Someone explain what makes Iverson a cancer?

[ShaqAttack3234]

He came to a 76ers team that had won just 18 games the year before and hadn't won more than 26 games since Charles Barkley left in '93. By his 2nd year they had won 31 games and by his 3rd year they finished 28-22 in the strike shortened season and they made it to the 2nd round. The following year Philly won 49 games and again made it to the second round. Then Philly wins 56 games, gets the number 1 seed and advances all the way to the finals. They became the only team to beat the 2001 Lakers in the playoffs thanks to Iverson's 48 point game 1. Although they'd lose in 5 games that was still a hell of a season.

The following season Philly fell to 43 wins and lost in the first round, but Iverson did miss 22 games and played through an injury he probably shouldn't have in the playoffs. The team was 36-24 with Iverson in the lineup, on pace for 49/50 wins. The following season with Iverson back in the lineup for 82 games they won 48 games and made it to the second round again. Iverson's 2004 season was plagued by injuries that forced him to miss 34 games and Philly won just 33 games that season. Iverson was healthy the following year and Philly won 43 games again and they made it to the playoffs. Philly would have a losing season in 2006 and Iverson would be traded in December of the following year. But for the most part, Philly was a good team during Iverson's career there.

Some refer to his tenure as a Nugget as a reason why he's a cancer, but I don't see that either. They had to adjust midseason and Iverson sacrificed his game. Here are Iverson's stats after Carmelo returned.

23.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 7 apg, 1.7 spg, 45.4 FG%, 18 FGA

Iverson was taking just 18 shots instead of the 25+ he often took on Philly and his FG% rose to over 45% instead of his usual 42% and under. He averaged under 24 ppg instead of 30+. Iverson sacrificed his game after the trade more than Carmelo did. Many people mention Carmelo's stats dropping, but he was still scoring the majority of the points after he returned. Here are his numbers.

27.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 46 FG%, 21.5 FGA

The biggest difference from his stats prior to the suspension was his FGA.

31.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 50.3 FG%, 24 FGA

So unless you want to blame Iverson for Carmelo taking 21.5 shots instead of 24 then I don't see any reason to fault Iverson here. They did go just 25-20 after Anthony returned, but Iverson missed 8 games during that time making it even harder to get used to playing with eachother. They were just developing some chemistry in April as they went 10-1 to end the regular season and then beat the Spurs in game 1 of the playoffs. Unfortunately, the eventual champion Spurs were too much for Denver. There was a difference in their playoff performances, though.

Anthony- 26.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1 spg, 48 FG%, 19.6 FGA
Iverson- 22.8 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.4 spg, 36.8 FG%, 22.8 FGA

Regardless, nobody expected them to beat the Spurs.

In their second season together Iverson stepped up from the number 2 option and they were more of a 1A/1B duo.

Allen Iverson- 26.4 ppg, 3 rpg, 7.1 apg, 2 spg, 45.8 FG%, 19 FGA
Carmelo Anthony- 25.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.3 spg, 49.2 FG%, 19.2 FGA

They won 50 games and still just finished with the 8th seed. It's kind of hard to fault him much for that. This time it was Anthony who had the worse playoff series vs the eventual Western Conference champion Lakers.

Anthony- 22.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2 apg, 0.5 spg, 36.4 FG%, 22 FGA
Iverson- 24.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1 spg, 43.4 FG%, 20.8 FGA

Then people love to cite the Detroit/Denver situation as a reason why Iverson is a cancer. But it's not as simple as some make it out to be.

Denver got Nene back for a full season and he gave them 15/8 with more than a steal and block per game on 60% shooting. They also added Chris Anderson and George Karl made a point of focusing more on defense heading into the season. Billups is more suited for that because he's bigger at 6'3" and easily 200 pounds and he's more of a point guard. Dahntay Jones also helped the defense. If anything, why don't more people point out why Denver lost the supposed defensive player of the year and their defense got much better? The team also went 9-7 without Carmelo Anthony in the lineup. They only won just 4 more games than the previous year. They were just lucky not to face the Lakers in the first round. They'd lose to basically that same Lakers team in the Western Conference Finals.

As far as Detroit, well we have to factor in their rookie coach who got fired after the season, the declining play of Rasheed Wallace and the fact that they just didn't have a system that fit Iverson's style of play. Iverson is also 33/34 years old.

So what exactly makes Iverson a cancer? He won 48 games or more 3 times in PHilly and he won 6 playoff series there. He won 50 games in Denver and sacrificed his game when he got there. Did you expect them to beat the Spurs or Lakers? I guess one bad season in Detroit ruins his career for some.

[Richie2k6]

People call Iverson a cancer because:

1. They aren't educated enough on him to know why he isn't one
2. They look at his FGA and FG% and immediately jump to conclusions
3. They see a 6 foot 30 ppg scorer and immediately label him a chucking ballhog
4. People love to hate

I've made post after post defending AI but I'm really getting tired of it. People don't know how to fold up the agenda and put it in their pocket and have a logical discussion. If there were people on here who actually have legitimate reasons as to why they think AI hurts teams I'd be willing and able to argue against that but people like that are damn hard to find. It's really not worth arguing - AI will always be hated on ISH.

[Abraham Lincoln]

People call Iverson a cancer because:

1. They aren't educated enough on him to know why he isn't one
2. They look at his FGA and FG% and immediately jump to conclusions
3. They see a 6 foot 30 ppg scorer and immediately label him a chucking ballhog
4. People love to hate

I've made post after post defending AI but I'm really getting tired of it. People don't know how to fold up the agenda and put it in their pocket and have a logical discussion. If there were people on here who actually have legitimate reasons as to why they think AI hurts teams I'd be willing and able to argue against that but people like that are damn hard to find. It's really not worth arguing - AI will always be hated on ISH.

[QuebecBaller]

He had a bad season with the Pistons

[Bigsmoke]

I wouldnt label A.I. a franchise destroyer but he didnt make the Nuggets as good as people thought they'll be and Pistons didnt improve at all.

[tedloc]

because he's a "me first" player
always takes the shot,

because of his issues with past coaches.

because of his famous "practice" rant.


that being said he's a helluva player and doesn't get the credit nowadays that he has earned over his career. but i certainly see why people believe him to be a cancer

[goldenryan]

good thing overrated is banned.

[doinitbig06]

He came to a 76ers team that had won just 18 games the year before and hadn't won more than 26 games since Charles Barkley left in '93. By his 2nd year they had won 31 games and by his 3rd year they finished 28-22 in the strike shortened season and they made it to the 2nd round. The following year Philly won 49 games and again made it to the second round. Then Philly wins 56 games, gets the number 1 seed and advances all the way to the finals. They became the only team to beat the 2001 Lakers in the playoffs thanks to Iverson's 48 point game 1. Although they'd lose in 5 games that was still a hell of a season.

The following season Philly fell to 43 wins and lost in the first round, but Iverson did miss 22 games and played through an injury he probably shouldn't have in the playoffs. The team was 36-24 with Iverson in the lineup, on pace for 49/50 wins. The following season with Iverson back in the lineup for 82 games they won 48 games and made it to the second round again. Iverson's 2004 season was plagued by injuries that forced him to miss 34 games and Philly won just 33 games that season. Iverson was healthy the following year and Philly won 43 games again and they made it to the playoffs. Philly would have a losing season in 2006 and Iverson would be traded in December of the following year. But for the most part, Philly was a good team during Iverson's career there.

Some refer to his tenure as a Nugget as a reason why he's a cancer, but I don't see that either. They had to adjust midseason and Iverson sacrificed his game. Here are Iverson's stats after Carmelo returned.

23.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 7 apg, 1.7 spg, 45.4 FG%, 18 FGA

Iverson was taking just 18 shots instead of the 25+ he often took on Philly and his FG% rose to over 45% instead of his usual 42% and under. He averaged under 24 ppg instead of 30+. Iverson sacrificed his game after the trade more than Carmelo did. Many people mention Carmelo's stats dropping, but he was still scoring the majority of the points after he returned. Here are his numbers.

27.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 46 FG%, 21.5 FGA

The biggest difference from his stats prior to the suspension was his FGA.

31.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 50.3 FG%, 24 FGA

So unless you want to blame Iverson for Carmelo taking 21.5 shots instead of 24 then I don't see any reason to fault Iverson here. They did go just 25-20 after Anthony returned, but Iverson missed 8 games during that time making it even harder to get used to playing with eachother. They were just developing some chemistry in April as they went 10-1 to end the regular season and then beat the Spurs in game 1 of the playoffs. Unfortunately, the eventual champion Spurs were too much for Denver. There was a difference in their playoff performances, though.

Anthony- 26.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1 spg, 48 FG%, 19.6 FGA
Iverson- 22.8 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.4 spg, 36.8 FG%, 22.8 FGA

Regardless, nobody expected them to beat the Spurs.

In their second season together Iverson stepped up from the number 2 option and they were more of a 1A/1B duo.

Allen Iverson- 26.4 ppg, 3 rpg, 7.1 apg, 2 spg, 45.8 FG%, 19 FGA
Carmelo Anthony- 25.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.3 spg, 49.2 FG%, 19.2 FGA

They won 50 games and still just finished with the 8th seed. It's kind of hard to fault him much for that. This time it was Anthony who had the worse playoff series vs the eventual Western Conference champion Lakers.

Anthony- 22.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2 apg, 0.5 spg, 36.4 FG%, 22 FGA
Iverson- 24.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1 spg, 43.4 FG%, 20.8 FGA

Then people love to cite the Detroit/Denver situation as a reason why Iverson is a cancer. But it's not as simple as some make it out to be.

Denver got Nene back for a full season and he gave them 15/8 with more than a steal and block per game on 60% shooting. They also added Chris Anderson and George Karl made a point of focusing more on defense heading into the season. Billups is more suited for that because he's bigger at 6'3" and easily 200 pounds and he's more of a point guard. Dahntay Jones also helped the defense. If anything, why don't more people point out why Denver lost the supposed defensive player of the year and their defense got much better? The team also went 9-7 without Carmelo Anthony in the lineup. They only won just 4 more games than the previous year. They were just lucky not to face the Lakers in the first round. They'd lose to basically that same Lakers team in the Western Conference Finals.

As far as Detroit, well we have to factor in their rookie coach who got fired after the season, the declining play of Rasheed Wallace and the fact that they just didn't have a system that fit Iverson's style of play. Iverson is also 33/34 years old.

So what exactly makes Iverson a cancer? He won 48 games or more 3 times in PHilly and he won 6 playoff series there. He won 50 games in Denver and sacrificed his game when he got there. Did you expect them to beat the Spurs or Lakers? I guess one bad season in Detroit ruins his career for some.

Allen Iverson - top 10 POINT GUARD of ALL TIME </kanye>

[darius15]

ShaqAttack, great post, repped.

But there's no point trying to convince the retards of ISH about Allen Iverson, they're too dense. No matter what evidence you throw at them, they all say the same thing (Detroit, ballhog, chucker, attitude) without bringing up any substantive facts.

[Quata]

The truth is that only a few people think he is a cancer, then all the other superstar nut hugging recent fans who are completely uneducated on the matter jump onto the bandwagon.

[Penny37]

Because he commands the ball.
He needs the ball to be effective and when he doesn't have the ball there' snot much else he can do to help the team. Other than go for steals which puts the rest of his team in a bad place.

That being said, he's a great player.
Just not one that can carry his own team to a championship.

[magnax1]

Option 1- The person is only five, so they never had a chance to watch Iverson before this year
Option 2- The person knows nothing about basketball
Option 3- The person has a bias against iverson, or is the type of person who only think Kobe or Lebron can be good players.

[FinalCountdown]

Cancer is a stretch, but he doesn't help teams as much as a star should.

[Richie2k6]

Notice how nobody was able to breakdown the OP's post and argue against it.

[shadow]

After the detroit/denver trade this whole cancer thing started coming up and suddenly it was a universal truth that spans the guys whole career. Power of media for you right there.

He had a bad run in Detroit, part of it was his own fault, but mostly Dumar's who knew/should have known what kind of player AI is and that it was a bad fit. That alone should not label a guy's entire career as a cancer. Dumar was either really smart or he was just lucky that he got AI as a scapegoat . Without AI he would have had to eventually face the heat for the Pistons's decline.