[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Let’s not say “potentially” or whatever.

RIGHT NOW, how many players are there in the NBA can you built a NBA Championship team around? Like if they was the only #1 option.

I could only think of 4 off the top of my head.

LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Dirk

[TONYDABOSS77Participant]

Durant Of Course

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I dunno about Durant yet.

[JNixonParticipant]

I’d say Lebron, Wade, Kobe, Dirk, Paul Pierce (he may be gay and all, but he has led Boston to the Finals twice as a 1st option), Kevin Durant, and Carmelo, can be 1st option guys on a contender.

[llperez]

there are quite a few guys who could be the number 1 option, and be the best player on a championship team. Some just need more help then others. FOr example, i think pau gasol could be the best player on a title team and be the go to guy due to his post skills and ability to pass out of double teams. But he would need a hell of a lot of help around him. There are probably a lot of guys you could add to this list. Dwill, Chris Paul, derrick rose, brandon roy, carmelo anothony.

[SlimParticipant]

you need a Big 3… at least 3 out of 5 slots need to give u an advantage

no 1 player can do it alone, bcuz know more players who dominate offense and defensive forces like Olajuwon

[Demarcus OnealParticipant]

Melo , Yao if healthy Durant and maybe Dwight Howard

[TONYDABOSS77Participant]

Durant , Kobe ,Wade & LeBron Are The Only True Ones ..

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I don’t think a point guard could be the number 1 guy on a title team unless that team has some really good post options. The last team to win a title with the PG being the main man as Isiah Thomas in 1990.

I disagree with Pau Gasol. I cannot see him being the BEST player on a title team.

Roy is a question mark to me. He’s good but I don’t see it.

Carmelo is one I can agree with.

I said no to Durant because I feel in order to win titles, you HAVE to go through heartbreak in the playoffs first. You gotta earn your stripes. Other then Magic in 80′ I cannot think of anyone who was the main guy on a title team and not go through some heartbreak in the playoffs.

[JoeWolf1]

It really depends on what kind of Championship team you build. Although, the NBA continues to evolve it wasn’t all that long ago when the Pistons won it on in 04 and Rip Hamilton was their #1 option. He was a solid, but never elite scorer, so if the team is built a certain way I don’t think you need a 25+ ppg scorer like Kobe or Dirk and a definitive #1 option to win a title. Although it does help.

[PlatypusParticipant]

1 Need a defensive big

2 Need an offensive big

3 Need a shooter

4 Need a scorer

5 Need a passer

6 Need a defensive perimiter

7 Need a bench with all of that as well

8 Need a Good Coach

9 Need Chemistry on and off the court

[Demarcus OnealParticipant]

Melo is a true one and Gasol tried and failed doing that in Memphis where they couldnt make the playoffs

[llperez]

chauncey billups was the best player on detroit when they won. If boston pulled out the game 7 a month ago, rajon rondo would have been the best player on that team. Kidd and payton have both led theri teams to the finals as the best player on the court. SO i disagree with the statement that a pg cant be the best player on a title team.

[llperez]

pau actually got them to the playoffs 3 straight years. But who was his second best player on those teams? Mike miller, james posey, shane battier, jason williams? I noted that he would have to have a lot of help. If you disagree, thats understandable, but dont point out memphis as an example, especially if you dont even recall whether or not they made the playoffs.

[JoeWolf1]

I don’t think the Memphis thing is a fair way to judge Pau Gasol leading a team. They made the playoffs 3 straight years (not to much success) but they did it with players like and aging Eddie Jones, James Posey, and a past his prime Bonzi Wells as his main contributors. I think they even won around 50 games or so for a couple of those seasons.

[JoeWolf1]

lol, perez, we posted the same thing at the same time….im kinda freaked out

[llperez]

great minds think alike, lol

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Last team to win a Title was Zeke in 1990 with the PG as the best player.

Detroit in my honest opinon- Richard Hamilton was the best player and Rasheed Wallace was the important guy to that bunch.

Kidd has Kittles ( who was good back then), Van Horn, Martin, Jefferson, Louicious Harris. He led them but the talent around him wasn’t sloches.

Payton had Kemp, Schrempf, Hersey Hawkins and Sam Perkins. All of those players had decent 1996 seasons.

[SlimParticipant]

@JoeWolf1

true but that had a lot of balance and

Chauncey Billups was the Finals MVP

Lakers couldnt match up

[JoeWolf1]

I know, but I was just stating that it doesn’t take a definitive #1 option like a Kobe or Dirk to win a title. I brought up the 03-04 Pistons because they kind of broke the mold with their defense and balanced play they won the NBA title without a big time scorer. That finals performance kind of put Billups on the map too. Balance and D won a title for Detroit in 04, not a #1 scorer, although Billups had a great series.

[SlimParticipant]

true

[llperez]

i believe billups was the mvp of that pistons team. He took the big shots and was the engine that drove the team and made the decisions. ANd who cares if kidd and payton had good teammates? Nobody’s saying a pg, or any player for that matter can win without teammates. Payton and kidd showed that a great pg could lead their team deep and contend for a title. Parker also won finals mvp recently as a pg, although its debateable if he was the teams best player or not over duncan.

[SmooveKRYPTParticipant]

how can you say Gasol can be a #1 guy on a championship team when he never won a single playoff game with Memphis. They were swept 3 years straight, he needs to be a sidekick in order to succeed.

#1 options are Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Durant, Dirk, Melo…and possibly B. Roy if you put a shooting PG next to him, then that team is set.

Dwight still has no dependable post moves to be put on the list, and I just don’t think Yao’s body can hold up for the 100+ games you have to play to win a title.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

It’s apples and oranges with the Pistons team who won the title.

Billups was the most clutch

Hamilton was the best player on that team

Wallace was the piece that put them over the hump

That’s all my IMO btw.

[llperez]

liljkwon, pau is much better now and tougher mentally then he was then. And for the third time, bringing up memphis is not exactly a great example considering he didnt have one other guy who was even close to being an all-star. I pointed out that pau would have to have a ton of help, but could he be the best player on a title team? I think so. Many people were arguing during the finals that he was the best big man in the entire league.

[JoeWolf1]

Everyone needs a sidekick or good complimentary player to succeed. Name one player who won a title by himself? Not Kobe, Jordan, Wade, Shaq, no one. I understand if you are not convinced Gasol isn’t a #1 guy, but look at McGrady’s playoff record. I don’t think people would question whether he was a #1 option in his prime, but he never advanced either, and with better teams than Gasol had in Memphis.

[llperez]

how is the pistons example apples and oranges? You said you dont think a pg could be the best player on a title team, and i believe he was the best player and i believe he did win finals mvp. If you disagree with him being the best, fine just not sure where the phrase apples and oranges comes in. And like i pointed out, tony parker was the finals mvp not long ago as well.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Parker was the Finals MVP but Duncan was the guy for that team. I don’t think they get there without Duncan.

Yea, maybe apples and oranges wasn’t the best term.

ll, you really don’t believe Pau is the best Big in the NBA do you?

[llperez]

between him and dwight.

[pimpdeuce88Participant]

sry dudes i kno yall be beggin for a white player but real shit if gasol not one then neither is dirk… and wade kobe, and maybe durant got the fuck it in the clutch gene… lebron great all game till the final four mins

[ChewyParticipant]

Lebron, Kobe, Melo, Wade, Durant…. thats it

[llperez]

chewy, so you are saying theres no way boston could have won the title last year? or orlando, or phoenix?

[ChewyParticipant]

I’m saying those guys are the only players who can single handedly bring their team to championship contention. Boston could win through teamwork, defense, and a bunch of all stars with no “super star”. PHX could win through fast paced play, the three ball and Steve Nash as an architect of a pg. Orlando could win through Howard’s dominance on the boards, the three ball, and Carter and Lewis playing up to their contract. However, Nash and Howard cannot win without another star (ala the Celtics method)

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Dirk, Paul and Durant are my top #1s. Other guys right below them are DWilliams Carmelo and Howard but they need a little more help. Cant include Duncan anymore since his game has gone down the last couple years or yao since hes never healthy. Rose will probably be that #1 guy in 2 years.
No way Pierce is. I dont know if he ever was quite at that sure-fire #1 player level. Was a great player but not a guy that can carry a team without a lot of help around him.

[SubZeroParticipant]

Kobe, Wade, Durant, Lebron, Paul, Howard (Not necessarily the best scorer, just best player referring to Howard). Although with Point Guards, they might require better role players than Lebron, Durant, Wade or Kobe would

[sheltwon3Participant]

It is tough even a number one option to win without help. I think you can build a team around Gasol but like everyone you need a sidekick. I think some of you are getting superstar and number one option confused. There are only a few superstars but there are lot more number one options and why is there questions about Durant being a number one option. He has been a number one option at every level.

[GrandfiNalley101Participant]

U think of guys who get the ball in the crunch and deliver, right? Kobe, D Wade, LeBron, Dirk, Durant, P Pierce and to a lesser extent Roy. Kobe and DWade being the only 3 to do it on the biggest stage. Carmelo is possible but to be so great he is just missing something to me, don’t know if I call him clutch. No point gaurds? Not sure who said that but Nash,D Williams, and C Paul have to be counted in the conversation. There is nothing clutch about Dwight Howard nor is he a go to guy. He is just the best player on his team. He dominates on D and the glass! One big does come to mind though he slowed down a bunch just this past season Tim Duncan, he will be back playing power forward and being rested in the playoffs. Tiago Splitter and Dejaun Blair will make sure he is rested. Gasol maybe the best big in the league he just plays with Kobe.

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

durant did not go thru heart break in the playoffs yet
i guess you wernt wacthing this years playoffs than
how was the thunder loss not heart breaking knowing they can win a game 6 but lost it becasue some1 didnt box out
they had the game won and lost it in the last seccond of the game how is that not heart breaking

[dipt1982Participant]

Well KnicksBoy, it’s easy to say they would not have made it without Duncan, but it could easily be said that they wouldn’t have made it without Parker as well…this debate is endless, every needs somebody else…

And Zeke had people around him too, Dumars was very good at that time, Vinnie Johnson, Mahorn, Lambieer…these aren’t the best supporting players ever, but you threw out Kittles and Van Horn, LOL, had to bring a rebuttal to that…

[dipt1982Participant]

And please guys, Brandon Roy is NOT that guy yet, not sure if he ever will be really…surprised I haven’t heard Joe Johnson in the conversation if Roy is getting thrown out so easily…

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I never said there wasn’t players around Zeke. My 1st statement about PG as #1 said that. You need players around him.

I agree, I don’t think Brandon Roy is ready either

[joecheck88Participant]

for me a number 1 guy is a guy that can carry a team to the finals, he will have help but he is the main piece. and there are only a few in this league at the moment.

kobe bryant- yes, pau gasol took this team to a new level but kobe is the finisher and without him, they are a second round playoff team.

lebron james- no he hasnt won the ring yet but he has carried a very mediocre team to alot of wins and one finals appearance.

dwayne wade- wade too had a supporting cast when the heat won in 2006, but the heat were down 2
-0 in that series and then dwade took over.

dwight howard- offensively he is still the first option and defensively he causes frustration. his defense is what makes him a #1 guy, he can carry a team to the finals and has proven that.

dirk nowitzki- this guy is a mvp and has carried a team to the finals. he has always had a decent supporting cast but has always been the unquestioned number 1 guy.
guys that are hard to tell because of different situations.

paul pierce- he didnt have much playoff success by himself and then garnett and allen came and turned the team into a powerhouse. id say pierce is very close if not a number one guy.

tim duncan- he has always had a great supporting cast(not his fault) but was always the best player. i would say that duncan definately was a #1 guy but may have dropped a tier with age.

yao ming- he hasnt won much in the playoffs but his rockets are always tough to beat. a key reason why the dont win is he gets injured. yao has shown though, while healthy, he is probably the best low post offensive player in the game and could carry a team to the finals barring another injury.

guys on the brink(one move could make or break them)

this is a much larger list of players.

deron williams, chris paul, brandon roy, joe johnson, carmelo anthony, kevin durant(i think its almost without a doubt that he will be), chris bosh(doubtful now), derrick rose, tyreke evans, and brook lopez.

there could be more but that is my list off the top of my head.

[GodfatherParticipant]

Ike Diogu

[GodfatherParticipant]

In all seriousness,

LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Durant, Dirk, Timmy D, Pierce/Garnett, Deron, Paul, Nash (besides the age), Melo, Dwight, and probably a few others I’m forgetting.

Think about it, if you give any of these guys a championship caliber supporting cast, coach, etc, no injuries, a little luck here and there, they can win it all.

Look at it when the Pistons won. Who was their clear cut #1 guy? They were just a very complete team. And in the end, that is what is most important in winning a championship.

[Author]

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