InsideHoops Top 25 NBA Forwards. Initial voting.

[Jacks3]

Shouldn't u guys set some sort of criteria? Like are you emphasizing by peak/prime play and longevity? Or accolades/accomplishments/team success?

I presume it's a combination of both, but I think it would be better if everybody came to a agreement on whether to focus more on actual ability or just legacy.

Otherwise you'll guys like Cousy finishing above clearly superior players...again.

[SuperPippen]

I'll explain my reasons when we get into each player.

I don't rank according to consensus or NBA 2k logic for what it's worth.

Neglected PP and Dirk so I fixed it. :

NBA 2K logic? You mean "statistics over intangibles" logic, or something like that?


If so, I'm guessing you're not going to rank Wilt too highly when we do the centers list.

[SuperPippen]

Shouldn't u guys set some sort of criteria? Like are you emphasizing by peak/prime play and longevity? Or accolades/accomplishments/team success?

I presume it's a combination of both, but I think it would be better if everybody came to a agreement on whether to focus more on actual ability or just legacy.

Otherwise you'll guys like Cousy finishing above clearly superior players...again.

It's a consensus list. Everyone is free to base their decisions off of their own criteria, whether they weigh peak play over than longevity, statistics over team success, the importance of championships, etc.

[Kblaze8855]

5 I think.

Also, if the votes were PM to you it would be much better instead of seeing who everyone voted for.

In the guards, we knew who was coming up cause GOAT posted the list. It would be more of an anticipation if we were surprised who the winner of #17 was goin against instead of already knowing.

Just throwing that out there.

I actually thought about that. But unless you go through and do the math nobody but me would know the order. I cant see many doing the adding up.

[L.Kizzle]

I actually thought about that. But unless you go through and do the math nobody but me would know the order. I cant see many doing the adding up.

That's the whole point.

[Gotterdammerung]

NBA 2K logic? You mean "statistics over intangibles" logic, or something like that?

No I said "2k logic." The rationale that explains why Lebron James has a higher player rating than Kobe Bryant.

[DaPerceive]

1. Tim Duncan
2. Larry Bird
3. Julius Erving
4. Bob Pettit
5. Karl Malone
6. Charles Barkley
7. Dirk Nowitzki
8. Kevin Garnett
9. LeBron James
10. John Havlicek
11. Scottie Pippen
12. Rick Barry
13. Elgin Baylor
14. Kevin McHale
15. James Worthy
16. Elvin Hayes
17. Paul Pierce
18. Dominique Wilkins
19. Kevin Durant
20. Dave DeBusschere
21. Dennis Rodman
22. Pau Gasol
23. Paul Arizin
24. Chris Webber
25. Dolph Schayes

It is really hard for me to make a comment on those pre 80s/merger players other than Hondo, Baylor, Hayes and Pettit.

If anyone wants to question my list or why I have Player A over Player B feel free and I'll give you my reasons. I would be really surprised if I didn't contradict my logic in my list at some point.

Anyways, after Durant at 19 it became really tough because I started factoring players from every era including the 50s, 60s, 70s; eras that I am not too familiar with. I mean, I don't think it would be fair and fair to the all-time greats that I don't even put them on there just because I don't know too much about them.

[Kblaze8855]

Wait you want to know the voting order or not? Its unclear. If not.....cant youjust not do the math? Or i could use 3 methods to make the final list. One third ish now one third ish top 100 rankings just using the forwards and an unknown third list i have but wont share(could be mine or slams or hof monitor ratings....only id know). I could keep the final 25 quiet enough if people want it that way

[L.Kizzle]

1. Tim Duncan
2. Larry Bird
3. Julius Erving
4. Bob Pettit
5. Karl Malone
6. Charles Barkley
7. Dirk Nowitzki
8. Kevin Garnett
9. LeBron James
10. John Havlicek
11. Scottie Pippen
12. Rick Barry
13. Elgin Baylor
14. Kevin McHale
15. James Worthy
16. Elvin Hayes
17. Paul Pierce
18. Dominique Wilkins
19. Kevin Durant
20. Dave DeBusschere
21. Dennis Rodman
22. Pau Gasol
23. Paul Arizin
24. Chris Webber
25. Dolph Schayes

It is really hard for me to make a comment on those pre 80s/merger players other than Hondo, Baylor, Hayes and Pettit.

If anyone wants to question my list feel free and I'll list you my reasons. I would be really surprised if I didn't contradict my logic here.

Anyways, after Durant at 19 it became really tough because I started factoring players from every era including the 50s, 60s, 70s; eras that I am not too familiar with. I mean, I don't think it would be fair and fair to the all-time greats that I don't even put them on there just because I don't know a thing about them.

It's no world that Pau Gasol is better than Chris Webber.

[SuperPippen]

No I said "2k logic." The rationale that explains why Lebron James has a higher player rating than Kobe Bryant.

Not quite sure I'm understanding you, but I guess we'll leave that to the player vs. player threads.

[magnax1]

1-Bird
2-KG
3-Duncan
4-Pettit
5-Baylor
6-Barry
7-Erving
8-Barkley
9-Malone
10-Lebron
11-Havlicek
12-Dirk
13-Arizin
14-Hayes
15-McHales
16-Schayes
17-Rodman
18-Dantley
20-Wilkins
21-English
22-Webber
23-Carmelo
24-King
25-Debusherre
That's just my rough draft. I'll think about it a bit, and change it tomorrow. It's probably got some weird stuff going on since I did it in like 1 minutes.

[Kblaze8855]

Dont worry about changing it. Its supposed to be a rough draft. Im getting enough of them to do it tonight. Ish votes will be half the points and half will come from a process ill keep to myself for now. It wont just be my list though. Ill do all the math tonight and post the first poll soon

[DaPerceive]

It's no world that Pau Gasol is better than Chris Webber.

I don't think very highly of Webber. I do understand the argument for Webber over Gasol; I just don't agree with it. I don't think either one of those guys could have won as the #1 guy on their team. I saw everything I needed to see in Game 7 of the 2002 WCF. That being I said I don't think Webber would have been as good of a 2nd option as Gasol was in '09 and '10 either. You could argue that Gasol should have been the 2010 Finals MVP instead of Kobe Bryant. Not an argument I would agree with, but an argument that I would understand.

[magnax1]

Since we're already kind of on the topic, Something I never understood is why people are so critical of Dantley? I get he had his flaws, but it seems that there are lots of players with similar flaws that don't get nearly as much flack for it.

[Legends66NBA7]

Top 25 Forwards (rough list):

1. Larry Bird
2. Tim Duncan
3. Karl Malone
4. John Havlicek
5. Julius Erving
6. Charles Barkley
7. Bob Pettit
8. Dirk Nowitzki
9. Kevin Garnett
10. Elgin Baylor
11. Scottie Pippen
12. Rick Barry
13. LeBron James
14. Kevin McHale
15. James Worthy
16. Elvin Hayes
17. Dominique Wilkins
18. Dolph Schayes
19. Paul Arizin
20. Dennis Rodman
21. Dave DeBusschere
22. Pau Gasol
23. Bernard King
24. Adrian Dantley
25. Alex English