Why does Iverson have the 2nd highest playoff ppg?

[Atlantis]

Jordan's #1 at 33.45 ppg and Iverson's 2nd at 29.73 ppg. Here's the top 20 below:

1. Michael Jordan* 33.45
2. Allen Iverson* 29.73
3. Jerry West* 29.13
4. Kevin Durant 29.09
5. LeBron James 28.81
6. Anthony Davis 28.79
7. Donovan Mitchell 27.35
8. Rick Barry* 27.33
9. Elgin Baylor* 27.04
10. Stephen Curry 26.50
11. George Gervin* 26.46
12. Hakeem Olajuwon* 25.90
13. Kobe Bryant* 25.64
14. Bob Pettit* 25.45
15. Dominique Wilkins* 25.41
16. Dirk Nowitzki 25.26
17. Connie Hawkins* 25.00
18. Russell Westbrook 24.83
19. Damian Lillard 24.78
20. Nikola Jokić 24.73

AI's playoff ppg is a full 4+ points higher than Kobe's.


Playoff ppg seems to be a really important metric. Something whose importance cannot be understated when it comes to evaluating a scorer. Maybe even the stat that separates those who could score a lot anytime, and at will even against playoff-level defense versus a guy who gets it going in the flow of regular season games but can't do so at will. Even a scorer as great as Harden cannot elevate his scoring average, but AI could.


To me, AI's 2nd ranking in playoff ppg is an accurate estimate of his true ability to score. In the games that really mattered the most, Allen Iverson scored more playoff points per game than anyone not named Michael Jordan. I don't think that's said enough. I don't think AI himself even says it enough. If I were in his shoes, I'd be screaming from the rooftop about this stat and that it's not LBJ that's 2nd to MJ but me.


Why isn't this fact known more? Why isn't it widely seen as definitive proof that AI was the 2nd best scorer behind MJ in the modern era, and superior to LBJ, KD and others whose averages will only decline from here on out.

[coastalmarker99]

Because Iverson averaged 26.5 shots a game in the playoffs for his entire career on 40 percent shooting which means his 29.73 points per game in the playoffs is not that impressive as it looks.




As there are many players that are below him on the list such as Wilt and Lebron that could have averaged the same amount of points as he did if they were taking 26 shots per game in the playoffs as AI did for his career.

[coastalmarker99]

26.5 FGA a game is Iverson's playoff average

20.7 is Lebron

20.7 is Durant

22.6 is West

19.1 is Davis

17.1 is Wilt

23.4 is Rick barry's

23.6 is Baylor's


Curry's is 19.4

Kobe is 20.5



It's clear if most of those players were averaging the same FGA as AI that they would have posted better scoring averages in the playoffs to AI's 29.73.

[TheGoatest]

[k0kakw0rld]

Because Iverson averaged 26.5 shots a game in the playoffs for his entire career on 40 percent shooting which means his 29.73 points per game in the playoffs is not that impressive as it looks.




As there are many players that are below him on the list such as Wilt and Lebron that could have averaged the same amount of points as he did if they were taking 26 shots per game in the playoffs as AI did for his career.

[coastalmarker99]

[light]

Because he chucked a ton of shots.

AI's playoff TS% is an abysmal .489.

In 4 of Iverson's 8 playoff seasons he shot 38% or worse.

Knowing that, AI's ppg actually looks like it would've hurt his team rather than help it because it would've taken him too many shots to get to that average on that poor percentage.

[SATAN]

OP destroyed

[HylianNightmare]

allot of his help wasn't as good as lestackthedeck. needed to score more

[tpols]

Because he chucked the most shots.

Allen Iverson is probably the most overrated basketball player of all time. Chucks shots at a terrible efficiency, horrible intangibles ~ a ghetto brat, and is too small to play any type of defense. He just looked cool, and his image made people money... he was actually a negative basketball player.

The "most important part" of being a scorer is rate. You could put me in an NBA game, let me chuck 90 half court shots and make 10 of them, and I would average 30 PPG. And it wouldn't mean jack shit.

[clipps]

Why is LeBron only at 5? I hate the whole Lebron vs MJ spiel, but gotta call a spade a spade.

[TheCorporation]

People who didn't make the Finals often, did not have a longer career, and stat padded in 1st round losses have higher ppg

See: Jordan and Iverson

That's why literally no one takes ppg seriously You know it's a joke when Allen Iverson is #2

Formula for high PPG:

-Many 1st round losses (stat padding)
-Short career
-6 or fewer Finals (not elite level of 7 or more)

[clipps]

People who didn't make the Finals often, did not have a longer career, and stat padded in 1st round losses have higher ppg

See: Jordan Iverson

That's why literally no one takes ppg seriously You know it's a joke when Allen Iverson is #2

Formula for high PPG:

-Many 1st round losses (stat padding)
-Short career
-6 or fewer Finals (not elite level of 7 or more)

Give me Iverson over LeBron any day.

[SouBeachTalents]

I honestly feel bad for OP he couldn’t figure out this extremely obv conclusion on his own

[TheCorporation]

I honestly feel bad for OP he couldn’t figure out this extremely obv conclusion on his own

+1

I can only assume some posters are very, VERY new to basketball and they're just beginners learning the game

OP = clear beginner

I hope he continues to learn more and educate himself over the years