I mean I guess you could say Dame's slightly ahead of Curry on advanced stats but not Luka. They can't add someone like Boeser because of their buyout dead cap space that they have on the books without moving someone else out. DPM favors Curry over both Luka and Dame by a large margin. Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard became the second player to reach the 70-point mark this season, torching the Rockets for 71 points on Sunday, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.Playing for the first time since the All-Star break, Lillard made 13 three-pointers on the night, one short of the NBA record, and reached 41 points by halftime. Bottom line: Kendrick Perkins was basketballs version of a hockey enforcer on some truly great teams the Celtics in the late 2000s that included an NBA title in 2008 and several almost-great Oklahoma City Thunder teams with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the early 2010s. Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. If Wilt could have made free throws, theres no telling how many points he would have scored in his career (Ditto for Shaq). 1, overall in his latest . Bottom line: Michael Jordans toughness was the stuff of legend, and the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player was legendarily hard on teammates. Unseld wasted little time putting the league on notice, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Bottom line: John Havlicek is one of just four players in NBA history to win eight NBA titles. Skiles languished on the bench, somewhat unfairly, for his first three seasons before going to the expansion Orlando Magic, where he set the NBA record with 30 assists in one game and was named NBA Most Improved Player in 1991. And he only played one season, his rookie year, with the Baltimore Bullets. Get used to that, because Adams could play for another 10 years. Teams: Chicago Bulls (2009-11), Toronto Raptors (2011-12, 2014-16), Sacramento Kings (2012-13), Memphis Grizzlies (2013-14), Miami Heat (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-present), Key stats: 634 G, 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7 FG%. You grab your gear and you're like, 'All right guys, I guess I'll see you throughout the year.'" The Charlotte Hornets are 20-43 this season, placing them in the second-last position in the Eastern Conference. Nash was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2018. Bottom line: Sidney Moncrief was the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986, then won it again in 1987. Where Love is toughest has been in his approach to the mental aspects of the game, where hes been open about his struggles with anxiety, rage and depression bringing widespread awareness to an issue that still is considered taboo in some corners. Who Is The HARDEST NBA Player To Guard? In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. It's that easy! He never played less than 79 games in his first 13 NBA seasons before abruptly retiring early in the 1993-94 season after a fight with teammate Isiah Thomas. Each. Bottom line: There arent a lot of NBA players that come out of Wyoming, but James Johnson is one of them. Teams: Indiana Pacers (1975-78), Atlanta Hawks (1978-84), Detroit Pistons (1984-85), Washington Bullets (1985-87), Key stats: 813 G, 14.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.2 FG%. Jordan played in an NBA era where you had to essentially fight your way out of games, with every opponent he faced trying to physically break him. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015), Key stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%. His biggest claim to fame came on the New York Knicks teams that won NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, where he cemented his reputation as one of the most physical players of all time. Faulk was pretty close but only ran for 12,279 total yards. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present), Key stats: 1,217 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.3 APG, 50.4 FG%. He ended his career averaging a little less than 24 points-per-game, but thats primarily because his body started breaking down and he hung around the game for too long. Bottom line: Its not a coincidence that NCAA Division II Virginia Union put two players on this list because one of them, Charles Oakley, recommended the other one, Ben Wallace, to the school after seeing him at a basketball camp. Ultimate Lakers Quiz! Of course some have honed these skills better than others over the decades. Are You the Ultimate NBA Fan? Consider also that James has played in three Summer Olympics, two FIBA World Championships and, in 17 years of professional basketball, has never had a major injury. Just like Dr. J, George Gervin both started his career in the ABA and boasted one of the best nicknames in sports history. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. In no small way, he carried the defensive load for some of the greatest teams of all time, and thats not an offhand remark. What made Larry "The Legend" so hard to guard was his body control and coordination with the timing and release of his shot. The five-time NBA Most Valuable Player needed to define toughness to succeed in his era, with his direct counterpart none other than Wilt Chamberlain, the only other player besides Russell to grab 50 rebounds in a single game. Eric Gordon 4. Despite never shooting even 50% from the floor in his career, he was able to use his physical talents to pour in just under 27,000 points in his career. The 6-foot-1 guard played his last college season for Arkansas in 2007-08, then bounced around foreign pro leagues until 2013, when he made his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. Stockton, the NBA career leader in assists and steals, was as durable as any player in NBA history. He never made it past the second round of the playoffs but was an eight-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection and three-time All-Star. Key stats: 525 G, 9.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 58.9 FG%. One stat stands out more than any other. Mainly because he wasnt a bully. Van Lier died unexpectedly in 2009 at 61 years old, the same day as former Bulls coach Johnny "Red" Kerr. Key stats: 1,504 G, 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 51.5 FG%. Its a shame that the Knicks decided to trade Jackson to the Clippers in 1992 and split up what was just becoming a playoff contender with a nucleus of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Jackson. Bottom line: When you make it into a Beastie Boys song "I got my hair cut correct like Anthony Mason" its safe to say youve made it into some sort of rare air of sports celebrity. Hell, even Shaq who didnt win many was a victim of it. Magic Johnson, LeBron James. By playing ferocious defense, first of all, and also by having what could only be described as a throwback attitude to decades past when it comes to the competition. NBA star Ja Morant 'flashed a gun at a 17-year-old after punching him 12 to 13 times' at his Tennessee mansion days after 'threatening' a Memphis mall security guard last summer, according to a . Johnson was 6-foot-2 and built more like an NFL defensive back than an NBA guard, but even on the Bad Boys, he was intimidating. Shaq Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Bill Russell Who has made the most three-pointers in NBA history? But even among some fairly die-hard Celtics fans, we have gaps in our. France. EXTREMELY HARD NBA QUIZ. He absolutely had the talent, and he created a mismatch for anyone trying to guard him with his combination of size and skill. PHN can confirm the deal. A big part of that came from Paytons father, Al, who famously had "Mr. He will always be tougher than we give him credit for. That Silas did it with aplomb and earned a reputation for never losing his cool speaks to more than just being tough. Bottom line: Alonzo Mourning crafted a career as one of the greatest defensive players in basketball history, putting the world on notice by leading the nation in blocked shots as a freshman at Georgetown University. In the NBA, some of the greatest players of all time have also been some of the toughest as well as some of the most beloved. The 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year earned a reputation for toughness and rebounding on the way to three All-Star game selections and four NBA All-Defensive Team nods. 4. Cooper made the All-NBA Defensive Team eight times and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. Cooper won five NBA titles with the Lakers and was just as good as a coach, winning back-to-back WNBA titles with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. These players have not only set records but also set the standard of excellence for future generations. Hes already a five-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection (in just eight seasons), NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and has won three NBA titles. Thurmond set the NBA record with 18 rebounds in one quarter, was the first NBA player to record a quadruple-double but only played in the NBA Finals once, losing to Chamberlain and the 76ers in 1967. Many players could stay in front of Bird, but his fade away . But Jokic is immune, why? Teams: Detroit Pistons (1970-1980), Milwaukee Bucks (1980-1984), Key stats: 959 G, 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 51.4 FG%. Bottom line: Theres a long lineage of forwards rounding out championship trios in the NBA based on their ability to blend with generational talent and still cut their own swath. In this game, you'll put your basketball knowledge to the test by guessing the name of NBA players and deciphering who the mystery player is based on the data provided. Its also a clear indicator of where his toughness came from he trails only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in that category. Pettit only played 11 seasons in the NBA and was a first-team All-NBA pick 10 times. Please stop with the "Well he deserves another MVP." We've seen plenty of players not win an MVP solely because of voter fatigue. Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), Key stats: 914 G, 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 47.5 FG%. Mournings play was the bottom line when it came to his toughness, but he also had a world-class scowl that went with it, and his glare became synonymous with the rough-and-tumble play of the 1990s. "I am mean," said Payton's father, who died in 2015. Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Bulls in the 1990s. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. Who was the first ever NBA player to score 2,000 points in a single season? If Kobe is ever able to get healthy again, hell be able to surpass Jordan for third place on the career scoring list, and is currently one of just five players to ever surpass 30,000 points. Or how much you can dole out. Thats because Johnson, a second-degree black belt in karate, has been a professional MMA fighter and kickboxer since he was 18 years old and has a 7-0 record in MMA matches and 20-0 record in kickboxing. After his career nearly ended with a one-year suspension for his role in "The Malice at the Palace," he redeemed himself and won an NBA title with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2010. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. The retired NBA player-turned-TNT analyst spoke with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's 'First Take' to discuss the issue that has increasingly become a hot topic among league execs and players. On that same night who was the next . Bottom line: Owner of one of the NBAs all-time greatest nicknames, Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson was known for his instant offense off the bench former Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge actually gave Johnson the nickname. Don't trust the colours as they have been manipulated. NBA starting lineups will be posted here as they're made available each day, including updates, late scratches and breaking news. He had his number retired by two of the three places he played in his college and pro career, the University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls. Joe Dumars. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. Maravich wasnt the most conventional star to ever play the game, but his flashy play and outstanding skill level made him one of the most exciting scorers to ever step on a basketball court. He brought immediate toughness and stability to the roster. "If you played Monday through Saturday and didn't have a fight, you knew you had to be ready for Sunday because you'd surely have a fight. Some of the most legendary players in the history of the NBA include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Bottom line: Whats amazing about Rick Mahorns career is that, on paper, it appears to have been pretty average. Despite the Hornets winning five games in a row, fans are calling out the team and its owner, Michael Jordan. Instead, he broke them. Starks bounced between three different junior colleges in Oklahoma before landing in the checkout lane at a supermarket, bagging groceries. How tough is Adams? Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1986-87), Indiana Pacers (1987-89), Orlando Magic (1989-94), Washington Bullets (1994-95), Philadelphia 76ers (1995-96), Key stats: 600 G, 11.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, 43.5 FG%. Iverson grew up in abject poverty and was sentenced to five years in prison as a senior in high school for a bowling alley assault, serving four months before he was granted clemency by the governor of Virginia. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1979-89), Atlanta Hawks (1989-91), Key stats: 767 G, 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50.2 FG%. Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? Chicago Bulls Trivia! Malone averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds every night in 11 seasons, and about the only reason hes not a little bit higher on this list is the fact that his career shooting percentage was a shade under 50% from the field. After missing Game 6 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers with a torn thigh muscle, Reed was almost certainly a scratch for Game 7. Since he doesnt rely on pure athleticism to get his buckets, he could very well be the first NBA player to ever reach 40,000 points in a career. Teams: Washington Bullets (1980-85), Detroit Pistons (1985-89, 1996-98), Philadelphia 76ers (1989-91, 1999), New Jersey Nets (1992-96), Key stats: 1,117 G, 6.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 49.3 FG%. !Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsportsguy5/TikTok: https:/. He also was routinely voted among the NBAs dirtiest players during his career. Bottom line: Kevin McHale gave opponents nightmares because of his arsenal of low-post offensive moves, which he called "the torture chamber," and for being a rugged, punishing defender. Its not just defined by how much punishment you can sustain. Havlicek simply wore opponents out with his conditioning, and if you want to teach a young player how to move without the ball in their hands, all you need is to cue up old Havlicek highlights on YouTube. He was once singled out by NBA career leading-scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the toughest defender he ever faced and is regarded as the only post player of that era who could stand toe-to-toe with both Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar. People these days tend to remember him more for his battle with HIV and his work as an analyst, but the fact of the matter is he was an absolute basketball anomaly: a 6-foot-8 point guard whose unselfishness is pretty much the sole reason he didnt become a 30 points-per-game scorer. And thats fair, because he almost killed Houstons Rudy Tomjanovich with one punch during a game in December 1977. What you see every night is a group of big, freakishly athletic men running up and down the court scoring in ways James Naismith never would have dreamed possible. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. Teams: Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03), Key stats: 1,072 G, 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 49.7 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar poured in more than 38,000 points in his 20 year career, dipping below 1,000 points in a season only once, and averaging 24.6 points-per-game for his career while shooting a sizzling 55.9% from the field. However, he played equally hard (I mean, recreationally, not on the court). Bottom line: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA titles and six NBA Most Valuable Player awards and is in the conversation when it comes to the greatest basketball players of all time, which probably automatically puts him in the conversation for toughest players ever, as well. 3 min read. Before turning his focus to basketball, the two-time Most Valuable Player grew up in Canada playing hockey, and his family lived in the same neighborhood as future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall. Top 20 Hardest Players to Guard in NBA History, 10 Feel-Good WCW Stories That Made Fans Emotional, 5 Best WWE Tag Team Champions Of The Golden Era (& 5 Worst). The Ultimate Space Jam Trivia! 2 / 60. Never has such a small player impacted the game of basketball the way Iverson did, finishing his long career with a scoring average of 26.7 points. He would go out and play golf, not just for a quick 9 holes, but for 18, and sometimes, 36 holes. Mourning, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, averaged 2.8 blocks per game over a 16-year career and was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Facebook Logo Twitter Logo 18 amazing levels! Whats unique about his career was that style of play, at that time, was ahead of its time feed the ball to one player and let the game hinge on that. Created by SUJI102010 (User . In addition to starting lineups, this tool will also display Vegas odds, positions and salaries for that day's games on FantasyDraft. Drafting a professional player from a foreign territory "You'd have a fight a week," Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 1992. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. James Worthy with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s. Its almost unfair that a player could come along with Durants combination of size, measuring in at 6-foot-9, and shooting range. That included a career-high 18.7 rebounds in 1991-92. Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Dennis Rodman may have been one of the strangest men to ever play in the NBA, or in any sports league for that matter, but this video goes to show just how you get the best of a bully in a big time situation. Kelly Oubre Jr. for instance, fits both criteria exactly . Unseld, known for bone-rattling picks, played for a decade before helping lead the Bullets to the NBA title in 1978, when he was named Finals MVP. 2002, 2009, 2010). Guess the Logos of the Clubs. Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. Former 76ers general manager Pat Williams probably described Jones the best: "He gives you two hours of his blood, showers and goes home.". If Durant stays healthy, and considering hes already started excusing himself from USA Basketball activities to remain fresh, theres no telling just how many points he could score. Theres a mental aspect to being tough thats just as important. A lot of that comes from his upbringing. Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). Kobe has been working his whole life to both emulate and try to surpass Jordan, much like how Tiger Woods has mapped out his entire career as a comparison to Jack Nicklaus. In addition to starting lineups, this tool will also display Vegas odds, positions and salaries for that day's games on DraftKings. Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2001-07), New York Knicks (2007-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-19). It seems hard to be one without people thinking youre not also the other. To put it in perspective, Foust scored the winning basket for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the lowest-scoring NBA game of all-time, a 19-18 win over the Minneapolis Lakers, a year in which he averaged 13.5 points. Bottom line: Zach Randolph is perhaps the most durable, underrated and, to be honest, the most intimidating player of his generation. Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-15), Key stats: 1,217 G, 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 49.0 FG%. Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. From 1989 to 1998, he won five NBA titles with two different teams, the Pistons and Bulls, and averaged at least 15 rebounds per game for seven seasons in that stretch. Kobes one of the most athletically gifted players to ever grace an NBA court, but hes also honed his skillset to make him a lethal midrange shooter. You can instantly get the latest updates about various . Gervin averaged 26.2 points during his NBA career, pumping in more than 30 points-per-game twice. He made second-team the other season. Bottom line: Bill Russell was the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in NBA history, winning 11 NBA championships in his 13 seasons. Say what you will about the perceived lack of killer instinct in LeBron James, the simple fact is hes one of the most physically gifted scorers the game of basketball has ever seen. Unlike many of the players on this list, Larry Bird was seldom the best athlete to step out on the floor. What they found: DRF Sports released new research that . You can make a solid argument that his injury in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers he tore his PCL and MCL turned the tide for the Lakers in their Game 7 win with Perkins sitting out. Bottom line: In 12 NBA seasons, Bobby Jones earned a reputation as one of the classiest players of all time. Bottom line: LeBron James could be in the Top 30 NBA career games played at the end of the 2019-20 season and likely will break Robert Parrishs career record of 1,611 games if he plays four more seasons, which hes openly said he wants to do.
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