Iverson and others

[Fidel]

Does anybody actually think players like Iverson, Carter, Walker or McGrady are good? I know they do some other things well, but a player that shoots the ball up to 25 times a game should be hitting more than 35% of his shots (AI) or 38% (Walker). The 42% of Carter and McGrady also do not impress me. I´m not saying those are bad players but they shouldn´t get any credit for scoring alot of points when they are shooting the ball that bad.

If you look at the real good teams like Sacramento, Milwaukee, San Antonio or the Lakers you´ll notice that most of the guys on this teams that get to shoot the ball have a significantly higher percentage. They also have a much higher PPS average. Guys like Ray Allen, Stojakovic, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Shaq and Kobe Bryant can´t get enough credit IMO. They are clearly a class of their own right now and it´s a shame that those mentioned above probably will start for the east all stars and a classy player like Allen won´t. People really need to take a closer look IMO. Scoring 27 ppg doesn´t mean anything if you shoot 35%.

If you wonder were all this is coming from: I had some debates about it on a german board, and I though I might post this here.

[Murphy3]

I definitely agree to an extent.
There's alot of players that could average 25+ points if they got 25 shots a game plus a few trips to the line.
42% shooting is pathetic..and that's about where iverson ended up last year. if your argument is that they are shooting guards and take more outside shots..well, there are several guards and forwards that shoot alot of threes that have field goal percentages way over 45%...


you do have something...definitely fidel

[Murphy3]

actually, that is my exact reasoning last year as to why iverson shouldn't be the mvp..an mvp simply cannot shoot 42%..it's disgraceful

[Fidel]

Murphy
I remember that.
It was my gripe with Iverson too. This year it has gotten even worse. The guy is shooting 35% but he will surely start for the east all stars. That´s rediculous.

[MFFL]

I'm not a big fan of Iverson either. He takes WAY too many bad shots. He is very tough though - he's the only player I can think of who takes more punishment than Dirk.

[Murphy3]

there's no question...he's as tough as hell..he's a very good player also.
i wouldn't even consider him as one of the top 10 players in the NBA though..not with a shooting percentage like he has. I'm sorry, but i can't do it..and i never will...

It's like giving bob welch a Cy Young for winning 26 games a few years back...his ERA was up near 4.00...but his team scored alot of runs for him
was he the best pitcher in the AL...hell no..not even close..there were guys with an ERA way over 1 run lower than his...there's no way he was the cy young winner like there's no way that iverson should have been the MVP

[djb]

I agree with both your opinions that Iverson shouldn't have been MVP, but I also think any player who has that kind of impact on his team's play/success should receive some consideration.

[Mavinator]

Iverson was great last year. He totally created his team's offense, single-handedly carried them to the NBA finals, and he deserved the MVP, even though he was far from being the best player in the league. But now he has totally reverted to his former self. Gunner Iverson is back... I could see him returning by the end of last season, and now nothing can stop him from shooting...

[Rod1975]

Shaq is the Mvp in this league right now. The Mvp award should be given to the best player in the league, and Allen Iverson was not that player last year. Yet somehow, the NBA big-wigs think that shooting 41% and only averaging 3.8 rebs and 4.6 assists is Mvp material.
And in the playoffs his shooting went down to 38% (yet he averaged more points!)and only marginal increases in rebs and assists. Everybody like the little man in this league, and no one like to root for the big guy. That's fine by me, but you don't give out an Mvp award to the sentimental favorite. You give it to the stud of the leage and imo (as much as I dislike him) Shaq should have recieved the Mvp award last year. You just can't argue with 28.7 pts, on 57% shooting 12.7 rebs, 3.7as and 2.7blk a game! Not to mention the friggin' ring!
I don't like Shaq, I don't like his game at all, in fact I like AI's game alot more, but the fact is: Shaq is the stud in the league right now, and will be for awhile as long as NBA refs let him.

As for the the rest of those guys, they can score, but they don't impact the game for their team to the degree that Shaq does.

[Murphy3]

how can you say he wasn't gunner iverson last year? 41% from the floor? 28.7 points?..that's about all he's doing is shooting.
newsflash, it Philadelphia's defense that led them to the championship.
you could have inserted several guys and gave them the opportunity to shoot as much as iverson did..and guess what, they'd shoot better, average more points, and would have ended up in the finals

[reeds]

Here is my take...Down by one, with the ball, to win the game, do you want those guys to have the ball?? I do! I want Iverson..I dont care is he is shooting 42 percent..I will take my chances...same with carter,mcgrady, all of the mentioned players. That is what makes them great- they want the ball with the game on the line. And more times than not, the will win you that game at the end. Or at least get to the line and win it there... That is MVP style...which i feel Iverson deserved...

[reeds]

oh yes- Shaq is the MAN. dont get me wrong- he is deserving every year!!

[Murphy3]

down by 1...no way iverson is one of my top 10 choices...i'd pick finley before i would take iverson to have the last shot.