All-Time Rankings: Jason Kidd vs Allen Iverson

[White Chocolate]

The only thing AI has on Kidd is scoring and an MVP (Kidd should have won one)
Other than that Kidd is the better player.

Again, if you want to say someone like VC or T-Mac are better than 99% of the league because of their "talent", accolades or ability to beat others in 1 on 1, then I could see why you would say AI is better than Kidd.

But if you want to measure it on who IS the better NBA player, than it's Kidd.

If Kidd and AI were in the same draft as 21 y/o's tomorrow who do you think more GMs would pick? That should tell you who the better NBA player is.

Not disagreeing. I truly believe Kidd is better. But, you have some knuckleheads that think AI was better at making his teammates better than Kidd when that clearly wasn't the case.

[ShaqAttack3234]

The only thing AI has on Kidd is scoring and an MVP (Kidd should have won one)

Nah, Duncan was a good choice for the 2002 MVP, but Iverson didn't deserve his MVP over Shaq and Duncan to begin with.

[ChuckOakley]

Nah, Duncan was a good choice for the 2002 MVP, but Iverson didn't deserve his MVP over Shaq and Duncan to begin with.

Ehh... Kidd led the Nets to an amazing turnaround.

He got mocked for predicting or hoping for 40 wins prior the season starting, let alone the finals they made it to.
Good article from before the season:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas.../nets_kidd_ap/

I don't doubt TD was the better player, but what Kidd did was even more impressive than what Nash did IMO. MVP is a very situational award and I really thought Kidd deserved and did everything in his power to earn it.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Ehh... Kidd led the Nets to an amazing turnaround.

He got mocked for predicting or hoping for 40 wins prior the season starting, let alone the finals they made it to.
Good article from before the season:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas.../nets_kidd_ap/

I don't doubt TD was the better player, but what Kidd did was even more impressive than what Nash did IMO. MVP is a very situational award and I really thought Kidd deserved and did everything in his power to earn it.

Kidd was unbelieveable and defintley better than Nash in Phoenix, but Duncan led a team with not much talent to 6 more wins in a much tougher conference.

The only 2 other double digit scorers on Duncan's team were 36 year old David Robinson who averaged 12 ppg and 32 year old Steve Smith who averaged 11.6 per game. Tony Parker was a rookie and had yet to breakout, Manu hadn't joined the team yet and Stephen Jackson barely played.

Duncan had to carry the load averaging 25.5 points per game(5th in the NBA), 12.7 rebounds(2nd in the NBA), 3.7 apg and 2.5 bpg(4th in the NBA) on 50.8% from the floor(9th in the NBA) and 79.9% from the foul line. He did that while anchoring the number 2 ranked defense in the NBA and dominating offensively more than anyone not named Shaquille O'Neal because of the double teams he drew, his versatility allowing him to step out to 15-18 feet, his unlimited low post aresenal, his great passing ability and his ability to hit free throws that season.

Kidd was great, but he had the misfortune of peaking at the same time that Tim Duncan did.

[ChuckOakley]

Kidd was unbelieveable and defintley better than Nash in Phoenix, but Duncan led a team with not much talent to 6 more wins in a much tougher conference.

The only 2 other double digit scorers on Duncan's team were 36 year old David Robinson who averaged 12 ppg and 32 year old Steve Smith who averaged 11.6 per game. Tony Parker was a rookie and had yet to breakout, Manu hadn't joined the team yet and Stephen Jackson barely played.

Duncan had to carry the load averaging 25.5 points per game(5th in the NBA), 12.7 rebounds(2nd in the NBA), 3.7 apg and 2.5 bpg(4th in the NBA) on 50.8% from the floor(9th in the NBA) and 79.9% from the foul line. He did that while anchoring the number 2 ranked defense in the NBA and dominating offensively more than anyone not named Shaquille O'Neal because of the double teams he drew, his versatility allowing him to step out to 15-18 feet, his unlimited low post aresenal, his great passing ability and his ability to hit free throws that season.

Kidd was great, but he had the misfortune of peaking at the same time that Tim Duncan did.

It's easy to be a top defensive team when you have TD and David Robinson on the floor. Kidd also had a top 5 defensive team in NJ, after years of NJ being an embarrassment on defense.

26 wins to 52 wins and the Finals is pretty impressive as well. More impressive than SA's turnaround after they added TD, because they also got D-Rob back from injury as well.

[RedZiggyZag]

Ehh... Kidd led the Nets to an amazing turnaround.

He got mocked for predicting or hoping for 40 wins prior the season starting, let alone the finals they made it to.
Good article from before the season:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas.../nets_kidd_ap/

I don't doubt TD was the better player, but what Kidd did was even more impressive than what Nash did IMO. MVP is a very situational award and I really thought Kidd deserved and did everything in his power to earn it.

I agree, Hands down Jason Kidd was the MVP in the 2002 NBA season, No disrespect to Mr. Tim Duncan, but that was Kidd's MVP that season, Duncan probably should have been runner up and was the hands down MVP the next season in 2003, but Oh well.

Nah, Duncan was a good choice for the 2002 MVP, but Iverson didn't deserve his MVP over Shaq and Duncan to begin with.

Shaq was the MVP that season, but you couldn't go wrong with Duncan or Iverson either.

All said and done, Kidd is superior than Allen Iverson if you ask me, just wanted a nice, netural and calm debate about this. Iverson was the better scorer, and that's it, It's not like Kidd was more efficient though, he was a great finisher around the rim especially on the fast break though, I would remember Kidd would rebound and then run down to the other end and get an easy layup. The main part of why I would take Kidd over Iverson is Defense, Although I do believe Kidd's defense was a bit overrated during his Prime, It was still on an absolute different universe than Allen Iverson's. Both were great at reading the passing lanes, but Kidd was way better at staying active and staying in front of his man than Iverson was, not to mention you couldn't shoot over Kidd like you could against Iverson.

It's easy to be a top defensive team when you have TD and David Robinson on the floor. Kidd also had a top 5 defensive team in NJ, after years of NJ being an embarrassment on defense.

26 wins to 52 wins and the Finals is pretty impressive as well. More impressive than SA's turnaround after they added TD, because they also got D-Rob back from injury as well.

Keep in mind that the MVP is a Regular season award not a post-season one. Otherwise Kobe should have been the MVP this season, but he wasn't because he didn't have the best regular season. And just to let you know, David Robinson was on his last legs during those days. I credit Kidd and just like you, I do feel Kidd was probably the MVP that season, but I don't think your points make the best sense.

[ShaqAttack3234]

It's easy to be a top defensive team when you have TD and David Robinson on the floor. Kidd also had a top 5 defensive team in NJ, after years of NJ being an embarrassment on defense.

26 wins to 52 wins and the Finals is pretty impressive as well. More impressive than SA's turnaround after they added TD, because they also got D-Rob back from injury as well.

I agree that New Jersey's turnaround was amazing, especially since they traded Stephon Marbury, an all-star point guard coming off a 24/8 season to get Kidd.

But look at Duncan's roster that season and look at Duncan's numbers compared to his teammates. He had to dominate in basically every area for that team, he was even second in assists trailing Parker by only 0.6 per game. Without Duncan's low post presence drawing double teams, his versatility allowing him to play high/low with Robinson and his defensive presence that Spurs team would have been terrible. Duncan, who often didn't have to carry his teams scoring load in later years averaged more than twice as many points as the Spurs second leading scorer.

You can't go wrong with either, but I think the voters got it right.

[MJ(Mean John)]

That is a serious insult to Isiah Thomas......


Did he make his teammates better for the 2009 Pistons? Nope, Did he make Melo better for the 2007 and 2008 Nuggets? Nope. He just doesn't make them better plain and simple, It's not his lack of teammates he just can't co-exist with another scorer, plain and simple. Kidd LITERALLY made Mikki Moore into an NBA player, if It weren't for Kidd, Moore would still be in the D-League or still be looking for a job. Along with that, Kidd's defense is FAR FAR FAR superior than what Allen Iverson has ever been and ever will be in his lifetime.


Course not, because you are nothing but an AI Apologist.

Good points.

Now understand that Iverson is not a lead guard. He is not a point, its not what he does. He can get ppl good looks but the man is a bonafide scorer. one of the best that this game has EVER seen. yes EVER. If allen iverson was 6'6 and played with great players the man would be right there with the kobe/jordan crap..

Iverson didnt make melo better? reall? who's fault is that? How much better can someone make carmelo? sh!t the guy has ALWAYS had problems getting at that level of LBJ and Wade. Now allen PAST HIS PRIME IS GOINg to make that happen? Be real mannn..

Allen on the pistons was the same crap!! they had NO LEAD GUARD! no one to run the team, and add a busted ass rookie coach?

Get out of here with that.. Put a prime AI with a prime kmart and young rj and the rest of guys they had and that team would have been nasty..

[Orlando Magic]

Allen Iverson.