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  1. #1
    sahelanthropus fpliii's Avatar
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    Default #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    I figure this might be a nice accompaniment to the top players of all time thread series. I'm thinking about going 10 deep, but depending on how successful these threads are, that might change.

    Peak is a very subjective term as it is, so feel free to use your own definition. Generally though, in my book a peak has to last slightly more than one year (to eliminate extreme outliers), and won't extend encompass a player's full prime. So I guess everything from Walton (maybe 2 years?) to Jordan (5-6 years, depending on definition) is fine for the purpose of these threads.

    *NOTE: INCLUDE THE SEASONS YOUR PICK SPANS* (i.e. 00-02 Shaq)

    Voting:

    22 - Michael Jordan 90-93 (Deuce Bigalow, Optimus Prime, KG215, Young X, DatAsh, swi7ch, kuniva_dAMiGhTy, TheMan, Poochymama, tmacattack33, KOBE143, Freedom Kid7, magnax1, Timmy D for MVP, scandisk_, Boston C's, alenleomessi, v1ncelis, Heilige, Owl, KOBE143, AK47DR91)
    19 - Shaquille O'Neal 99-02 (lilgodfather1, fpliii, Yao Ming's Foot, lakerspng, imdaman99, upside24, Carbine, RoundMoundOfReb, MiamiThrice, lilblingy, daily, shaq2000, pauk, Hands of Iron, CarlosBoozer, TerranOP, Vertical-24, joeyjoejoe, MisterAmazing)
    5 - Wilt Chamberlain 65-68 (IGotACoolStory, Mr Know It All, Psileas, julizaver, dyna)
    1 - Hakeem Olajuwon 93-96 (millwad)
    1 - Kobe Bryant 06-09 (LamarOdom)
    Last edited by fpliii; 09-08-2012 at 08:18 PM.

  2. #2
    Mohamed Bamba IGotACoolStory's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Hard to argue against Wilt's numbers.

  3. #3
    Kobe Apostle Deuce Bigalow's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Michael Jordan, 1987 to 1993.

    Shaq had a great peak, and dominated the finals in 00-02, but Jordan dominated nearly every series throughout the playoffs and had the ability to take over games late. His numbers prove that.
    Last edited by Deuce Bigalow; 09-07-2012 at 06:21 PM.

  4. #4
    Ringsssss Optimus Prime's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Lots of good candidates here. I would probably go with Jordan. Honorable mentions to Wilt and Shaq.


  5. #5
    sahelanthropus fpliii's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Quote Originally Posted by IGotACoolStory
    Hard to argue against Wilt's numbers.
    which timespan? some people (like myself) actually put his peak as his time with the Sixers

    Quote Originally Posted by Deuce Bigalow
    Michael Jordan

    Shaq had a great peak, and dominated the finals in 00-02, but Jordan dominated nearly every series throughout the playoffs and had the ability to take over games late. His numbers prove that.

    Btw, do I need to pick a single season? Or just the player?
    If it's a season then 1990-91 Michael Jordan is my vote.
    ummmm, not a single season, but maybe the range you're talking about

    Jordan from 87-92 is his peak in my book, but some people add 92-93 or 86-87

    Quote Originally Posted by Optimus Prime
    Lots of good candidates here. I would probably go with Jordan. Honorable mentions to Wilt and Shaq.

    which range? 87-92 or do you think he was still in his prime against Barkley (or do you include the 37ppg season too)?

  6. #6
    Wait and See lilgodfather1's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Wilt has insane numbers, although the pace certainly inflates them, Jordan has the titles, but to me Shaq was absolutely the best player ever in his prime. I have to vote the Diesel, but Jordan will definetly get voted in because of nestalgia (which hasn't set in with Shaq yet).

  7. #7
    Ringsssss Optimus Prime's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Quote Originally Posted by fpliii
    which timespan? some people (like myself) actually put his peak as his time with the Sixers



    ummmm, not a single season, but maybe the range you're talking about

    Jordan from 87-92 is his peak in my book, but some people add 92-93 or 86-87



    which range? 87-92 or do you think he was still in his prime against Barkley (or do you include the 37ppg season too)?

    That sounds about right. I would say up to the first retirement.


  8. #8
    7-time NBA All-Star KG215's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    I'd vote for Jordan here, but Shaq at his peak was incredible, too.

    But what Jordan did statistically and winning wise from '87-'93 was just incredible: 33.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 6.0 apg, 2.8 spg, 1.0 bpg, .515/.311/.846, .590 TS%, .528 eFG%, three rings, 3x FMVP, 3x MPV, etc.

    I'll vote for Jordan, but can see the case for Shaq. Wilt statistically is overwhelming. I really think Bird and Hakeem are in the discussion, too. LeBron has worked his way into the top 3-5/7 peaks of all-time, too, in my opinion.
    Last edited by KG215; 09-07-2012 at 06:18 PM.

  9. #9
    Mohamed Bamba IGotACoolStory's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Aren't we talking about a statistical and dominance type of peak? It would have to be 3 or 4 years into his career.

  10. #10
    sahelanthropus fpliii's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Quote Originally Posted by IGotACoolStory
    Aren't we talking about a statistical and dominance type of peak? It would have to be 3 or 4 years into his career.
    well peak is more than stats in my book, but that's a big part of it

    I guess I'll just list the widely-accepted peak ranges in the OP with voting, and if people disagree we can always change it

  11. #11
    Serious playground baller
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Shaq from 1999-00 to 2001-02.

  12. #12
    7-time NBA All-Star KG215's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    For Jordan, it's hard to leave out the '86-'87 and '92-'93 seasons. '86-'87 was his 37.1 ppg season.

    It's hard, sometimes, to distinguish between peak and prime. To me peak is a players best 1-3 seasons or so, while their prime might be 5+ seasons, if that makes sense. For Jordan, he probably started peaking (especially statistically) during the '86-'87 or '87-'88 season. But I'm not sure he really started to "put it all together" until the '88-'89 season and I might consider that the start of his peak lasting through '92-'93.

  13. #13
    sahelanthropus fpliii's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Quote Originally Posted by KG215
    For Jordan, it's hard to leave out the '86-'87 and '92-'93 seasons. '86-'87 was his 37.1 ppg season.

    It's hard, sometimes, to distinguish between peak and prime. To me peak is a players best 1-3 seasons or so, while their prime might be 5+ seasons, if that makes sense. For Jordan, he probably started peaking (especially statistically) during the '86-'87 or '87-'88 season. But I'm not sure he really started to "put it all together" until the '88-'89 season and I might consider that the start of his peak lasting through '92-'93.
    that's a large part of why I created this thread

    it'd be great to get some sort of consensus as to the years involved

    to me a single year peak can just be considered an outlier, I wanted to deal with two years at a minimum

    but with Jordan, at this point we're bordering on 7 seasons, which as you noted is too close to encompassing the entirety of his prime

  14. #14
    NBA rookie of the year
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Olajuwon from 93-95

  15. #15
    Kobe Apostle Deuce Bigalow's Avatar
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    Default Re: #1 NBA Player Peak Of All-Time According to InsideHoops

    Quote Originally Posted by fpliii
    that's a large part of why I created this thread

    it'd be great to get some sort of consensus as to the years involved

    to me a single year peak can just be considered an outlier, I wanted to deal with two years at a minimum

    but with Jordan, at this point we're bordering on 7 seasons, which as you noted is too close to encompassing the entirety of his prime
    It's Jordan. So his peak can be 7 seasons. You can't take away one of those season from '87-'93
    '87 - 37.1 ppg, highest in the modern era
    '88 - DPOY, MVP, 35.0 ppg on better efficiency than '87.
    '89 - Best all around #s - 8 rpg, 8 apg, 2.9 spg. Playoff #s: 35-7-8 in 17 games.
    '90 - 3rd highest ppg season. Playoff #s: 37-7-7 in 16 games
    '91-'93 - 3-peat Champion, 3 Finals MVPs, 2 MVPs.

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