05-12-2005, 03:12 AM
Sir O Wrote:I love Steve Nash and the Suns team, but cause I'm fucking bored...How could it be argued that Oscar Robertson is the greatest all-around player if Magic Johnson was the greatest point guard in history and therefore Robertson isn't even the greatest at his own position?
JOHN STOCKTON WUZ JOBBED!!!! If Nash deserves one MVP, Stockton deserves ten.
Stockton was THE MAN, the purest point guard to ever wear the tiny shorts.
How great was John Stockton? Let me just put one aspect of his game in to historical perspective:
Averaging 10 assists per game for an entire season is a fairly uncommon occurance in the NBA. It has been done only 60 times in NBA history, including Steve Nash's 2005 MVP season.
The great point guards, as would be expected, dominate the list.
Isiah Thomas (*cough*great player horrible GM*cough*) did it 4 seperate times, with a high of 13.9 APG.
Oscar Robertson, arguably the greatest all-around player in professional basketball history, did it a full 5 times, topping out with 11.5 in 1964-65.
Magic Johnson, the greatest point guard in history, did it an astounding 9 times in his career, easily demolishing Robertson's previous NBA record on his way to becoming the all-time assists leader. His one-season best was 13.1 APG in 83-84.
Jason Kidd and Steve Nash are the only active players to have done it even once.
Bob Cousy never did it.
And Stockton?
Stockton went a full ten seasons in a row averaging 10+ assists per game. And when I say "10+", you should really emphasize the PLUS.
From the 87-88 season through the 91-92 season, a span of 5 full years, John Stocktom AVERAGED 14 assists per game.
5 of the top-6 APG seasons of all-time belong to John Stockton.
SO!
Having sufficiently emphasized Stockton's unparalleled ability to generate team offense, I'll quickly mention that he was also a career 51.% shooter which includes a 38.4% success rate from behind the arc.
Oh, and he was a five-time selection for the All-Defense 2nd Team and also the NBA's all-time leader in defensive steals.
John Stockton's 1994-95 season:
FG% - 54.2%
3PT - 44.9%
FT% - 80.4%
Assists/game - 12.3
PPG - 14.7
Rebounds - 3.1
Steals - 2.37
Turnovers - 3.26
JAZZ Record - 60-22 .732 (2nd in West)
The MVP was David Robinson
Steve Nash 2004-2005 Season:
FG% - 50.2%
3PT - 43.1%
FT% - 88.9%
Assists/game - 11.5
PPG - 15.5
Rebounds - 3.3
Steals - .99
Turnovers - 2.29
SUNS Record - 62-20 .756 (1st in West)
One point that should be made is that the Suns have some good players but no Karl Malone. Amare is good but is he Malone 94-95 good? I don't think so. But Karl Malone was basically ALL Stockton had in 94-95. There were multiple 2 and 3 guards, Blue Edwards and David Benoit anyone?, during those years. Nash has an offensive arsenal all around him with potential 30 point nights from every position on the floor. It is a shame that people will only appreciate how great Stockton was now that he is gone and people like me crunch numbers.
And I have no problem with Nash as MVP. He deserved it. But he's no John Stockton.
How could Robertson's 5 seasons of 10+ assists, be described as "full" and Stockton's 10 also be described as "full" while yet another 5-year subsection of Stockton's career also be described as "full". Wouldn't Robertson's only be half-full, at best? What happens if someone eventually has 11 seasons? Which one is full then?
Nash didn't deserve the MVP. O'Neal clearly deserved it. Just look at the 80 game swing between the Lakers and Heat between this year and last.
Nash won the MVP for one pass, and it wasn't even during the regular season.