[EricaLubarsky]

So how about we compare JJB without Dirk and a championship team to Collison instead.You can argue that playing with Dirk and a championship team is the real reason that stats are silly, but it's hard to argue that the Timberwolves last year had a better team than the Mavericks have this year.

Collison 2013 vs. JJB 2012 (Wolves)
45.6/ 46.3 eFG%
33.3/33.3 clutch eFG%
8.6/10.8AP48
3.5/4.8 TOp48
2.6/2.3 A/TO ratio
3.2/5.3 Rp48
7.0/11.3 pass rating
6.6/10.7 rebound rating
16.8/22.8 "hands" rating (a measure of bad passes, TOs, etc)
-1.6/0.2 net PER (player production minus opposing player's PER)

JJB is still better in ball handling, passing, rebounding and better at defending or outperforming opposing PGs (as well as FG%, and rebounding/assist rate. Is he the better player? Again, I'm not saying that, but this data isolates the variable (Dirk and the "champsionship team") that you are claiming is nullifying data to the point that we can't draw comparisons. Even when you take the "Dirkfactor" away, JJB is still comparable. If you look at other seasons from Collison, the data is even more stark in comparison.

So, to win the argument that it's "absurd" to compare the two, I think you not only need to answer that data and also provide a reason that it's not only not true but there is actually reason to believe that any comparison is silly.

And I like your thinking on the early stats-- nice stats. I still don't think those numbers make it-- in your words--, "absurd" to compare the two and I'll even let you compare JJB's biggest slump of his career to Collison's freakishly good start. Compare the two stats that I was most concerned with (ballhandling/passing/defense) and you still get a pretty even playing field and not the stuff of absurdity.