couldn't score that much even if he had Wilt Chamberlain as his wingman.

[Blue&Orange]

If this would be allowed, Russell would have no chance...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3FXLyNFew

I always shake my head in disgust seeing that video. I have no problem with players flopping left and right if they are taking 1\3 of the abuse Mutombo did in that series.

[Lebron23]

I always shake my head in disgust seeing that video. I have no problem with players flopping left and right if they are taking 1\3 of the abuse Mutombo did in that series.

Shaq just copied the moves of Dikembe Mutombo. What goes around come around.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...5323/index.htm

[rodman91]

I always shake my head in disgust seeing that video. I have no problem with players flopping left and right if they are taking 1\3 of the abuse Mutombo did in that series.

Karma is a bitch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAt2B2iiKiQ

[G.O.A.T]

The case for Russell takes time to understand but once you allow yourself that time and open mindedness it's pretty easy to see.

The gist of it, Seven Reasons Why Russell is G.O.A.T.:

1) Greatest Defensive Player Ever by Wide Margin - Russell was the best defensive player in his era by a wide margin. If the league selected a defensive player of the year during his career Russell would have won no fewer than nine, likely he'd have 11 or 12, either way more than double what any player before or since would have garnered. So essentially he was the greatest defensive player ever, relative to his competition, by an enormous margin.

2) Catalyst and Anchor of greatest defensive team ever - His teams were the best defensive teams statistically (based on points per possession allowed) and were so by a wider margin over the field than any other team in NBA history. Russell gets almost all the credit for this from his coach, teammates and opponents. Oscar Robertson piloted the best offensives of that era and won nothing, the Lakers were close behind, also no titles. The Celtics were consistently below average on offense during Russell's years, but they were still closer to the best teams in the league than anyone was to them defensively.

3) Causation/Correlation of Russell's presence - The Celtics won their first title in Russell's rookie year after being eliminated in the first round the year before and won their 11th in 13 seasons in his final year. The next season they finished in last place. This shows a direct correlation between their winning and Russell's presence. Every other player, the coach, the owner etc. all changed during Bill's 13 years, but as long as he was there the Celtics kept winning. They added no all-star free agents or top five draft picks post-Russell. The only player they drafted after 1959 that made an all-star team was Hondo.

4) Inverse Era Argument - Despite playing in an era with a much more demanding schedule, worse equipment, harder floors, far worse traveling conditions, no team trainer often let alone nutritional staff, strength coach etc. etc. etc. Russell stayed healthier than any of the other all-time great centers. His only major injury (that he didn't play through) was in 1958 and cost the Celtics a title. When you have a star player like Russell you build your team around him and his strengths, when he goes down, the teams is usually in major trouble. With Russell this was never a concern.

5) Mental Toughness - A lot of franchise struggle to keep winning after they get a title or two because individual players get greedy or lose motivation. Russell never allowed that to happen to himself or his teammates. Russell not only won a title as a player coach, but was the first African American coach in all of American team sports. Carrying that burden and still winning two titles in three years without ever having the best record in his division shows just how mentally strong Russell was. Every other great center has had a mental lapse that cost his team with far, far, far less pressure on him. Russell was unflappable.

6) Capable of dominating on offense - While it's typically said that Russell was an average or worse offensive player (and that's wrong btw) there is a lot of evidence of him dominating games and series on offense. He's averaged over 20 ppg for series, scored 30 in game seven of the NBA finals. Had multiple triple-doubles (with assists not blocks) in the NBA playoffs. Shot over 60% from the field for a finals series and on and on and on. Point is that some players like Shaq, Magic, Bird were some of the greatest offensive players of all-time they could not dominate games on defensive very often if at all. (Shaq did for a brief span from 2000-2001) Russell, easily as good and probably a better defensive player than any of them are offensively, could dominate on offense and consistently did when the situation called for it.

7) Undefeated in Game Sevens (And game five of five game series) - 10-0. It's not like the Celtics were steamrolling the competition. Of the 27 series Russell's teams won during his career, 12 came down to the last game. 17 went at least 6 of 7 games (or 5 of 5) and only three times did the Celtics record a sweep. Jordan's Bulls won 10 of their 32 series by sweep during the six title runs. Thew showtime Lakers swept 12 series during the 80's. Point being it was never easy for the Celtics. They consistently played teams that pushed them to the edge and as long as they had Russell once they got there, they always won.

[OmniStrife]

According to his peers, Wilt was 7-2. Wilt could bench press 400lbs+.

I guess he could also use his 30" co[COLOR="Black"]ck[/COLOR] as a jumping rope
and tame Bengal tigers just by staring at them.

How I hate these bullshit super-Wilt stories.

[miamiandorlando]

not i