Who was the second best player in the NBA these years?

[dankok8]

Some of these are actually tough. In fact all except 2013 and 2023 made me really think.

1992 - Robinson (Malone or Ewing a possibility)
1994 - Robinson
1996 - Hakeem (Robinson, Shaq or Malone a possibility)
2000 - Mourning
2003 - Kobe (Shaq, Garnett, TMac a possibility)
2013 - Durant
2023 - Giannis

[999Guy]

92 - John Stockton (led the league in assists and steals, Jazz made the conference finals)
94 - Patrick Ewing
98 - Shaq
00 - Reggie Miller
03 - Jason Kidd
13 - Chris Paul - like Stockton led the league in steals and assists
23 - Jokic

WOW. Interesting names. Names I was considering but didn't have the motivation to mention considering every name getting mentioned ITT is just the highest PPG guys of that given year.

Ganrett was definitely better than Kidd in 03, he was almost as good as Duncan, but it's a good HM.

Chris Paul clears every human other than LeBron earth wise at the game as far as skill, consistency, playoff resiliency, approach to dominance and two-way play. But you wouldn't have known it at the time.

Reggie Miller is a disaster pick for 00. I wouldn't even take him over Stockton that year if we're choosing old-ass guards. But OTOH he was right there in 92 and 94, mixed with Chuck, D-rob, Stockton, and Hakeem.

I have no idea why people don't pick Duncan as the second-best player in 00. Absurd to me.

Shaq was better than Jordan from 95 on IMO, year by year. 96 is no exception. Hakeem's legs were fried in 95, let alone 96. His defensive motor and explosion off the ground was finished. Unlike most bigs Hakeem slid on defense and his offense somehow held up as he got older. Usually it's the opposite. But don't let the stats fool you, he was done being truly dominant.

Jokic was tiered up over everyone in 23. And 22 really. Luka had a really quiet, really really rare kind of good offensive season last year. This year he'll be so good he'll make people revise what he did last year in their minds. It's the Luka era now. He started posting up, something his best comp, Harden never did despite being ridiculously strong. Harden was an elite post defender for years in a switching scheme but never ever wanted to seal guys down low, so stupid. Luka isn't making the same mistake and really showed some wrinkles and devastating levels to his game last year. When he cleans up his shot selection and really mentally commits to defense it'll be lights out.

[ArbitraryWater]

What would be difficult about 2013?

[Manny98]

92 - Drexler
94 - Admiral
96 - Admiral
00 - Malone
03 - KG
13 - KD
23 - Giannis

[John8204]

WOW. Interesting names. Names I was considering but didn't have the motivation to mention considering every name getting mentioned ITT is just the highest PPG guys of that given year.

Yeah critical thinking isn't really a big thing around here but I went my own route.

Ganrett was definitely better than Kidd in 03, he was almost as good as Duncan, but it's a good HM.

During the regular season...sure...but I also include the playoffs (see Reggie, Kidd, and Ewing), KG went out in the first round that year. The Nets on the other hand swept the Celtics and Pistons (two teams that would win titles) to make the finals.

Reggie Miller is a disaster pick for 00. I wouldn't even take him over Stockton that year if we're choosing old-ass guards. But OTOH he was right there in 92 and 94, mixed with Chuck, D-rob, Stockton, and Hakeem.

Pacers had the best record in 2000 and he was perhaps the best player on that team. Team made the finals beating quality teams in Philly and New York and they didn't get swept by Shaq during one of his "greatest years of all-time".

I have no idea why people don't pick Duncan as the second-best player in 00. Absurd to me.

Lost in the first round...generally speaking I'm cool with Duncan being the second best player but once again I look at the entire season not just the MVP race.

Jokic was tiered up over everyone in 23. And 22 really. Luka had a really quiet, really really rare kind of good offensive season last year. This year he'll be so good he'll make people revise what he did last year in their minds. It's the Luka era now. He started posting up, something his best comp, Harden never did despite being ridiculously strong. Harden was an elite post defender for years in a switching scheme but never ever wanted to seal guys down low, so stupid. Luka isn't making the same mistake and really showed some wrinkles and devastating levels to his game last year. When he cleans up his shot selection and really mentally commits to defense it'll be lights out.

I'm not a huge fan of Jokic I think Giannis is the better two way player and Jokic isn't really in the best of shape. If they win another title and Giannis never does anything throughout his career my opinion on this year will change but for now I think Giannis is better than Jokic.